Patent ID: 7082899

Claim:
A method of starting an internal combustion engine, wherein the engine includes a plurality of cylinders each containing a piston which is mechanically connected to a crankshaft, and wherein the engine is configured to operate with a predefined normal firing order, the method comprising: selecting at a cylinder for initial firing, selection of the cylinder based upon the piston of the cylinder being located in a predetermined position along its stroke; injecting fuel into the selected cylinder to create an uncompressed fuel-air mixture; igniting the uncompressed fuel-air mixture in the selected cylinder; repeating selecting, injecting and igniting after said initial selecting, injecting and igniting until there is sufficient kinetic energy to complete a compression stroke in at least one of the cylinders, the selecting being made as a function of cylinder piston position without regard to normal firing order; and after completion of a compression stroke, firing the cylinders according to the predefined normal firing order.