Patent ID: 8200389

Claim:
A method of providing information on the operating condition of a Power Plant of a vehicle with instrumentation including a microprocessor; the Power Plant including an engine, a powertrain control module and fuel injectors; the microprocessor being programmed to calculate the time the fuel injectors should be on (hereinafter “calculated injector on time”); the microprocessor being programmed to determine the time the fuel injectors are actually on (hereinafter “actual injector on time”); the microprocessor being programmed to extract parameter identification data (hereinafter “PID data”), including PID data that provides information on the load on the engine (hereinafter “engine load PID data”), from the powertrain control module; the microprocessor being further programmed to determine the speed of the engine (hereinafter “engine speed”); the method including the steps of: a. acquiring PID data with the instrumentation, including engine load PID data, from the powertrain control module while the engine speed and engine load are changing; b. determining with the instrumentation engine speed as the engine speed is changing; c. determining with the microprocessor the actual injector on time for the fuel injectors at various engine speeds and engine loads; d. determining with the microprocessor the calculated injector on time for such fuel injectors for the various engine speeds and engine loads; and e. determining the difference between the actual injector on time and the calculated injector on time for the various engine speeds and engine loads.