A modified trimmed mean filtering method and apparatus for a misfire detection includes acquiring a time-continuous series of acceleration data samples (601) representative of acceleration behavior of a reciprocating engine. And, providing a filtered acceleration data sample (607) dependent on an average acceleration magnitude of a portion of the acceleration data samples bounded within a range of amplitudes and, preferably, a time-centered acceleration data sample (606) of the fixed length time-continuous series of acceleration data samples. A misfire condition can be indicated (409) dependent on a magnitude of the filtered acceleration data sample.