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The ignition system is a critical part of a gasoline internal combustion engine, as it is responsible for the combustion of fuel at the right time. The truck or car ignition system, like most automotive components, has come a long way, having significantly evolved from the early days. A malfunctioning ignition system can cause a plethora of issues, including a vehicle not starting at all. Therefore, it's essential to understand the job of the ignition system and the types of ignition systems that may be found in your car.
Of course, all ignition systems draw their energy from the alternator, as well as the car battery, so when diagnosing a faulty ignition system, it is essential to check these components as well before zeroing in on the ignition system. The first port of call should be the battery, which can easily be checked by turning on the headlamps and/or sounding the horn. If the headlamps are weak and the horn is meek, the battery is likely at fault. Verifying the alternator and charging system can be done via a multimeter with the engine running, and most vehicles will illuminate a warning lamp if there is a malfunction in the charging system.
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Once the carburetor or electronic fuel injection system has combined air and fuel and sent it into the cylinders, where it has been compressed, the ignition system’s job is to generate and send enough electrical energy to fire the spark plug as the cylinder is at top dead center (full compression) to ignite the mixture and create the explosive bang of power. As you can imagine, if this does not happen while the starter motor is cranking the engine, the engine will not start and run under its own power, and if this happens while the car is being driven, there can be many issues, including unusual vibration, hesitation, misfiring, power loss, and poor fuel economy.
Before we dive into the specific types of ignition systems, let's take a moment to understand the fundamental components common to all ignition systems. Regardless of the type, an ignition system comprises essential elements, including:
Now, let's explore the three primary types of ignition systems commonly found in vehicles:
One of the early methods of ignition, this is a totally mechanical system that uses a distributor and distributor shaft to create mechanically timed ignition as per the rotation of the engine. The distributor shaft rotates and contacts breaker points, which, as the name suggests, break or interrupt current flow to an electrical component known as the ignition coil, which contains a primary and secondary winding, much like a transformer. The break in current to the primary winding causes a significant current surge to be generated in the secondary coil, which is sent to the relevant spark plug via the distributor cap. A condenser keeps the breaker points from arcing each time they separate.
The distributor-based ignition system is extremely popular, and uses a distributor in conjunction with electronic ignition components that send power to an ignition coil in order to create the high voltage spark required. This is an electro-mechanical system, as the distributor spins mechanically, but the unreliable breaker points are replaced with a pickup coil to detect the position of the distributor rotor.
The distributor is still a mechanical component subject to wear and tear. The early efforts at replacing the distributor completely resulted in the wasted spark system. This uses ignition coils, typically one for every two cylinders. That is the reason why this system is called a wasted spark, as when one cylinder is being fired at the end of the compression stroke, another cylinder is being fired at the end of the exhaust stroke. Thus the spark in that cylinder is a wasted effort. The ECU uses sensors such as the crankshaft sensor and camshaft sensor to determine the correct moment to fire the spark plugs.
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The coil-on-plug system removes the high voltage spark plug wires that all other systems possess, by placing an ignition coil atop each spark plug, which is individually controlled by the ECU, using a myriad of sensors. The moment of spark firing, as well as its strength and duration, can be controlled as well. This is the most sophisticated ignition system currently in use.
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