An engine glow plug disconnection detection method may include: increasing, by a controller, temperature of a plurality of glow plugs by performing a rapid temperature increase mode when an engine start signal of a vehicle is recognized by the controller; determining whether the glow plugs are disconnected and the number of disconnections using an engine start early-stage voltage of the vehicle and a voltage of the vehicle when the rapid temperature increase mode is performed, by the controller; recognizing, by the controller, cylinders of an engine with at least a disconnected glow plug upon determining that one or more glow plugs are disconnected: and storing, by the controller, a number of disconnected glow plugs and information related to corresponding cylinders.

A method for operating an internal combustion engine includes operating at least one cylinder pre-chamber in a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) combustion mode by providing an air/fuel mixture in the pre-chamber that is fluidly connected to the at least one engine cylinder, creating H and OH radicals in the pre-chamber to achieve an ignition in the at least one pre-chamber, determining whether an ignition timing is advanced or delayed relative to a desired timing, and delaying the ignition when the ignition is advanced relative to the desired timing by cooling the pre-chamber and the at least one engine cylinder.

An apparatus and method for igniting a gaseous fuel directly introduced into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprises steps of heating a space near a fuel injector nozzle; introducing a pilot amount of the gaseous fuel in the combustion chamber during a first stage injection event; controlling residency of the pilot amount in the space such that a temperature of the pilot amount increases to an auto-ignition temperature of the gaseous fuel whereby ignition occurs; introducing a main amount of the gaseous fuel during a second stage injection event after the first stage injection event; and using heat from combustion of the pilot amount to ignite the main amount.

The present invention relates to a glow time control device (100) for controlling glow rods (206-209) in a vehicle (200). The glow time control device (100) comprises a control unit (IC1), at least two power transistors (T1, T4) and a protective circuit (T6, T7). The control unit (IC1) comprises a control output (GG1) for emitting a control signal, a supply voltage input (VCC) and a supply voltage output (VDD). The control unit (IC1) provides an output voltage at the supply voltage output (VDD) depending on a voltage at the supply voltage input (VCC). A corresponding glow rod control output (G1, G4) is assigned to each of the power transistors (T1, T4) and the control inputs of the power transistors (T1, T4) are coupled to the control output (GG1). The protective circuit (T6, T7) comprises a protective circuit output which is coupled to the control inputs of the power transistors (T1, T4), and an input which is coupled to the supply voltage output (VDD). The protective circuit adjusts a predefined potential at the protective circuit output if the output voltage of the control unit (IC1) is below a predefined value.

When only smoke is generated, the sensor sensitivity is not substantially changed from the initial value. When both smoke and unburned HC are generated, the number of times the sensor sensitivity becomes lower than the initial value is increased. From these results, it can be understood that a deposit is formed in the presence of unburned HC and smoke existing simultaneously. The degree of reduction in sensor sensitivity becomes higher if the smoke concentration is increased when the unburned HC concentration condition is fixed. From this result, it can also be understood that while the coexistence of smoke and unburned HC is a prerequisite, unburned HC contributes largely to the formation of a deposit.

An apparatus and a method for pre-heating an engine of a mild hybrid vehicle are provided, and the apparatus includes: a pre-heating plug pre-heating the engine; a pre-heating controller recognizing the mild hybrid vehicle based on vehicle driving information, determining whether the mild hybrid vehicle enters a coasting driving mode based on the vehicle driving information, and generating a duty control signal according to a coasting driving time when the mild hybrid vehicle is driven in the coasting driving mode; and a driver supplying electrical energy of the low-voltage battery to the pre-heating plug according to the generated duty control signal.

A glow plug including a substantially cylindrical housing extending in an axial direction; a rod-shaped heater unit having a front end protruding from the front end of the housing and movable in the axial direction; a connecting member connecting the heater unit to the housing within the housing and allowing the heater unit to move in the axial direction; and a pressure sensor that detects pressure received by the heater unit. The heater unit has a large-diameter portion at the rear end thereof and a small-diameter portion frontward of the large-diameter portion and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter portion. The connecting member connects the small-diameter portion of the heater unit to the housing within the housing.

A metal shell of a glow plug mounted on an engine head of a diesel engine and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The metal shell has an improved multi-stage structure, which allows the metal shell to be easily manufactured regardless of overall length of the metal shell and allows a metal shell section fastened to the engine head and at least one of the other metal shell sections to have different material strengths, thereby increasing fastening strength of the metal shell to the engine head and preventing warpage of the metal shell while improving productivity while reducing manufacturing costs. The metal shell of a glow plug for diesel engines according to the invention includes a plurality of metal shell sections disposed in an axial direction of the glow plug and having different material strengths.

A metal shell of a glow plug mounted on an engine head of a diesel engine and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The metal shell has an improved multi-stage structure, which allows the metal shell to be easily manufactured regardless of overall length of the metal shell and allows a metal shell section fastened to the engine head and at least one of the other metal shell sections to have different material strengths, thereby increasing fastening strength of the metal shell to the engine head and preventing warpage of the metal shell while improving productivity while reducing manufacturing costs. The metal shell of a glow plug for diesel engines according to the invention includes a plurality of metal shell sections disposed in an axial direction of the glow plug and having different material strengths.

Methods and systems for adapting pilot fuel injection pulse widths are disclosed. In one example, pilot fuel injection values are varied to determine adjustments to a fuel injector transfer function and a glow plug is activated in response to a request to adapt the fuel injector transfer function so that adaptation may be improved.