Method for starting an internal combustion engine with electromagnetic valve drives

Gas shuttle valves each have their electromagnetic valve drives (10,12,14,16,18,20). In each valve, an armature (50) linked to a valve shaft is moved to and from between two electromagnetic coils (52,54) and against the force from valve springs (56,58) allocated to each electromagnetic coil. Before starting an internal combustion engine, an armature for a first valve drive is started with predefined first parameters.