Multi-cylinder engine and outboard motor

A multi-cylinder engine comprising:

• a plurality of cylinders;
• a plurality of fuel injectors respectively mounted to the plurality of cylinders to directly inject fuel into a plurality of combustion chambers of the plurality of cylinders;
• a fuel supply pipe connected to the plurality of fuel injectors to supply the fuel thereto;
• a fuel pump that supplies the fuel to the fuel supply pipe;
• and
• a controller configured or programmed to control the fuel pump;
• wherein
• the fuel pump includes:
• a pump body including a suction port, a pressurizing chamber, and a discharge port;
• a plunger that varies a pressure in the pressurizing chamber;
• an electromagnetic valve that opens and closes a pathway between the suction port and the pressurizing chamber;
• a one-way valve that allows the fuel to flow therethrough in a direction from the pressurizing chamber to the discharge port;
• and
• a cam including a plurality of cam lobes that drive the plunger, the cam lobes being circumferentially spaced apart at even intervals;
• and
• the controller is configured or programmed to fire the plurality of cylinders at uneven intervals, to overlap a time period that the plunger increases the pressure in the pressurizing chamber and a time period that the electromagnetic valve remains opened in a longest one of the intervals at which the firing is conducted in the plurality of cylinders and a second longest one of the intervals at which the firing is conducted in the plurality of cylinders, and to not overlap the time period that the plunger increases the pressure in the pressurizing chamber and the time period that the electromagnetic valve remains opened in a shortest one of the intervals at which the firing is conducted in the plurality of cylinders.