Motor vehicle drivetrain controller

A system for controlling a drivetrain of a motor vehicle having a reciprocating engine and at least one driving vehicle wheel selectively coupled with the reciprocating engine, wherein the system comprising an electronic control unit configured to:

• selectively activate a start mode for starting the reciprocating engine via the driving vehicle wheel;
• selectively activate a coasting mode for driving the reciprocating engine via the driving vehicle wheel;
• execute at least one volume-reducing stroke that follows an intake stroke of at least one cylinder of the reciprocating engine with at least intermittently open cylinder in this operating mode;
• and
• execute at least one volume-enlarging stroke of at least one cylinder of the reciprocating engine, which is followed by a compression stroke of this cylinder, and at least one volume-reducing stroke of this cylinder, which follows an expansion stroke that follows the compression stroke, with a closed cylinder.