INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE LOW TEMPERATURE STARTING SYSTEM

A compression ignited, spark ignited, or surface ignited engine single or multi-cylinder low temperature starting system is positioned permanently or temporarily in the intake system during the engine starting and warming-up period for an extremely cold temperature engine condition. The low temperature starting system for these engine types is capable of starting on a wide variety of liquid fuels, E.G., high or low fuel volatility, high or low fuel boiling range and gaseous fuels. A pre-heat device which is fuel fired, electrically heated, chemically heated, heated by thermal storage or other means is used to pre-heat the air or air-fuel mixture. In any one of four different configurational modes, after an initial pre-heat period, air or an air-fuel mixture is drawn through a heat exchanger with an inlet restriction that acts to increase the air residency time in the heat exchanger which increases the temperature of the inducted air that in-turn reduces the opportunity for cold air to reach the combustion chamber and yields a rich air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. The heated rich air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber is further heated by compression during the compression stroke to permit combustion to occur in a sustained manner prior to and after start-up. This invention allows engine startup at extremely low ambient temperatures. Cold cranking time and energy are substantially reduced due to the rapid build-up of heat in the combustion chamber.