Generic Misfire Processing

The acceleration that a piston undergoes during a normal firing event is directly related to the amount of torque that cylinder produces. The calculated piston/cylinder acceleration value(s) are compared to a misfire threshold that is continuously adjusted based on inferred engine torque. Deviant accelerations exceeding the threshold are conditionally labeled as misfires. The calculated deviant acceleration value(s) are also evaluated for noise. Normally, misfire results in a nonsymmetrical loss of cylinder acceleration. Mechanical noise, such as rough roads or high rpm/light load conditions, will produce symmetrical acceleration variations. Cylinder events that indicate excessive deviant accelerations of this type are considered noise. Noise-free deviant acceleration exceeding a given threshold is labeled a misfire. The number of misfires are counted over a continuous 200 revolution and 1000 revolution period. (The revolution counters are not reset if the misfire monitor is temporarily disabled such as for negative torque mode, etc.) At the end of the evaluation period, the total misfire rate and the misfire rate for each individual cylinder is computed. The misfire rate evaluated every 200 revolution period (Type A) and compared to a threshold value obtained from an engine speed/load table. This misfire threshold is designed to prevent damage to the catalyst due to sustained excessive temperature (1600°F for Pt/Pd/Rh conventional washcoat, 1650°F for Pt/Pd/Rh advanced washcoat and 1800°F for Pd-only high tech washcoat). If the misfire threshold is exceeded and the catalyst temperature model calculates a catalyst mid-bed temperature that exceeds the catalyst damage threshold, the MIL blinks at a 1 Hz rate while the misfire is present. If the threshold is again exceeded on a subsequent driving cycle, the MIL is illuminated. If a single cylinder is indicated to be consistently misfiring in excess of the catalyst damage criteria, the fuel injector to that cylinder may be shut off for a period of time to prevent catalyst damage. Up to two cylinders may be disabled at the same time. This fuel shut-off feature is used on many 8 -cylinder engine and some 6- cylinder engines. It is never used on a 4 -cylinder engine. Next, the misfire rate is evaluated every 1000 rev period and compared to a single (Type B) threshold value to indicate an emission-threshold malfunction, which can be either a single 1000 rev exceedence from startup or four subsequent 1000 rev exceedences on a drive cycle after start-up. Many 2004 MY vehicles will set a P0316 DTC if the Type B malfunction threshold is exceeded during the first 1,000 revs after engine startup. This DTC is stored in addition to the normal P03xx DTC that indicates the misfiring cylinder(s).