METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OPERATING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH MULTIPLE CYLINDER BANKS

A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine with multiple cylinder banks are provided to eliminate the necessity of a sensor for measuring ambient pressure, by estimating the actually existing ambient pressure regardless of the degree of opening of a throttle valve, in case of errorless non-activation of gas exchange of cylinders of at least one second cylinder bank. An internal combustion engine(1) has multiple cylinder banks(5,10). At least one first cylinder bank uses activated gas exchange of at least one of cylinders(11,12,13,14) under at least one operating condition of the engine. Gas exchange non-activation of cylinders(15,16,17,18) of at least one second cylinder bank is triggered, and an intake pipe(25) is allocated to at least one second cylinder bank. A characterization variable for the pressure in the intake pipe of at least one second cylinder bank is measured under at least one operating condition and evaluated for the existence of unrequested pressure vibration.