Engine control system for marine propulsion

An internal combustion engine and control system said engine having a plurality of cylinders, an air fuel charging system for supplying an air fuel charge to said engine for combustion in said cylinders, an ignition system for igniting the air fuel charge in said cylinders, a starter for starting said engine, a sensor for sensing an abnormal engine condition, a control for reducing engine speed in response to the sensing of an abnormal engine condition by controlling one of said systems for precluding combustion in only certain of said cylinders, while continuing combustion in the remaining cylinders, and means for delaying the preclusion of combustion in response to the sensing of an abnormal condition if the engine has been initially started until more than a predetermined time period of the abnormal condition has elapsed.

An engine control method for an outboard motor, said engine having a plurality of cylinders each extending horizontally and disposed in vertically spaced relationship, an air fuel charging system for supplying an air fuel charge to said engine for combustion in said engine, an ignition system for igniting the air fuel charge in said cylinders, each of said cylinders being served by at least one exhaust port, an exhaust system for collecting the exhaust gases from said exhaust ports and delivering them to the atmosphere through a common discharge, said method comprising the steps of sensing an abnormal engine condition and reducing the engine speed in response to the sensing of an abnormal condition by controlling one of said systems for precluding combustion in certain of said cylinders, the cylinder in which combustion is precluded being selected depending upon the vertical orientation relative to the other cylinders.

An internal combustion engine control method, said engine having a plurality of cylinders, an air fuel charging system for supplying an air fuel charge to said engine for combustion in said cylinders, an ignition system for igniting the air fuel charge in said cylinders, a starter for starting said engine, said method comprising the steps of sensing an abnormal engine condition, reducing engine speed in response to the sensing of an abnormal condition by controlling one of said systems for precluding combustion in only certain of said cylinders while continuing combustion in the remaining cylinders, and delaying the preclusion of combustion in response to the sensing of an abnormal condition if the engine has been initially started until more than a predetermined time period of the abnormal condition has elapsed.