Abstract:
When a lock demand of a camshaft phase occurs, a control mode of a hydraulic control valve s switched to a locking mode after an actual camshaft phase is controlled to a lock phase, and a lock pin (an inner pin and an outer pin) is moved to a lock position. Thus, the camshaft phase is locked at the lock phase, and a timing advance chamber and a timing retard chamber are made a state of communicating with each other through a back space. In this state, a locking time filling control is executed. In the locking time filling control, the control mode of a hydraulic control valve is switched to a filling mode, the hydraulic oil is supplied to a timing advance chamber, both of the timing advance chamber and the timing retard chamber are filled with the hydraulic oil, the back space is filled with the hydraulic oil, and thereafter the control mode of the hydraulic control valve is returned to the locking mode.