ENGINE OIL DILUTION CONTROL IN A HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20180273015A1
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Published: 09/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: MARTIN, Douglas Raymond, MILLER, Kenneth James, HALADYNA, Ted, DUDAR, Aed M., HANCASKY, Robert David
• Granted Patent: US 10,427,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/16 Controlling lubricant pressure or quantity rendering machines or engines inoperative or idling on lubricant pressure failure F01M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/084 Blends of gasoline and alcohols, e.g. E85
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/224 Diagnosis of the fuel system
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/06 Fuel or fuel supply system parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/11 Oil dilution, i.e. prevention thereof or special controls according thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0025 Controlling engines characterised by use of non-liquid fuels, pluralities of fuels, or non-fuel substances added to the combustible mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/068 for warming-up
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1506 with particular means during starting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine and a controller programmed to, responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of the engine exceeding a first threshold, issue commands such that regenerative braking is inhibited to increase a temperature of the engine, and responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the first threshold, discontinue issuing the commands.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine; and

a controller programmed to,

responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of the engine exceeding a first threshold, issue commands such that regenerative braking is inhibited to increase a temperature of the engine, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the first threshold, discontinue issuing the commands.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the estimated oil dilution level is based on the temperature of the engine, a number of engine cold starts, a number of engine hot starts, an oil change interval, or a fuel age.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, issue an alert to not recharge a battery of the vehicle via an electrical power source external to the vehicle, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, discontinue issuing the alert.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold greater than the first threshold, issue an alert or command to select a route with increased highway driving, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, discontinue issuing the alert or command.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a battery, wherein the controller is further programmed to,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold greater than the first threshold, increase a target state-of-charge of the battery such that the engine operates to recharge the battery to the target state-of-charge, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, decrease the target state-of-charge.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an electric heater configured to heat coolant for the engine, and wherein the controller is further programmed to,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold greater than the first threshold, operate the electric heater to increase a temperature of the coolant, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, turn off the electric heater.

7. An engine oil dilution control method comprising:

by a controller, responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of an engine exceeding a first threshold, operating by the controller an electric heater configured to heat coolant for the engine to increase a temperature of the coolant until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the first threshold.

8. The engine oil dilution control method of claim 7, further comprising, by the controller, responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, increasing by the controller a target state-of-charge of a battery such that the engine operates to recharge the battery to the target state-of-charge until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the second threshold.

9. The engine oil dilution control method of claim 7, further comprising,

by the controller,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold greater than the first threshold, operating valves to direct the coolant exiting the engine so as to bypass a radiator and recirculate the coolant through the engine, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, operating the valves to direct the coolant through the radiator.

10. The engine oil dilution control method of claim 7, further comprising, by the controller, responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, issuing by the controller an alert to not recharge a battery via an external electrical power source until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the second threshold.

11. The engine oil dilution control method of claim 7, further comprising,

by the controller,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, issuing commands by the controller such that regenerative braking is inhibited to increase a temperature of the engine, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, discontinuing the issuing.

12. The engine oil dilution control method of claim 7, wherein the estimated oil dilution level is based on a temperature of the engine, a number of engine cold starts, a number of engine hot starts, an oil change interval, or a fuel age.

13. A vehicle comprising:

an engine; and

a controller programmed to,

responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of the engine exceeding a first threshold, operate valves to direct coolant exiting the engine so as to bypass a radiator and recirculate the coolant through the engine to increase a temperature of the engine, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the first threshold, operate the valves to direct the coolant through the radiator.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the estimated oil dilution level is based on the temperature of the engine, a number of engine cold starts, a number of engine hot starts, an oil change interval, or a fuel age.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to,

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, issue an alert to not recharge a battery of the vehicle via an electrical power source external to the vehicle, and

responsive to the estimated oil dilution level falling below the second threshold, discontinue issuing the alert.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a battery, wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, increase a target state-of-charge of the battery such that the engine operates to recharge the battery to the target state-of-charge until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the second threshold.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, operate an electric heater configured to heat coolant for the engine until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the second threshold.

18. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to the estimated oil dilution level exceeding a second threshold less than the first threshold, issue an alert to change engine oil until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the second threshold.

19. A vehicle comprising:

an engine; and

a controller programmed to, responsive to an estimated oil dilution level of the engine exceeding a first threshold, issue commands such that interior cabin heating is inhibited to limit transfer of heat from a coolant of the engine until the estimated oil dilution level falls below the first threshold.

20. The vehicle of claim 19, wherein the estimated oil dilution level is based on a temperature of the engine, a number of engine cold starts, a number of engine hot starts, an oil change interval, or a fuel age.