Misfire Detection

MISFIRE MONITORING STRUCTURE

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The method of engine misfire detection is based on monitoring the crankshaft acceleration.

The engine roughness is derived from the differences from the segment periods (120° crank angle) durations which are corrected and compared to a load and engine-speed dependent thresholds. Different statistical methods are used to distinguish between normal changes of the segment duration and changes due to misfire.





Segment period measurement

The segment periods are measured through an angular range of 120° crank angle. The segment starts 78° before TDC. The beginning and end of the segments are located at the same angle. The duration of the crankshaft segments is measured continuously.

Sensor wheel adaptation

To eliminate manufacturing tolerances and off-center installation the adaptation of the sensor wheel tolerances is carried out during fuel cut-off.
The segments periods are corrected by the adaptation values. With progressing adaptation the sensitivity of the misfire detection is increasing.

Calculation of the engine roughness threshold value

The engine roughness threshold value consists of the base value; which is determined by a load/speed dependent map. During warm-up the base value is multiplied by a coolant temperature dependant correction value.

Without sufficient sensor wheel adaptation the engine roughness threshold is limited depending on the wheel tolerances expected.

FAULT PROCESSING





Statistics: Fault Processing

Error window

Within an interval of 200 and 1000 crankshaft revolutions "error windows" to check for similar engine conditions are determined. Upon detection of misfire the window is extended if the current operating point is not within the window

Engine operating point window

The engine operating window is updated with each segment without misfire.

Misfire detection

Within an interval of 1000 crankshaft revolutions (3000 segments) the detected misfire events are added for each cylinder if the sum of all cylinder misfire incidents exceeds a predetermined value a fault code is stored.
If more than one cylinder is misfiring, all misfiring cylinders will be specified and the individual fault codes for all misfiring cylinders will be stored.

Within an interval of 200 crankshaft revolutions the detected number of misfiring events is weighted and calculated for each cylinder. The weighting factor is determined by a load/speed dependent map. If the sum of cylinder misfire incidents exceeds a predetermined value a fault code is stored and the MIL is illuminated at once. If the cylinder selective count exceeds the predetermined threshold the following measures take place.

- the lambda closed loop system is switched to open-loop
- the cylinder selective fault code is stored
- if more than one cylinder is misfiring the fault codes for all individual cylinders will be stored
- the fuel supply to the respective cylinder is cut-off

All misfire counters are reset after each interval.