PURGE VALVE LEAK DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20090211340A1
• Filed: 01/19/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ethington, James D., Hall, Eric M., Wang, Zhong, Maxey, Miles K., Prout, David Edward, Spohn, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/40.700
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system

Abstract

A leak diagnostic system for a vehicle comprises a tank pressure module and a leak diagnostic module. The tank pressure module selectively outputs first and second fuel tank pressures when an engine is shut down and when engine vacuum is greater than a predetermined engine vacuum, respectively. The leak diagnostic module selectively diagnoses a leak in a fuel vapor purge valve based on the second fuel tank pressure when the first fuel tank pressure is less than a first predetermined pressure.

Claims

1. A leak diagnostic system for a vehicle, comprising:

a tank pressure module that selectively outputs first and second fuel tank pressures when an engine is shut down and when engine vacuum is greater than a predetermined engine vacuum, respectively; and

a leak diagnostic module that selectively diagnoses a leak in a fuel vapor purge valve based on said second fuel tank pressure when said first fuel tank pressure is less than a first predetermined pressure.

2. A plug-in hybrid vehicle system comprising:

the leak diagnostic system of claim 1; and

the fuel vapor purge valve.

3. The leak diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein said leak diagnostic module diagnoses said leak when said second fuel tank pressure is greater than a second predetermined pressure that is greater than said first predetermined pressure.

4. The leak diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein said leak diagnostic module selectively disables diagnosing said leak based on said second fuel tank pressure when said first fuel tank pressure is greater than said first predetermined pressure.

5. The leak diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein said tank pressure module determines that said fuel vapor purge valve and a vent valve are in closed positions before outputting said first and second fuel tank pressures.

6. The leak diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein said second predetermined pressure is based on said predetermined engine vacuum.

7. The leak diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein said tank pressure module selectively determines a pressure offset based on a difference between said first fuel tank pressure and said first predetermined pressure, and

wherein said tank pressure module subtracts said pressure offset from said second fuel tank pressure before outputting said second fuel tank pressure.

8. The leak diagnostic system of claim 7 wherein said tank pressure module determines said pressure offset when said first fuel tank pressure is less than said first predetermined pressure.

9. The leak diagnostic system of claim 1 wherein said tank pressure module outputs said first fuel tank pressure a predetermined period after said engine is shut down.

10. The leak diagnostic system of claim 9 wherein said predetermined period based on an expected period when a vacuum forms within a fuel tank after said engine is shut down.

11. A leak diagnostic method for a vehicle, comprising:

selectively outputting first and second fuel tank pressures when an engine is shut down and when engine vacuum is greater than a predetermined engine vacuum, respectively; and

selectively diagnosing a leak in a fuel vapor purge valve of said vehicle based on said second fuel tank pressure when said first fuel tank pressure is less than a first predetermined pressure.

12. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 wherein said vehicle is a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

13. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 wherein said selectively diagnosing said leak comprises diagnosing said leak when said second fuel tank pressure is greater than a second predetermined pressure that is greater than said first predetermined pressure.

14. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 further comprising selectively disabling said selectively diagnosing said leak when said first fuel tank pressure is greater than said first predetermined pressure.

15. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 further comprising determining that said fuel vapor purge valve and a vent valve are in closed positions before said outputting said first and second fuel tank pressures.

16. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 wherein said second predetermined pressure is based on said predetermined engine vacuum.

17. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 further comprising:

selectively determining a pressure offset based on a difference between said first fuel tank pressure and said first predetermined pressure; and

subtracting said pressure offset from said second fuel tank pressure before said selectively outputting said second fuel tank pressure.

18. The leak diagnostic method of claim 17 wherein said selectively determining comprises determining said pressure offset when said first fuel tank pressure is less than said first predetermined pressure.

19. The leak diagnostic method of claim 11 wherein said selectively outputting said first fuel tank pressure comprises outputting said first fuel tank pressure a predetermined period after said engine is shut down.

20. The leak diagnostic method of claim 19 wherein said predetermined period based on an expected period when a vacuum forms within a fuel tank after said engine is shut down.