Evaporative fuel-processing system for internal combustion engines

Abstract

An evaporative fuel-processing system includes a first control valve arranged in a charging passage connecting between a fuel tank and a canister for adsorbing evaporative fuel generated from the fuel tank, a second control valve arranged in a purging passage connecting between the canister and an intake passage of the engine, a third control valve arranged in an air inlet port of the canister, and a system internal pressure sensor for detecting pressure within the system. The system is checked for a leak by monitoring a value of the pressure detected by the sensor after the system is negatively pressurized by closing the third control valve and opening the second control valve. The sensor is provided at a location upstream of the first control valve, and the first control valve is closed to detect a value of the pressure or a change thereof. Abnormality determination is carried out based on the detected value of the pressure. Alternatively, all of the above valves are closed in the negatively-pressurized state of the system to detect a first amount of change in the pressure, and then the first control valve alone is opened to detect a second amount of change in the pressure. Abnormality determination can be carried out based on the first and second amounts of change in the pressure, or by comparing a value of the pressure detected when the first and second valves are closed after negative pressurization with a value of the pressure detected after the first control valve is opened.