Adjusted ignition timing for engine restart

A method for an engine restart event, comprising:

• responsive to detection of a low urgency request for engine restart;
• inputting data from a plurality of sensors;
• outputting an estimated fuel-air equivalence ratio and an estimated cylinder turbulence based on the data from the plurality of sensors;
• initiating spark at one or more cylinders positioned at a power stroke based on the estimated fuel-air equivalence ratio at a spark plug of each of the one or more cylinders and the estimated cylinder turbulence;
• and
• responsive to engine speed reaching a threshold speed,
• adjusting a timing of spark initiation at the one or more cylinders to a nominal timing.

An engine, comprising:

• a starting device coupled to a crankshaft of the engine;
• a plurality of cylinders, each of the plurality of cylinders including a spark plug and at least one fuel injector, wherein a piston position of each of the plurality of cylinders is adjusted based on rotation of the crankshaft;
• and
• a controller configured with executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory which, when executed during an idle-stop mode of the engine, cause the controller to:
• assist the starting device to restart the engine by generating torque at one or more cylinders during a power stroke of the one or more cylinders, wherein the torque is generated by initiating spark at the one or more cylinders at a timing based on an estimated fuel-air equivalence ratio and an estimated cylinder turbulence.