General System Description

The Computer Controlled Coil Ignition system (C3I) is an ignition system that does not use the conventional distributor and coil. The ignition system consists of three ignition coils (in a one piece unit called a coil pack), a C3I ignition module, camshaft sensor, a dual hall-effect crankshaft position sensor, an engine crankshaft balancer with crankshaft sensor interrupter rings attached to the rear, the related connecting wires, and the EST portion of the ECM/PCM.

A distributorless ignition system, such as this one, uses a waste spark method of spark distribution. Each cylinder is paired with the cylinder that is opposite it (1-4, 2-5, 3-6). The spark occurs simultaneously in the cylinder on the compression stroke and in the cylinder on the exhaust stroke. The cylinder on the exhaust stroke requires very little of the available energy to fire the spark plug. The remaining energy will be used as required by the cylinder on the compression stroke. The same process is repeated when the cylinders reverse roles. Conventional ignition coils have one end of the secondary winding connected to the engine ground. In the C3I ignition system, neither end of the secondary winding is grounded. Instead, each end of a coil's secondary winding is attached to a spark plug.