Knock Control
The engine is equipped with a cylinder-selective, adaptive knock control system. The knock sensor detects the combustion knock. The sensor signal is evaluated in the DME control module. Longer operation of an engine with knocking combustion can lead to severe damage.
Knocking is favored by:
- Increased compression ratio
- High cylinder charge
- Poor fuel quality (RON/MON)
- High intake air and engine temperature
The compression ratio can also reach excessively high values due to deposits or production-related scatter. On engines without knock control, these unfavorable influences must be taken into consideration in the ignition design by providing a safety distance to the knock limit. However, this results in unavoidable losses in efficiency in the upper load range. Knock control prevents knocking. It retards the ignition timing of the affected cylinder(s) (cylinder-selective) only as far as necessary and only if there is an actual risk of knocking. In this way, the ignition angle characteristic map can be adapted to the optimum consumption values (without having to take the knock limit into consideration). A safety distance is no longer necessary. The knock control system carries out all knock-related corrections to the ignition timing and enables perfect operation also with regular grade fuel (minimum RON 91). The knock control provides:
- Protection against damage resulting from engine knock (also under unfavorable conditions)
- Lower consumption and higher torque over the entire upper load range (corresponding to the fuel quality used).
- High efficiency due to optimized use of the fuel quality and consideration of the relevant engine status
Self-diagnosis of the knock control system includes the following checks:
- Check for disrupted signal, e.g. break in wiring or plug-in connection defective
- Self-test of evaluation circuit
- Check of the noise level picked up by the knock sensor for the engine
The knock control system is switched off if a fault is found during the course of one of these checks. The emergency program adopts the task of controlling the ignition timing. At the same time, the relevant fault is entered in the DME fault memory. The emergency program ensures damage-free operation as from minimum RON 91. It depends on the engine load, speed and engine temperature.