Operation of an internal combustion engine having a wastegate turbocharger

1. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having an engine controller, at least one combustion cylinder, and a turbocharger including a turbocharger wastegate, the method comprising:

measuring a full-load acceleration with the turbocharger wastegate in a closed position using the engine controller;

identifying an operating state corresponding to the full-load acceleration using the engine controller;

sending a measurement of a pressure in an intake pipe of the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine is in the identified operating state, from a pressure sensor to the engine controller;

calculating an air mass for the at least one cylinder based at least in part on the measured intake pipe pressure using the engine controller;

sending a signal from the engine controller to a fuel injector to inject an amount of fuel into the at least one cylinder based on the determined air mass;

calculating and storing in an error memory of the engine controller a plausible intake pipe pressure gradient for the engine operating state;

calculating a gradient of the measured intake pipe pressure using the engine controller;

comparing the stored plausible intake pipe pressure gradient to the calculated gradient using the engine controller;

identifying manipulation of the intake pipe pressure sensor if the difference between the stored plausible intake pipe pressure gradient and the calculated gradient exceeds a selected threshold value using the engine controller; and

adjusting a setting of the turbocharger wastegate to limit a power output of the internal combustion engine if manipulation is identified.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising storing an identified manipulation in the error memory.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising calculating a gradient of the current intake pipe pressure during each full-load acceleration of the internal combustion engine using the engine controller.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plausible intake pipe pressure gradient has been determined on an un-manipulated reference engine.

5. An internal combustion engine comprising:

a turbocharger including a turbocharger wastegate;

a combustion cylinder fed by an intake pipe and a fuel injector;

a pressure sensor measuring an instantaneous pressure in the intake pipe; and

an engine control device in communication with the pressure sensor and the fuel injector, the engine control device including a processor programmed to:

identify an operating state of the internal combustion engine defined by a full-load acceleration with a closed turbocharger wastegate;

receive a signal from the pressure sensor;

determine a cylinder air mass based at least in part on the signal from the pressure sensor;

send a signal to the fuel injector to inject an amount of fuel into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine based on the determined cylinder air mass;

determine and store in an associated memory a plausible intake pipe pressure gradient for the engine operating state;

calculate a gradient of the measured intake pipe pressure;

compare the stored plausible intake pipe pressure gradient to the calculated gradient;

identify manipulation of the intake pipe pressure sensor if the difference between the stored plausible intake pipe pressure gradient and the calculated gradient exceeds a selected threshold value; and

adjust a setting of the turbocharger wastegate to limit a power output of the internal combustion engine if manipulation is identified.