IGNITION SYSTEMS

POINT STYLE (CONVENTIONAL) & ELECTRONIC STYLES

PRIMARY CIRCUIT = LOW VOLTAGE SECONDARY CIRCUIT = HIGH VOLTAGE

PRIMARY COMPONENTS:
1. BATTERY. 2. IGNITION SWITCH. 3. BALLAST RESISTER. 4. COIL PRIMARY. 5. CONDUCTORS. 6. POINTS.( REPLACED BY PICK-UP COIL AND CONTROLL MODULE) 7. CONDENSER.

SECONDARY COMPONENTS:
1. SECONDARY COIL WINDINGS. 2. HIGH TENSION LEADS. 3. CAP. 4. ROTOR. 5. SPARK PLUGS.

PURPOSE OF IGNITION SYSTEM:

PRODUCES HIGH VOLTAGE SURGES TO FIRE THE SPARK PLUGS, AT THE CORRECT TIME,COMPARED TO THE PISTON POSITION IN THE CYLINDERS.

PRIMARY CIRCUIT:
1. BATTERY- SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO THE PRIMARY WINDINGS CREATING A MAGNETIC FIELD AROUND THEM. 2. IGNITION SWITCH - TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED OFF OR ON. 3. CONDUCTORS - TO ELECTRICALLY CONNECT THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT COMPONENTS. 4. BALLAST RESISTER - IS WIRED IN SERIES WITH THE COIL PRIMARY TO REDUCE VOLTAGE TO COIL PRIMARY WHEN IGNITION SWITCH IS IN THE RUN POSITION. 5. COIL - THE COIL ACTS AS A STEP UP TRANSFORMER. - IT TAKES LOW VOLTAGE HIGH CURRENT AND CONVERTS IT TO HIGH VOLTAGE LOW CURRENT. - PRIMARY WINDINGS APPROX. 200 WINDINGS OF 20 GAUGE WIRE. - SECONDARY WINDINGS APPROX. 20,000 WINDINGS OF 40 GAUGE WIRE.

PURPOSE OF IGNITION SYSTEM CONT:

6. POINTS - MAKE AND BREAK THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT. - WHEN POINTS ARE CLOSED A MAGNETIC FIELD IS BUILT UP IS IN THE COIL PRIMARY WINDINGS. - WHEN THE POINTS OPEN THE MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE PRIMARY WINDINGS COLLAPSES. - THIS INDUCES A HIGH VOLTAGE IN THE SECONDARY WINDINGS. 7. CONDENSER/CAPACITOR - HAS THE ABILITY TO STORE ELECTRICAL ENERGY. - IT CAN ABSORB OR RETAIN SURGES OF ELECTRICITY. - IT IS REQUIRED WHEN THE POINTS FIRST OPEN TO ABSORB THE VOLTAGE SURGE CAUSED BY SELF INDUCTION. APPROX. 200-300 VOLTS - THE CONDENSER HELPS THE PRIMARY MAGNETIC FIELD COLLAPSE VERY RAPIDLY,THUS GIVING A STRONG SECONDARY VOLTAGE. - A DEFECTIVE CONDENSER CAN CAUSE PREMATURE POINT FAILURE OR POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. - IT PROVIDES A TEMPORARY HOLDING SPOT FOR ELECTRICAL SURGES.

THE IGNITION COIL

THE IGNITION COIL OPERATES ON THE PRINCIPLE OF INDUCTION. INDUCTION IS THE TRANSFERRING OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY,USUALLY BETWEEN COILS OF WIRE USING MAGNETISM. THE COIL WINDINGS DON'T HAVE TO TOUCH.

SECONDARY CIRCUIT
COIL

WINDINGS:

PRIMARY SECONDARY LOW VOLTAGE.....HIGH VOLTAGE HIGH AMPS...........LOW AMPS POWER IN.............POWER OUT 200 TURNS............20,000 TURNS 3 AMPS..................1/1000 AMPS

CAP AND ROTOR:

DISTRIBUTES THE SECONDARY VOLTAGE TO THE SPARK PLUGS THROUGH THE HIGH TENSION LEADS. BIGGEST PROBLEM IS CARBON TRACKING.

HIGH TENSION LEADS:

HIGH VOLTAGE MIN. 10,000 VOLTS

- RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE ELECTRICITY FROM THE COIL TO THE CAP & PLUGS. - TELEVISION AND RADIO SUPPRESSION TYPE. - CARBON IMPREGNATED CARBON CORD. - RESISTANCE APPROX 3-7 K OHMS PER FOOT. - COATINGS -SILICONE RUBBER 1ST HIGH RESISTANCE - HYPALON 2ND - NEOPRENE 3RD

SPARK PLUGS:
- PROVIDE THE GAP IN THE CYLINDER FOR THE SPARK TO JUMP. - CREATES THE HEAT TO IGNITE THE MIXTURE.

CLASSIFICATION OF SPARK PLUGS:

SIZE- 14MM & 18 MM STANDARD SIZES REACH- LENGTH OF THREAD - GASKET TYPE - TAPERED SEAT - PROJECTED CORE - STANDARD CORE DESIGN HEAT RANGE: THE DISTANCE THE HEAT HAS TO TRAVEL DOWN THE CORE NOSE TO GET AWAY FROM THE SHELL. - HOT ENGINE...COLD PLUGS - HOT ENOUGH NOT TO FOUL. - COLD ENOUGH NOT TO PRE-IGNITE. - CENTER ELECTRODE TO GROUND.

INSTALLING A DISTRIBUTOR:

PROCEEDURE:

1. #1 CYLINDER AT T.D.C. COMPRESSION STROKE. 0 DEGREES ON DAMPER OR FLYWHEEL. (REMOVE #1 PLUG TO CHECK FOR COMPRESSION.) 2. FIND POSITION OF #1 WIRE ON CAP. 3. LINE UP ROTOR WITH #1 TOWER ON CAP. 4. DETERMINE WHERE VACUUM ADVANCE IS SITUATED. 5. PUT DISTRIBUTOR IN ENGINE COMPENSATING FOR ANY HELICAL CUT GEAR ROTATION. 6. INSTALL PLUG WIRES ACCORDING TO ROTATION & FIRING ORDER. 7. START ENGINE & SET TIMING ACCORDING TO SPEC.

LIMITATIONS OF CONVENTIONAL IGNITION

1. TIMING RETARDS AS MILAGE ACCUMULATES. 2. SLOW COIL SATURATION. 3. SLOW RISE TIME. 4. SIDE THRUST ON DISTRIBUTER SHAFT. 5. CONTACT POINT PROBLEMS. A. LIMITED CURRENT B. BURNING & PITTING C. HIGH SPEED BOUNCE 6. MAXIMUM OUTPUT APPROX. 20-25 KV. 7. GRADUAL LOSS OF TUNE-UP FEELING.

CONCLUSION

THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT IS COMPLETED BY CLOSING THE BREAKER POINTS. CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE PRIMARY COIL WINDINGS AND A MAGNETIC FIELD BUILDS UP IN THE COIL. THE DISTRIBUTER CAM OPENS THE POINTS,COLLAPSING THE MAGNETIC FIELD. THIS INDUCES CURRENT INTO THE SECONDARY CIRCUIT. HIGH VOLTAGE TRAVELS TO THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP,THROUGH THE PLUG WIRES TO THE SPARKPLUGS. WHEN THE POINTS OPEN C.E.M.F. COUNTER ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE IS PRODUCED.

ELECTRONIC IGNITION

PURPOSE:

ALLOWS A STRONGER BUILD UP OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE COIL BY INCREASING SATURATION TIME PRODUCES A STRONGER SPARK THAN CONVENTIONAL POINT IGNITION REDUCES EMMISSIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE NO WEARING PARTS VEHICLE SHOULD STAY WITHIN EMMISSION LIMITS FOR MUCH LONGER THAN POINT STYLE

COMPONENTS

BATTERY
PROVIDE POWER FOR IGNITION SYSTEM PROVIDE CRANKING POWER

IGNITION SWITCH

PURPOSE:
CONTROLS POWER FLOW THOUGH COIL PRIMARY CONTROLS POWER FLOW TO ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE CONTROLS CURRENT TO STARTER CIRCUIT PROVIDES ACCESSORY POWER FOR RADIO ETC.

THE IGNITION COIL

PURPOSE:

STEPS UP VOLTAGE TO FIRE THE SPARK PLUG

THE IGNITION COIL OPERATES ON THE PRINCIPLE OF INDUCTION. INDUCTION IS THE TRANSFERRING OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY,USUALLY BETWEEN COILS OF WIRE USING MAGNETISM. THE COIL WINDINGS DON'T HAVE TO TOUCH. SOME SYSTEMS USE COIL ON PLUG WHICH REQUIRES 1 IGN. COIL FOR EACH SPARK PLUG ( This eliminates the need for plug wires) THEY PRODUCE A HIGHER VOLATAGE UP TO 30,000 80,000 VOLTS ELECTRONIC IGNITION COILS OPERATE THE SAME WAY AS CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM EXCEPT THE WAY IT IS CONTROLLED

HIGH TENSION LEADS

HIGH VOLTAGE , AS HIGH AS 80,000 VOLTS

PURPOSE:

- RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING THE ELECTRICITY FROM THE COIL TO THE CAP & PLUGS OR FROM THE COIL DIRECTLY TO THE SPARK PLUGS. -TELEVISION AND RADIO SUPPRESSION TYPE. -CARBON IMPREGNATED CARBON CORD. - RESISTANCE APPROX 3-7 K OHMS PER FOOT. - COATINGS -SILICONE RUBBER 1ST HIGH RESISTANCE - HYPALON 2ND - NEOPRENE 3RD

IGNITION MODULE
PURPOSE:

THE IGNITION MODULE USES TRANSISTORS TO TURN THE CURRENT FLOW FOR THE COIL PRIMARY WINDINGS ON AND OFF IT GETS IT SIGNAL TO DO THIS FROM THE IGNITION PICK UP COIL MOST LATE MODEL CARS HAVE A ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WHICH COMUNICATES WITH THE IGNITION MODULE THEREFORE CONTROLLING IGN. COIL.

IGNITION MODULES

PICK UP COIL

PURPOSE:

SIGNALS THE TRANSISTORS IN THE IGNITION MODULE TO OPPERATE.

USES A PERMANENT MAGNET AND A COIL OF WIRE AS THE RELUCTOR ( TOOTHED WHEEL MOUNTED TO THE DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT) PASSES THE PICK UP COIL, A SMALL AMOUNT OF CURRENT IS GENERATED WHICH SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE MODULE THERE ARE NO WEARING PARTS EXCEPT FOR DISTANCE BUSHINGS AIR GAP IS A CRITICAL ADJUSTMENT AND MUST BE MADE WITH A BRASS FEELER GUAGE (NON MAGNETIC)

CONCLUSION

THE PRIMARY CIRCUIT IS COMPLETED BY THE TRANSISTOR, ALLOWING CURRENT TO FLOW THROUGH THE PRIMARY COIL WINDINGS AND A MAGNETIC FIELD BUILDS UP IN THE COIL. THE DISTRIBUTOR RELUCTOR WHEEL PASSES THE PICK UP COIL WHICH SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE MODULE,THE TRANSISTOR THEN SHUTS OFF THE CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE COIL PRIMARY-COLLAPSING THE MAGNETIC FIELD. THIS INDUCES CURRENT INTO THE SECONDARY CIRCUIT. HIGH VOLTAGE TRAVELS TO THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP,THROUGH THE PLUG WIRES TO THE SPARK PLUGS. IN SOME MODELS SECONDARY VOLTAGE GOES DIRECTLY TO THE SPARK PLUG S