An engine control device that controls an engine having a brushless motor as a starter motor, wherein the control device comprises a pickup coil that outputs a pulse signal at a crank angle position set in a crank angle section where a load applied to the brushless motor in cranking the engine is light, said brushless motor including a stator, a rotor and a position detecting device that detects rotational angle positions of the rotor to output position detection signals which represent level changes at fixed crank angle positions of the engine, and the control device being constructed so as to identify a crank angle position corresponding to each position where the level of the position detection signal is changed, based on the output signal of the pickup coil and to obtain crank angle information from the level changes of the position detection signals to control ignition timing or the like.