Provided are: a rear plate 13 enclosing an axial end opening of a housing body; a lock pin 30 configured to travel forward and backward in a slide hole formed in a first vane of a vane member; and an annular lock-hole-forming part 31 press-fitted to a retaining hole 13c in an inner end surface of the rear plate, forming a lock hole 32 therein. A projection 35 having a flat distal end surface 35a is formed at one circumferential end side of an inner peripheral surface of the lock-hole-forming part, and recesses 37, 37 continuous with the inner peripheral surface of the lock hole are formed on corresponding sides of the projection in the circumferential direction of the lock hole. This ensures smooth engagement of the locking pin in the lock hole, and enables smooth supply and drainage of hydraulic pressure to and from the lock hole.

A method for reducing noise in an engine is disclosed whereby a camshaft phaser is modified by a lockout to limit the movement of the phaser during operation. The lockout is inserted into the phaser's gear without removing the front engine cover using a novel method.

Systems and methods for operating an engine with an oil pump that supplies engine oil to various oil consumers in an engine are presented. In one example, a displacement of a variable displacement engine oil pump is adjusted to provide sufficient oil pressure throughout the engine, but low enough to conserve fuel.

Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating and non-deactivating valves are presented. In one example, estimates of engine fuel consumption for operating the engine with a plurality of cylinder modes or patterns while a transmission is engaged in different gears are determined and are used as a basis for deactivating engine cylinders.

Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating and non-deactivating valves are presented. In one example, engine volumetric efficiency actuators are adjusted in response to a request to activate engine cylinders so that engine intake manifold pressure is drawn down quickly toward its normal state at the engine's present speed and torque.

Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating and non-deactivating valves are presented. In one example, valves of a cylinder are deactivated in a closed state in response to an indication of degradation of a valve of the cylinder. Further, fuel flow to the cylinder may be stopped via ceasing to inject fuel to the cylinder.

Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating and non-deactivating valves is presented. In one example, the engine may include non-deactivating intake valves, deactivating intake valves, and only non-deactivating exhaust valves. The non-deactivating exhaust valves may operate to open and close during an engine cycle while deactivating intake valves remain closed during the engine cycle to prevent air flow through selected engine cylinders.

Methods and systems are described for an engine with a cam torque actuated variable cam timing phaser. Phaser positioning control is improved by reducing inaccuracies resulting from inadvertent spool valve and/or phaser movement when the spool valve is commanded between regions. In addition, improved spool valve mapping is used to render phaser commands more consistent and robust.

An electromechanical camshaft phaser (3) comprises a setting gear (4) and an electric motor (5), which is controlled by means of an electric-motor control unit (6). Data concerning the operation of the electric motor (5) including position changes of its motor shaft are transferred via a data bus (8) from the electric-motor control unit (6) to an engine control unit (7) of the internal combustion engine (1) comprising the camshaft phaser (3). In addition, recurring time signals are transferred from the electric-motor control unit (6) to the engine control unit (7) via a separate line (9), by which harder real-time requirements are met than by the data bus (8). The time signals are used to generate a time difference signal in the engine control unit (7) by comparison with the data received by the engine control unit (7), which time difference signal is fed back to the electric-motor control unit (6) via the data bus (8) and is used there to synchronize the electric-motor control unit (6) with the engine control unit (7).

A control valve includes a valve housing extending along a longitudinal axis. The valve housing defines an inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port. In addition, the control valve includes a spool guide disposed inside the valve housing and a flow guide belt disposed around the spool guide. The flow guide belt is disposed inside the valve housing. The control valve further includes a spool movably disposed in the spool guide. The spool can move relative to the valve housing along the longitudinal axis between a first spool position and a second spool position. The first outlet port is in fluid communication with the inlet port when spool is disposed in the first spool position.