FUEL METERING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

A system for controlling fuel metering for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a feedback loop which has an adaptive controller and an adaptation mechanism coupled to said adaptive controller for estimating controller parameters .theta.. The adaptive controller calculates a feedback correction coefficient using internal variables that include the controller parameters .theta., to correct a basic quantity of fuel injection to bring a detected air/fuel ratio to a desired air/fuel ratio determined earlier from the detected air/fuel ratio by a dead time d'. The dead time d' is properly determined to be corresponding to a time k at which the air/fuel ratio is detected. Alternatively, the dead time may be determined to be longer than the proper value to eventually improve vehicle drivability, or determined to be shorter than the proper value to compensate for insufficient fuel adhesion correction.