Engine control system having gradual cylinder cutout

A method of operating an engine, comprising:

• injecting fuel into a plurality of combustion chambers;
• determining a need to inhibit fueling of a subset of the plurality of combustion chambers;
• and
• selectively inhibiting fueling of a fraction of the subset at a time until fueling of all of the subset has been inhibited.

A genset, comprising:

• a generator operable to produce an electrical power output;
• an engine connected to drive the generator and including:
• a plurality of combustion chambers;
• a plurality of fuel injectors associated with the plurality of combustion chambers;
• a sensor configured to monitor a performance of the engine and generate a signal indicative of the engine performance;
• and
• a controller in communication with each of the plurality of fuel injectors and the sensor, the controller being configured to:
• determine a need to inhibit fueling of a first subset of the plurality of combustion chambers based on the signal;
• selectively regulate the plurality of fuel injectors to inhibit fueling of a fraction of the first subset at a time until fueling of all of the first subset has been inhibited;
• determine a need to inhibit fueling of a second subset of the plurality of combustion chambers;
• and
• selectively regulate the plurality of fuel injectors to inhibit fueling of all of the second subset and to substantially simultaneously begin fueling of all of the first subset,
• wherein the number of combustion chambers included within the first subset is equal to the number of combustion chambers included within the second subset.