Method for pre-ignition control in a pre-delivery phase

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9719436-B2
Application number	US-201414550611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

Various systems and methods are described for controlling spark plug fouling and pre-ignition in a newly manufactured vehicle. One method comprises, during a pre-delivery phase of the newly manufactured vehicle including an engine, operating the engine with a first setting for air/fuel ratio to reduce spark plug fouling, and adjusting the first setting of the air/fuel ratio responsive to pre-ignition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
during a pre-delivery phase of a vehicle,
operating an engine with a first setting for air/fuel ratio to reduce spark plug fouling; and
adjusting the first setting for air/fuel ratio responsive to pre-ignition, the pre-delivery phase including at least one of a duration before deactivation of a pre-delivery calibration, a lower than threshold amount of fuel consumption, a lower than threshold number of combustion events, and a lower than threshold vehicle mileage.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first setting for air/fuel ratio is leaner than stoichiometry, and wherein the adjusting responsive to pre-ignition includes adjusting the air/fuel ratio to substantially richer than stoichiometry.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising modifying the adjusted air/fuel ratio in response to spark plug fouling, the modifying including an enleaning of the adjusted air/fuel ratio.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising operating the engine during the pre-delivery phase with a first setting for engine load, and adjusting the first setting for engine load in response to pre-ignition.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first setting for engine load includes limiting the engine load by a first amount, and wherein the adjusting responsive to pre-ignition includes limiting the engine load by a second amount, the second amount being greater than the first amount.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising retaining the limiting of engine load by the second amount after pre-ignition subsides.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein engine load is limited by limiting airflow into one or more cylinders of the engine.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein limiting airflow includes one or more of reducing an opening of an intake throttle, increasing an opening of a turbocharger wastegate, and adjusting cylinder valve timing to reduce an intake aircharge.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising operating the engine with a spark timing that is advanced relative to maximum brake torque (MBT) timing during engine idling conditions.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Glugla Chris Paul

Classifications

• F02P5/1528

  for turbocompressed engine · CPC title

• F02D41/2432

  Methods of calibration · CPC title

• F02D37/02 Primary

  one of the functions being ignition · CPC title

• F02D41/005

  according to engine operating conditions · CPC title

• F02P5/045

  combined with electronic control of other engine functions, e.g. fuel injection (in general F02D37/02) · CPC title