Fuel vapor line diagnostics

• US 9,840,985 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Martin, Douglas Raymond, Dudar, Aed M., Jentz, Robert Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US14/922,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20170114744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 123519
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/225 Leakage detection
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0077 Control of the EGR valve or actuator, e.g. duty cycle, closed loop control of position EGR valve position sensor F02M26/48
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0818 having means for pressurising the evaporative emission space
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 65/006 Measuring or detecting fuel leakage of fuel injection apparatus

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing fuel vapor leaks due to un-latching of quick connectors in interfaces of a fuel vapor system. In one example, a method may include using positive pressure generated in the intake manifold by reverse rotation of the engine unfueled, to detect un-latching of quick connectors in the fuel vapor system. After the positive pressure test, a negative pressure test is performed on the fuel vapor system to confirm any un-latching of quick connectors.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

reverse rotating an engine unfueled in a direction opposite to a direction of engine rotation for vehicle propulsion and opening a purge valve to apply positive pressure, generated via the reverse rotating, from an intake manifold on a fuel vapor system; and

indicating disconnection of a connector coupled to a fuel vapor conduit of the fuel vapor system based on a pressure response following application of the positive pressure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the indicating, limiting purging of a fuel vapor canister until an operator input indicative of connector recoupling is received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein reverse rotating the engine unfueled and opening the purge valve includes initially reverse rotating the engine unfueled with the purge valve closed until intake manifold pressure is higher than a threshold, and then opening the purge valve to apply the higher than threshold intake manifold pressure on the fuel vapor system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating includes indicating imminent disconnection of the connector based on a higher than threshold drop in manifold pressure following the application of the positive pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine is coupled in a hybrid electric vehicle including an electric motor, and wherein spinning the engine unfueled includes spinning the engine via the electric motor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, during the reverse rotating, holding an engine intake throttle closed.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, during the reverse rotating, holding an EGR valve closed.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, in response to the indicating, forward rotating the engine fueled with the purge valve open to apply negative pressure from the intake manifold on the fuel vapor system and confirming disconnection of the connector based on the pressure response following the application of negative pressure.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, while forward rotating the engine, holding the intake throttle open and the EGR valve closed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the purge valve is open during the application of negative pressure, and the pressure response is observed while the purge valve is held open.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the reverse rotating is in response to coupling of a service tool to the engine by an operator.

12. A method for an engine, comprising:

sequentially applying positive pressure from an engine and then vacuum from the engine on a fuel vapor system;

monitoring a manifold pressure (MAP) response following each of the applying positive pressure and vacuum; and

indicating un-latching of a connector coupled to a fuel vapor system conduit based on the MAP response, including indicating un-latching of the connector in response to a higher than threshold change in manifold pressure following each of the applying positive pressure and vacuum.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein applying positive pressure on the fuel vapor system includes maintaining each of a canister purge valve, a canister vent valve, and a fuel tank isolation valve closed until the positive pressure at the engine is higher than a threshold pressure, and then selectively opening the canister purge valve and the fuel tank isolation valve to apply the positive pressure on the fuel vapor system, and wherein applying vacuum from the engine on the fuel vapor system includes closing each of the canister purge valve, canister vent valve, and fuel tank isolation valve closed until the vacuum at the engine is higher than a threshold vacuum, and then selectively opening the canister purge valve and the fuel tank isolation valve to apply the vacuum on the fuel vapor system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein applying positive pressure from the engine on the fuel vapor system includes one of reverse rotating the engine unfueled via an electric motor with an intake throttle closed and an EGR valve closed to apply positive intake manifold pressure, using a pre-existing fuel tank pressure, operating a fuel tank pump to apply positive fuel vapor pressure, and operating an electric pump of an engine leak detection module with a reversing circuit to apply positive air pressure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein applying vacuum from the engine on the fuel vapor system includes spinning the engine fueled with the intake throttle open and the EGR valve closed, and further with a canister purge valve and fuel tank isolation valve open to apply engine intake vacuum on the fuel vapor system.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to the indicating, limiting purging of a fuel vapor canister to a first purge flow threshold, lower than a second purge flow threshold applied when there is no indicating of un-latching of the connector, the limited canister purging maintained until an operator input indicative of re-latching of the un-latched connector is received.

17. A hybrid vehicle system, comprising:

vehicle wheels propelled via one or more of an engine and an electric motor;

an engine intake manifold including an intake throttle;

a pressure sensor coupled to the engine intake manifold for estimating a manifold pressure;

a fuel vapor system including a fuel tank coupled to a canister, a fuel vapor conduit, and a quick-disconnect connector coupled to the fuel vapor conduit;

a canister purge valve coupling the canister to the engine intake manifold;

an isolation valve coupling the canister to the fuel tank;

a port for receiving a diagnostic tool; and

a controller with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory for;

in response to coupling of the diagnostic tool to the port,

transitioning the engine to a service mode to initially apply positive pressure from the intake manifold on the fuel vapor system via reverse engine rotation and subsequently apply negative pressure from the intake manifold on the fuel vapor system via forward engine rotation; and

setting a diagnostic code to indicate un-latching of the connector based on a higher than expected change in manifold pressure following each of the applying of the positive pressure and the negative pressure, the diagnostic code set until an operator input indicative of reconnecting of the connector is received.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein applying the positive pressure includes reverse rotating the engine, unfueled, via the electric motor with the canister purge valve, the isolation valve, and the intake throttle closed until the manifold pressure is higher than a threshold positive pressure and then opening the canister purge valve and the isolation valve to apply the manifold pressure on the fuel vapor system;

and wherein applying the negative pressure includes spinning the engine, fueled, with the canister purge valve and isolation valve closed until the manifold pressure is lower than a threshold negative pressure and then opening the canister purge valve and the isolation valve to apply the manifold pressure on the fuel vapor system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller includes further instructions for:

while the diagnostic code is set, in response to canister purging conditions being met, opening the canister purge valve by a smaller amount to purge the canister at a first, lower level; and

when the diagnostic code is reset, in response to canister purging conditions being met, opening the canister purge valve by a larger amount to purge the canister at a second, higher level.