Ignition System: Description and Operation

PURPOSE

The ignition system is designed to:

^ Increase battery voltage to 20,000 volts or more.
^ Distribute voltage to the spark plugs.
^ Ignite the air fuel mixture.

OPERATION

When the ignition key is turned on, battery voltage is supplied to the positive side of the ignition coil. As the engine begins to turn, the crank angle sensor determines the engine rpm and camshaft position and sends this information to the ECM.

The ECM takes the information, based upon a map programmed into the ROM memory, supplies a pulsed ground signal to the base of the power transistor. The power transistor cuts the voltage to the primary windings in the ignition coil. This causes the magnetic field surrounding the primary windings to collapse and a voltage surge is created in the secondary windings of the ignition coil.

High voltage flows out of the coil, through the coil wire and into the center electrode of the distributor cap. The voltage passes through the rotor, out of the distributor and into the ignition wire and corresponding spark plug. Jumping the gap at the spark plug electrode completes the path to ground, igniting the fuel mixture.

For more information regarding the control factors of ignition timing, refer to COMPUTERS AND CONTROL SYSTEMS.