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The technology to estimate engine load using the amplitude of crankshaft angular velocity variation during a cycle, which is referred to as “Δω (delta omega)”, in a four-stroke single-cylinder gasoline engine has been established in our former studies. This study was aimed to apply this technology to the spark advance control system for small motorcycles. The cyclic variation of the Δω signal, which affects engine load detection accuracy, was a crucial issue when developing the system. To solve this issue, filtering functions that can cope with various running conditions were incorporated into the computation process that estimates engine loads from Δω signals. In addition, the system made it possible to classify engine load into two levels without a throttle sensor currently used. We have thus successfully developed the new spark advance system that is controlled in accordance with the engine speed and load.

In an attempt for further improvement of exhaust gas purification and fuel economy, an electronically controlled fuel injection (FI) system has been applied to small size motorcycles. As compared to a similar system for cars, FI systems for small two wheeled vehicles are required to be small, lightweight and low cost. In order to meet these requirements, authors developed a new control method of determining the required quantity of fuel. This system removes the intake pressure sensor of the intake pipe that exists in the conventional FI system. From correlating the peak intake pressure in the intake pipe with the quantity of intake air closely, the peak intake pressure is estimated by using rotation change of the crankshaft. The required quantity of fuel is injected into the engine intake pipe determined by the map set up in the peak intake pressure and the fuel injection period.

We have successfully developed a system to estimate Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (hereafter "IMEP") by detecting the crankshaft angular velocity variation during one cycle of a four-stroke single-cylinder gasoline engine. The system has been commercially applied to the spark-ignition timing control system for small-displacement motorcycle engines. The determined amplitude of crankshaft angular velocity variation during one cycle is defined as "delta omega (Δω)." The relationship between Δω and IMEP has been experimentally examined using engine unit bench tests and actual motorcycles. From the experimental results, it was confirmed that Δω represents IMEP. This paper discusses the experimental study on the estimation of IMEP using crankshaft angular velocity variation.