METHOD FOR STARTING A COMBUSTION ENGINE

Method for starting an internal combustion engine (1) which has a plurality of piston-cylinder units (2), wherein dead volumes (3) are present upstream of the piston-cylinder units (2), wherein during a starting attempt of the internal combustion engine (1) the pistons in the cylinders are driven by an auxiliary motor (5), wherein the maximum permissible duration of a starting attempt is limited by a predetermined starting time (ts) of the internal combustion engine (1), wherein the starting time (ts) is calculated and predetermined before or at the beginning of a starting attempt of the internal combustion engine (1) as a function of a state of the internal combustion engine (1) and/or of the auxiliary motor (5).