Method of operating a combustion engine

The operating method uses a control value (AW) supplied to a metering device (15) for controlling the quantity of fuel delivered from a fuel pump (13) transferred to a high pressure pump (16), the fuel pump controlled in dependence on the control value for the metering device, for matching the pump load to the engine operating point. Also included are Independent claims for the following: (a) a computer program for a control device for an automobile IC engine; (b) a control device for an automobile IC engine; (c) an automobile IC engine