| abstract |
Method for controlling an internal combustion engine (1) having an exhaust system with an exhaust gas purification catalyst (11) capable of storing oxygen, wherein the internal combustion engine stops in the presence of a predetermined stop condition and resumes its operation after the predetermined stop condition has been eliminated, with the following steps: Operating the internal combustion engine to reduce an amount of oxygen stored in the exhaust purification catalyst during engine stop before fuel begins to burn to resume operation of the internal combustion engine, characterized in that in an idle state of the fuel cutoff engine during engine stop, fuel is supplied to the engine for a predetermined period of time to reduce the amount of oxygen stored in the exhaust gas purifying catalyst. |