How Does an Automotive Ignition System Work?

1 Answers
LeVera
07/29/25 3:30pm
When a gasoline engine operates, the combustion of the air-fuel mixture is controlled by the spark plug ignition. The working principle of the ignition system is to supply the spark plug with high-voltage electricity of sufficient energy at the appropriate moment, according to the engine's operating state and sequence, causing a spark between its electrodes to ensure the ignition of the air-fuel mixture and enable the engine to perform work. The ignition process of the ignition system can be divided into the following three stages: Stage 1: Contact closure, formation and growth of the primary current. When the contacts are closed, a low current flows through the circuit, following this path: positive terminal of the battery - ignition switch - primary winding of the ignition coil - breaker contacts - negative terminal of the battery. Stage 2: Contact opening, generation of the secondary high-voltage stage. At the instant the breaker contacts open, the distributor rotor aligns precisely with one of the side electrodes. The current path at this stage is: secondary winding of the ignition coil - positive terminal of the battery - side electrode of the spark plug - center electrode of the spark plug - high-voltage wire - side electrode of the distributor - center electrode of the distributor - secondary winding of the ignition coil. Stage 3: Spark plug discharge stage. After the spark plug is energized, a discharge spark occurs between its center electrode and side electrode, igniting the atomized gasoline under compression in the cylinder, thereby activating the engine.
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