A method of automatically starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle includes defining a rotational engine speed profile to represent a desired engine speed during a starting event with a hybrid system controller, and communicating the rotational engine speed profile to an engine controller. The internal combustion engine is rotated with an electric propulsion motor of the hybrid vehicle. A spark correction offset is calculated with the engine controller based on the rotational engine speed profile. The internal combustion engine is fired with the calculated spark correction offset for a pre-determined number of firing events, with the engine controller, as the rotational speed of the engine increases. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is controlled with the hybrid system controller after the pre-determined number of firing events.

An engine starting apparatus is provided which is equipped with a starter, an inrush current reducer, and a starter mode switch. The inrush current reducer works to reduce an inrush current flowing through an electric motor installed in the starter when the electric motor is energized. The starter mode switch works to change a starter characteristic that is an output characteristic of the starter continuously or selectively at least between a low-torque/high-speed mode and a high-torque/low-speed mode. The starter mode switch places the starter in the high-torque/low-speed mode at least at a time when a piston of the engine is passing a top dead center, and the engine friction has been just maximized for the first time after the starter is actuated to crank the engine. This shortens a period of time required to start up the engine without sacrificing beneficial effects offered by the inrush current reducer.

Methods and systems are provided for an engine of a vehicle during a cold start. In one example, a method may include heating a catalyst of an exhaust aftertreatment device with a plurality of electric heaters during an unfueled engine operation. The engine may be operated as a pump to oscillate air across the exhaust aftertreatment device, thereby heating the air via the plurality of electric heaters which, in turn, heats the catalyst. A configuration of the catalyst may promote expedited light-off which may reduce emissions during the cold start.

A method of starting an integrated starter generator drives a starter generator without using a rotor position sensor to start an engine. The method includes the following steps of: (a) applying a first drive current with a first frequency and a first amplitude to drive the starter generator to reversely rotate in a speed open-loop control mode, and acquiring a first load information according to a drive voltage and the first drive current of the starter generator, (b) confirming whether the first load information meets a heavy load condition, (c) stopping reversely rotating the starter generator when the first load information meets the heavy load condition, and (d) forwardly rotating the starter generator to drive the engine to start.

Systems and methods for preventing activation of a starter when engine speed is above a threshold engine speed value are disclosed. In examples, an engine driven power system includes an engine and a current transformer to generate an induced current in response to an excitation current from an excitation circuit. As the excitation current is induced in response to rotational movement of the engine, the excitation current and the induced current exhibits characteristics corresponding to engine speed. A control circuit receives a signal from the current transformer representing characteristics representative of engine speed and determines the engine speed, compares the characteristics to a list of values that correlates current characteristics to engine speed, compare a list of threshold engine speed values to the calculated engine speed value, and prevents activation of an engine starter if the control circuitry determines that the engine speed exceeds the threshold engine speed value.

A system for controlling a compression ignition engine includes: a speed obtaining section which detects or estimates an engine speed achieved by combustion in an n-th cycle; and an injection amount setting section which sets, in a start period after the start of cranking, a fuel injection amount to be injected by injectors in an (n+1)-th cycle. If the engine speed achieved by the combustion in the n-th cycle falls in the resonance range, the injection amount setting section sets the fuel injection amount for an (n+1)-th cycle to be larger than the fuel injection amount injected when the engine speed is higher than or equal to an upper limit of the resonance range.

A method for operating a vehicle that may be automatically stopped and started is described. In one example, the method includes supply electrical current to a starter motor independently from supplying electrical current to a starter solenoid. In addition, the method includes adjusting and amount of electrical current that is delivered to the starter motor in response to a level of urgency of an automatic engine start.

A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: a drive-power distribution device for transmitting a drive power of an engine toward main and auxiliary drive wheels, at a drive-power distribution ratio between the auxiliary drive wheels and the main drive wheels; and a control apparatus for executing a drive-power distribution control for adjusting the drive-power distribution ratio, and executing an engine automatic-start control for causing the engine to be started upon satisfaction of an engine-start condition. Upon execution of the engine automatic-start control, the control apparatus changes a target engine rotational speed from a predetermined engine-start rotational speed to a changed engine rotational speed, such that a difference of the changed engine rotational speed from a resonance rotational speed that causes resonance of a drive system to which the engine is connected in a power transmittable manner, is larger than a difference of the predetermined engine-start rotational speed from the resonance rotational speed.

An engine including an engine block having a cylinder defining a front of the engine, a blower housing coupled to the engine block and defining a hot half positioned adjacent the front of the engine and a cool half opposite the hot half, and an electric starter system positioned within the blower housing. The electric starting system includes a starter mount assembly coupled to the blower housing, an electric starter motor retained by the starter mount assembly and positioned in the cool half, and a battery mounted to the blower housing and positioned in the cool half. The battery is electrically coupled to the electric starter motor.

A method of starting an integrated starter generator drives a starter generator without using a rotor position sensor to start an engine. The method includes the following steps of: (a) applying a first drive current with a first frequency and a first amplitude to drive the starter generator to reversely rotate in a speed open-loop control mode, and acquiring a first load information according to a drive voltage and the first drive current of the starter generator, (b) confirming whether the first load information meets a heavy load condition, (c) stopping reversely rotating the starter generator when the first load information meets the heavy load condition, and (d) forwardly rotating the starter generator to drive the engine to start.