Patent ID: 6520140
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: F02D

Abstract:
A method for the operation of an internal combustion engine either selectively on all cylinders (full engine operation) or with cylinders cutoff, wherein the cylinders succeeding one another in the firing order for operation as full engine are divided into two groups of cylinders for operation with cylinder cut-off, said method comprising the steps of operating cylinders belonging to a group and succeeding one another in the firing order in each case with an angular ignition spacing twice that effective during full engine operation and, given a continuing existence of an operating condition permitting cylinder cut-off, changing operation from one group of cylinders to the other group of cylinders with an intercalation of an operating period, in which the internal combustion engine is operated as full engine, wherein the full engine operating period intercalated when changing from one group of cylinders to the other group of cylinders as the operative cylinder group is shorter than the maximum duration of an operating period of one group of cylinders.