Methods and systems are provided for using a crankcase vent tube pressure or flow sensor for diagnosing a location and nature of crankcase system integrity breach. The same sensor can also be used for diagnosing air filter plugging and PCV valve degradation. Use of an existing sensor to diagnose multiple engine components provides cost reduction and sensor compaction benefits.

Methods and systems are provided for using a crankcase vent tube pressure or flow sensor for diagnosing a location and nature of crankcase system integrity breach. The same sensor can also be used for diagnosing air filter plugging and PCV valve degradation. Use of an existing sensor to diagnose multiple engine components provides cost reduction and sensor compaction benefits.

In an automotive carburetor, the time delay in the response of the engine to the change in the cross sectional area of the air passage is minimized, and a high level of freedom in selecting the communication cross section area of the air passage and the air fuel ratio for the given load of the engine. The carburetor (1) comprises a fuel passage (13) including a fuel nozzle (16) for supplying fuel to the intake passage, a first air passage (14) communicating with the fuel passage to supply air to the fuel passage, a variable communication unit (21, 41) provided in a part of the first air passage and moveable between an open position for communicating the first air passage and a closed position for shutting off the first air passage and a switch mechanism (22, 43) for moving the variable communication unit between the open position and the closed position in dependence on a load of the engine.

An impending bypass switch includes a housing having a fluid inlet for admitting fluid into an interior of the housing. A piston is displaceable in the interior of the housing in response to a pressure variation of the fluid in the interior. A magnetic sensor is configured to receive a current and is fixedly mounted to the housing. A magnet is mounted to the piston to be displaced with the piston. Displacement of the magnet relative to the magnetic sensor causes a change in the current through the magnetic sensor. The change in the current is indicative of an impending bypass of a component.