Vehicle Specific Ignition System

The engine ignition system consists of the:
^ Crankshaft Position (CKP) sensor
^ ignition coil
^ spark plug wire
^ spark plugs

The ignition system:
^ is an electronic ignition system controlled by an electronic engine control integrated into the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).
^ base timing is set at 10 degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC) and is not adjustable.

The Crankshaft Position (CKP) sensor:
^ is a variable reluctance sensor.
^ senses a missing tooth on the crankshaft damper pulse ring.
^ generates a crankshaft position signal which is sent to the PCM. The PCM counts this signal for engine rpm.

For additional information on the CKP sensor, Refer to Computers and Control Systems.

The ignition coil:
^ changes low voltage pulses from the PCM to high voltage pulses.
^ has three transformers.

The spark plug wires carry high voltage pulses from the ignition coil to the spark plugs.

The spark plugs:
^ change high voltage pulses into spark at the gap, which ignites the fuel and air mixture.
^ have a platinum-enhanced active electrode for long life. The active electrode is different for LH and RH sides.
^ have replacements (with both electrodes platinum-enhanced) so they can be used on either side.