The invention relates to a method for controlling the oil pressure of an oil pump (40, 140) in a combustion engine (100). The combustion engine (100) comprises a crankcase (11) and a separator (14, 114) for separating oil present in a blow-by gas from the crankcase (11). The method comprises the step (201) of providing oil pressure demand for a set of different engine operation conditions, the oil pressure demand defining the theoretical required oil pressure of the oil pump (40, 140); the step (203) of controlling the oil pressure of the oil pump (40, 140) based on the oil pressure demand for at least one engine operation condition in the set of different engine operation conditions; the step (205) of driving the separator (14, 114) using oil from the oil pump (40, 140), the oil being pressurized based on the oil pressure demand.

A method for determining a degree of loading on a filter medium of a filter device on a vehicle through which a fluid flows includes determining an operating characteristic of the filter device based on at least one operating quantity of the vehicle and comparing a predefined reference characteristic of the filter device with the operating characteristic. The degree of loading is derived from a result of the comparing step.

The present disclosure relates to a piston for a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, comprising a piston head and a piston barrel, wherein the piston head has an encircling ring belt with at least one ring groove for a piston ring and has, in the region of the ring belt, an encircling cooling duct. The cooling duct extends from the ring belt as far as a wall of the piston barrel in order to increase an oil film temperature of the oil film in the cylinder liner between the piston barrel and cylinder and to thereby reduce the piston barrel friction.

A system and method for activating on a user interface an indicator of a condition of a lubricant in a machine module. The system may comprise a controller and a user interface. The controller may be configured to, for each of a first time window and a second time window: receive a plurality of lubricant characteristics and measured lubricant temperatures, calculate an adjusted lubricant characteristic, and determine a slope based on the plurality of adjusted lubricant characteristics. The controller may further determine a change in slope, and generate a signal to activate the indicator on the user interface based on the change in slope, wherein, if the change in slope exceeds a threshold, the indicator is a lubricant changed indicator.

A method for reducing noise generated from an electric oil pump (EOP) is reduced while driving a vehicle which has only the EOP without a mechanical oil pump (MOP) limits revolutions per minute (RPM) of the EOP to 70% or less of a maximum RPM during a low noise driving mode and rotates the EOP at the maximum RPM during a high noise driving mode.

A method for operating an oil circuit for a vehicle, the oil circuit being configured to supply oil to an internal combustion engine, wherein the oil circuit includes an oil cooler, and wherein at least one temperature sensor measures the temperature of the oil flowing through the oil circuit, downstream of the oil cooler and upstream of the internal combustion engine, the temperature sensor being connected for signaling purposes to a regulating and/or control device, includes: controlling and/or regulating, by the regulating and/or control device, the temperature of the oil flowing through the oil circuit, such that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor has a defined target temperature value; and setting and/or adjusting, by the regulating and/or control device, as a function of a drive power of the internal combustion engine, the defined target temperature value so as to reduce fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine.

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing variable oil pump degradation. In one example, a method may include cranking an engine with a motor and monitoring the motor current draw from a battery during cranking. The method may indicate degradation of a variable oil pump coupled to the engine by comparing the motor current draw with a baseline current level.

A system and method for activating on a user interface an indicator of a condition of a lubricant in a machine module. The system may comprise a controller and a user interface. The controller may be configured to, for each of a first time window and a second time window: receive a plurality of lubricant characteristics and measured lubricant temperatures, calculate an adjusted lubricant characteristic, and determine a slope based on the plurality of adjusted lubricant characteristics. The controller may further determine a change in slope, and generate a signal to activate the indicator on the user interface based on the change in slope, wherein, if the change in slope exceeds a threshold, the indicator is a lubricant changed indicator.

An apparatus for diagnosing lubricant degradation includes a soot amount estimator configured to estimate an amount of soot formed in a predetermined period in a combustion chamber of an engine, and diagnoses the degradation of a lubricant based on a cumulative value of the amount of soot estimated. The soot amount estimator calculates the amount of soot based on a speed of the engine and a load parameter related to a load of the engine, and corrects, based on a temperature parameter correlated to the temperature of the combustion chamber, the amount of soot calculated into an increased value if the temperature parameter is lower than a predetermined first temperature.

The disclosure relates to a method and a device for checking the functionality of a crankcase ventilation system of an internal combustion engine. The crankcase ventilation system includes two crankcase ventilation lines arranged between a crankcase outlet of a crankcase and an associated introduction point into an air path of the internal combustion engine, via which crankcase ventilation lines gas can be introduced from the crankcase into the air path. The method includes measuring a pressure in the crankcase, supplying the measured pressure values to a control unit, and calculating the gradient of the measured pressure. The method also includes performing a gradient check, checking whether the gradient satisfies a specified criterion, and returning to the measurement of the pressure if the gradient satisfies the specified criterion. The method also includes recording an entry in a fault memory if the gradient does not satisfy the specified criterion.