Ignition System: Description and Operation

Ignition System Schematic:

The Bosch TCI-h [1] ignition system ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber to provide optimal performance, driveability and minimal emissions.
This system incorporates mechanical and electronic devices to trigger and control the ignition timing.

Ignition System And Components:

OPERATION
As the distributor shaft turns, the trigger wheel (mounted to the shaft) induces a signal in the Hall-effect sender. The signal is sent to the ignition (Hall) control unit which switches the coil primary circuit. This releases a precisely timed high voltage pulse, that flows through the coil wire to the distributor. The distributor rotor directs the voltage pulse, via the distributor cap, to the correct spark plug wire. At the spark plug it jumps a gap to reach engine ground. When the voltage pulse jumps the gap to ground, it creates a spark (ignition spark) strong enough to ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.

COMPONENTS
The Bosch TCI-h ignition system in this vehicle uses the following components:
^ Cap and static shield
^ Centrifugal advance
^ Coil wire
^ Distributor
^ Ignition (Hall) control unit
^ Hall effect sender
^ Ignition coil
^ Rotor
^ Spark plug wires
^ Spark plugs
^ Vacuum advance unit

[1] BOSCH TCI-h stands for:
BOSCH = manufacturer
T = transistorized
C = coil
I = ignition
h = hall-effect sensor