What are the basic components of the ignition system?
2 Answers
The ignition system consists of a battery, ignition switch, ignition coil, ignition control module, high-voltage wires, spark plugs, and other components. The function of the ignition system: In a gasoline engine, when the compression is near the top dead center, the combustible mixture is ignited by the spark plug, thereby burning and performing external work. For this reason, spark plugs are installed in the combustion chambers of gasoline engines. The purpose of the ignition system is to generate a sufficiently energetic spark between the electrodes of the spark plug in accordance with the working sequence of the cylinders. Regarding the power source: The power source is the battery, with a voltage of 12V or 24V. The ignition coil and breaker jointly produce a high voltage of over 10,000V. There are primary and secondary circuits. The ignition coil is essentially a transformer, mainly composed of a primary winding, secondary winding, and an iron core. The breaker is a cam-operated switch. The breaker cam is driven by the engine's valve cam and rotates at the same speed, meaning that for every two rotations of the crankshaft gear, the camshaft rotates once. To ensure that each cylinder fires once every two rotations of the crankshaft, the number of lobes on the breaker cam is generally equal to the number of engine cylinders. The contacts of the breaker are connected in series with the primary winding of the ignition coil to cut off or connect the primary winding circuit.
The basic components of the ignition system are actually quite interesting. I mostly work with classic cars and have found that this system mainly consists of the battery supplying power, the ignition switch allowing us to start the engine, the ignition coil transforming the battery's low voltage into high voltage, and the distributor responsible for directing this high voltage to the spark plugs in different cylinders. The spark plugs, of course, are the parts that generate sparks to ignite the air-fuel mixture. High-tension wires connect these components to ensure smooth current flow. If parts like the distributor wear out or the spark plugs get carbon buildup, the engine may shake or have difficulty starting. I regularly maintain these components, being careful with high-voltage safety when replacing ignition coils. Modern cars might use an electronic control unit instead of a distributor, but the basic framework remains the same. Remember to check the battery's health periodically; otherwise, failure to start can become a major issue, especially in winter when it's advisable to preheat the engine to prevent problems.
