Direct injection event-based engine starting

A method for starting an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, comprising:

• variably adjusting engine cam timing;
• injecting fuel as an intake stroke injection and a compression stroke injection during a combustion cycle for a first combustion event of an engine start;
• continuing fuel injection in the intake stroke injection and compression stroke injection for a plurality of subsequent combustion events during engine cranking and through a catalyst warm-up operation, wherein the catalyst warm-up operation includes retarded ignition timing during idle speed control to increase exhaust gas heat at an elevated engine idle speed;
• adjusting a timing of the intake stroke injection and the compression stroke injection based on an operating condition including a cylinder event number since the first combustion event;
• and
• varying a pulse width of the intake stroke injection and the compression stroke injection based on the cylinder event number since the first combustion event.

A method for starting an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, comprising:

• variably adjusting cam timing;
• and
• during engine cranking, and during a first cylinder event,
• performing a first and second direct fuel injection, the first injection at least partially during an intake stroke of the first cylinder event and the second injection at least partially during a compression stroke of the first cylinder event;
• mixing said first and second injection with air in a cylinder;
• combusting said first and second injection to generate a first combustion event of said cranking;
• and
• continuing the first intake stroke injection and the second compression stroke injection for a plurality of subsequent cylinder events during the cranking, including reducing a pulse width of one or more of the intake stroke injection and the compression stroke injection after the first combustion event of the engine start.