Disclosed is a system for monitoring parts in a machine is provided. The system includes a base unit, and an electronic circuitry. The base unit includes a generator for generating controllable frequency, an impedance unit to resonate impedance with a matching frequency, a controller for modulating the impedance with commands, a first electrode to emit an alternating electric field, a mixer, and a communication unit for communicating the data and commands over a communication network. Further, the controller decodes changes in the impedance. The electronic circuitry includes a coupling electrode, a harvester for converting the alternating electric field into a DC energy, an analyzer to analyze the change in impedance of the provided alternating electric field caused by the parts of the machine, further the analyzer outputs the analyzing results as data, a modulator for modulating the alternating electric field with the data, wherein the modulated data is forked out by the mixer and processed by the controller, a floating electrode coupling to ground potential.

A method of determining a condition of a component (e.g., valves) of an engine having a manifold air pressure sensor during a cold test includes providing pressurized air to an intake of the engine. The method includes rotating a crankshaft of the engine. The method includes measuring pressures with the manifold air pressure sensor as a function of crankshaft rotational position. The method includes comparing the pressures with a predetermined baseline. The method includes indicating a condition of the component based on the comparison of the pressures with the baseline.

When a diesel engine is determined to be in a motoring state, a hysteresis zero angle H.sub.0 is determined (step S14). Subsequently, a gradient d.sub.n is calculated (step S16). The gradient d.sub.n is calculated based on data (θ.sub.n, Δh.sub.n) of a deviation Δh.sub.n at a retardation side from the hysteresis zero angle H.sub.0 and at an advance side from a predetermined crank angle. Subsequently, the gradient d.sub.n and the hysteresis zero angle H.sub.0 are updated (step S18). When the diesel engine is determined to be in a non-motoring state, data (θ.sub.n, P.sub.n) of an actual in-cylinder pressure is corrected based on a newest correction coefficient η and hysteresis zero angle H.sub.0 (step S22).

A method is provided for detecting a reciprocal position between a cylinder and a piston of a piston-cylinder unit of a vehicle. The method includes measuring, by means of an optical sensor, a value of an indicative parameter of a color of a reference mark positioned on a portion of the piston. The method also includes comparing the measured value with at least a predetermined threshold value thereof different to a minimum detected threshold of the indicative parameter by the optical sensor; and

emitting an alarm signal perceptible by a driver of a vehicle if the measured value is comprised between the threshold value and the minimum value.

A method is provided for detecting a reciprocal position between a cylinder and a piston of a piston-cylinder unit of a vehicle. The method includes measuring, by means of an optical sensor, a value of an indicative parameter of a color of a reference mark positioned on a portion of the piston. The method also includes comparing the measured value with at least a predetermined threshold value thereof different to a minimum detected threshold of the indicative parameter by the optical sensor; and

emitting an alarm signal perceptible by a driver of a vehicle if the measured value is comprised between the threshold value and the minimum value.

A fixture assembly includes a primary gage member, camshaft gages, a crankshaft gage and an engine gage, all of which have planar datum surfaces that are each dimensionally located relative to the primary gage member planar datum surface. The engine gage includes an engine datum surface, and is sized and shaped to receive, support and dimensionally locate the engine. An engine block datum surface is configured to be positioned on the engine datum surface thereby locating the engine relative to the primary gage member datum surface. The primary, first, second and engine datum surfaces are fixed in a parallel relationship to each other so as to form a parallel alignment system such that when the fixture assembly datum surfaces engage and form parallel alignment with the corresponding engine datum surfaces, the camshafts and crankshaft are angularly located in a predetermined angular orientation for proper timing of the engine assembly.

A fixture assembly includes a primary gage member, camshaft gages, a crankshaft gage and an engine gage, all of which have planar datum surfaces that are each dimensionally located relative to the primary gage member planar datum surface. The engine gage includes an engine datum surface, and is sized and shaped to receive, support and dimensionally locate the engine. An engine block datum surface is configured to be positioned on the engine datum surface thereby locating the engine relative to the primary gage member datum surface. The primary, first, second and engine datum surfaces are fixed in a parallel relationship to each other so as to form a parallel alignment system such that when the fixture assembly datum surfaces engage and form parallel alignment with the corresponding engine datum surfaces, the camshafts and crankshaft are angularly located in a predetermined angular orientation for proper timing of the engine assembly.

A system for a vehicle includes a filtering module and an indicated work module. The filtering module generates engine speeds based on positions of teeth of a toothed wheel that rotates with a crankshaft and based on a crankshaft position signal generated by a crankshaft position sensor. The crankshaft position sensor generates the crankshaft position signal based on rotation of the toothed wheel. The indicated work module generates an indicated work for a combustion cycle of a cylinder of an engine based on squares of first and second ones of the engine speeds and outputs the indicated work.

System comprising an internal combustion engine including a crankshaft, a crankshaft sprocket coupled to the crankshaft, an electric motor in mechanical communication with the crankshaft sprocket, a bidirectional engine position sensor coupled to the crankshaft sprocket, a controller in electrical communication with the bidirectional engine position sensor and a non-transitory memory having instructions that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to determine a position of an engine component upon shutdown of the engine, store the position of the engine component at shutdown in the non-transitory memory, and control the electric motor at restart in response to the position of the engine component at shutdown are disclosed. Methods are also disclosed.

A motor vehicle computer includes an input port connected to a crankshaft sensor and a module for processing signals received from the crankshaft sensor. The computer includes: a first adapting module, suited to making the signals, provided by a crankshaft sensor of a first type, conform to an input predefined format of the processing module; a second adapting module, suited to making the signals, provided by a crankshaft sensor of a second type, conform to the input format of the processing module; a routing unit suited to connecting the input port to the first or to the second adapting module; a unit for detecting the type of the crankshaft sensor connected to the input port; and a unit for commanding the routing unit according to the type of crankshaft sensor detected.