Protecting exhaust gas conducting parts of IC engine involves operating engine in region with lambda greater than 1 in event of overload on components carrying exhaust gas

The internal combustion engine is preferably a once through then out engine with an ignition device. The method involves operating the internal combustion engine in a region with lambda greater than 1 in the event of an overload existing on preferred components carrying exhaust gas. The existence of an overload of the components is detected by using the activity of a thermal component protection protective function. AN Independent claim is also included for the following: a controller for implementing the inventive method and an internal combustion engine with an inventive controller.