Catalyst advanced warmup control device for spark ignition engine

A rapid catalyst warm up control device for a spark ignition engine, which is configured to, when a catalytic converter provided in an exhaust passage is in an un-activated state, increase an intake air amount, as compared to when the catalytic converter is in an activated state under a same engine operation condition, and retard an ignition timing beyond a top dead center of a compression stroke, comprising:

• an ignition timing setting section configured to set the ignition timing in such a manner that a retard amount thereof from a top dead center of a compression stroke becomes larger as an external load causing a rotational resistance of the engine becomes lower;
• and
• an exhaust valve opening timing setting section configured to set a valve opening start timing of an exhaust valve in a subsequent expansion stroke according to combustion of an air-fuel mixture ignited at the ignition timing set by the ignition timing setting section in such a manner that when the external load is lower than a given reference load, the exhaust valve starts opening before an in-cylinder pressure reaches a peak, wherein the in-cylinder pressure is based on the exhaust valve being maintained in a valve-closed state,
• wherein the exhaust opening timing setting section is configured to set a valve opening timing of an exhaust valve in a subsequent expansion stroke according to combustion of an air-fuel mixture ignited at the ignition timing set by the ignition timing setting section in such a manner that when the external load is equal to the reference load, the exhaust valve starts opening approximately coincident with when an in-cylinder pressure reaches a peak, wherein the in-cylinder pressure is based on the exhaust valve being maintained in a valve-closed state.