Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine

1. A method for operating an internal combustion engine having at least two cylinders, the method comprising:

determining a respective torque output of each of the at least two cylinders resulting from a respective injection of fuel into the respective cylinder;

determining a difference in the respective torque output;

comparing the difference in the respective torque output with a predetermined threshold value for the torque output;

determining a respective injection mass of the respective injection into the respective cylinder;

determining a difference in the respective injection masses;

comparing the difference in the injection masses with a predetermined threshold value for the injection mass;

if the determined differences in each case exceed the associated threshold value, determining whether the respective torque outputs correspond to the associated injection mass; and

if the respective torque outputs lie outside a predetermined tolerance range for a respective corresponding injection mass, changing an injection time in at least one of the at least two cylinders;

determining a second defect if, after a predetermined time interval, the further determined difference is not less than the predetermined threshold value for the torque output, wherein the second defect comprises at least one defect selected from the group consisting of: a defect in exhaust gas recirculation and a defect in compression.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

if the respective torque outputs lie within the predetermined tolerance range for a respective corresponding injection mass, changing the injection mass to be injected for at least one of the at least two cylinders in dependence on the determined difference in the torque outputs;

determining a further torque output of the at least one of the at least two cylinders resulting from the injection of the changed injection mass;

determining whether the further torque output corresponds to the changed injection mass;

if the further torque output lies outside a predetermined tolerance range for the changed injection mass, setting the injection mass to be injected to the original value; and

changing the injection time in at least the one of the at least two cylinders.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a respective crankshaft acceleration of a crankshaft resulting from the injection of fuel into the respective cylinder; and

determining the respective torque output in dependence on the respective crankshaft acceleration.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein determining the crankshaft acceleration includes monitoring a transmitter wheel sensor and a transmitter wheel coupled to the crankshaft.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein determining the crankshaft acceleration includes monitoring a running smoothness of the internal combustion engine.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein determining the crankshaft acceleration includes monitoring a change in rotational speed of the crankshaft.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the injection masses includes monitoring an associated pressure drop in a fuel distributor from which the fuel is injected into the respective cylinders.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising repeating the method until a further determined difference in the torque outputs is less than the predetermined threshold value for the torque output.

9. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a set of instructions, the instructions when loaded and executed by the processor, causing the processor to:

determine a respective torque output of at least two cylinders resulting from a respective injection of fuel into the respective cylinder;

determine a difference in the respective torque output;

compare the difference in the respective torque output with a predetermined threshold value for the torque output;

determine a respective injection mass of the respective injection into the respective cylinder;

determine a difference in the respective injection masses;

compare the difference in the injection masses with a predetermined threshold value for the injection mass;

if the determined differences in each case exceed the associated threshold value, determine whether the respective torque outputs correspond to the associated injection mass;

if the respective torque outputs lie outside a predetermined tolerance range for a respective corresponding injection mass, change an injection time in at least one of the at least two cylinders; and

determining a second defect if, after a predetermined time interval, the further determined difference is not less than the predetermined threshold value for the torque output, wherein the second defect comprises at least one defect selected from the group consisting of: a defect in exhaust gas recirculation and a defect in compression.