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US 11,952,971 B2Granted
Methods and system for evaluating an engine for hydrolock
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAed Dudar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for operating an engine that may be rotated by an electric machine during engine starting are described. In one example, an amount of electric current that is available to rotate the engine via the electric machine may be adjusted in response to an indication that a vehicle that includes the engine may be parked in a geographical area that may be flooded.
Claims20
A method for operating an engine, comprising:
- reducing an amount of electric current available to crank the engine via a controller in response to an indication of flooding in a geographical area;
- and
- cranking the engine with the reduced amount of electric current so that the engine is cranked using a cranking torque that is lowered due to the reduced amount of electric current, the lowered cranking torque for allowing the engine to stop rotating before an engine rod and/or piston is degraded due to water ingested into the engine.
A system, comprising:
- an engine;
- an electric machine;
- an electric power source;
- and
- a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory that cause the controller to:
- reduce an amount of electric current that is supplied from the electric power source to the electric machine and rotate the engine via the reduced amount of electric current in response to an indication that a vehicle is in a flooded area so that the engine is rotated using a cranking torque that is lowered due to the reduced amount of electric current, the lowered cranking torque for allowing the engine to stop rotating before an engine rod and/or piston is degraded due to water ingested into the engine.
3 more elements
A method for operating an engine, comprising:
- receiving an indication from a remote device to a controller that a vehicle may be located in a flooded geographical area;
- and
- reducing an amount of electric current available to crank the engine via the controller in response to the indication and cranking the engine with the reduced amount of electric current so that the engine is cranked using a cranking torque that is lowered due to the reduced amount of electric current, the lowered cranking torque for allowing the engine to stop rotating before an engine rod and/or piston is degraded due to water ingested into the engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.