CHAPTER – 4

IGNITION SYSTEM 1
IGNITION SYSTEM
In spark ignition engines, a device is required to ignite the compressed
air-fuel mixture at the end of compression stroke. Ignition system
fulfills this requirement. It is a part of electrical system which carries
the electric current at required voltage to the spark plug which
generates spark at correct time. It consists of a battery, switch,
distributor, ignition coil, spark plugs and necessary wiring.
A compression ignition engine, i.e. a diesel engine does not require
any ignition system. Because, self ignition of fuel air mixture takes
place when diesel is injected in the compressed air at high temperature
at the end of compression stroke.

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IGNITION SYSTEM TYPES
Basically Convectional Ignition systems are of 2 types :
(a) Battery or Coil Ignition System: Batteries will supply necessary
current in the primary winding.
(b) Magneto Ignition System: magneto will produce and supply
current to the primary winding.
Both these conventional, ignition systems work on mutual
electromagnetic induction principle.

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BATTERY OR COIL IGNITION SYSTEM
It mainly consists of a 6 or 12 volt battery, ammeter, ignition switch,
auto-transformer (step up transformer), contact breaker, capacitor,
distributor rotor, distributor contact points, spark plugs, Ignition coil
etc.

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The ignition system is divided into 2-circuits :
(i) Primary Circuit: It consists of 6 or 12 V battery, ammeter,
ignition switch, primary winding it has 200-300 turns of 20 SWG
(Sharps Wire Gauge) gauge wire, contact breaker, capacitor.
The capacitor is provided to avoid sparking at contact breaker points
so as to increase their life.
(ii) Secondary Circuit: It consists of secondary winding.
Secondary winding consists of about 2100 turns of 40 (SWG) gauge
wire. Bottom end of which is connected to bottom end of primary and
top end of secondary winding is connected to centre of distributor
rotor. Distributor rotors rotate and make contacts with contact points
and are connected to spark plugs which are fitted in cylinder heads
(engine earth).

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(iii) Working: When the ignition switch is closed and engine in
cranked, as soon as the contact breaker closes, a low voltage current
will flow through the primary winding. It is also to be noted that the
contact beaker cam opens and closes the circuit 4-times (for 4
cylinders) in one revolution. When the contact breaker opens the
contact, the magnetic field begins to collapse. Because of this
collapsing magnetic field, current will be induced in the secondary
winding. And because of more turns (@ 2100 turns) of secondary,
voltage goes upto 28000-30000 volts.
This high voltage current is brought to centre of the distributor rotor.
Distributor rotor rotates and supplies this high voltage current to
proper spark plug depending upon the engine firing order. When the
high voltage current jumps the spark plug gap, it produces the spark
and the charge is ignited-combustion starts-products of combustion
expand and produce power.
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a) The function of the capacitor is to reduce arcing at the contact
breaker (CB) points. Also when the CB opens the magnetic field in
the primary winding begins to collapse. When the magnetic field is
collapsing capacitor gets fully charged and then it starts
discharging and helps in building up of voltage in secondary
winding.
b) Contact breaker cam and distributor rotor are mounted on the same
shaft.
In 2-stroke cycle engines these are motored at the same engine speed.
And in 4-stroke cycle engines they are motored at half the engine
speed.

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Advantages
(a) Low initial cost.
(b) Better spark at low speeds and better starting than magneto system.
(c) Reliable system.
(d) Simpler than magneto system.
Disadvantages
(a) Battery requires periodical maintenance.
(b) In case of battery malfunction, engine cannot be started.

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MAGNETO IGNITION SYSTEM
In this case magneto will produce and supply the required current to
the primary winding. In this case as shown, we can have rotating
magneto with fixed coil or rotating coil with fixed magneto for
producing and supplying current to primary, remaining arrangement is
same as that of a battery ignition system.
Rotation of magneto generates current in primary winding having
small number of turns. Secondary winding having large number of
turns generates high voltage current which is supplied to distributor.
The distributor sends this current to respective spark plugs. The
magneto may be of rotating armature type or rotating magnet type. In
rotating armature type magneto, the armature having primary and
secondary windings and the condenser rotates between the poles of a
stationary horse shoe magnet. In magneto, the magnetic field is
produced by permanent magnets. The rotating assembly is driven by
the engine.
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Advantages
(a) Better reliability due to absence of battery and low maintenance.
(b) Better suited for medium and high speed engines.
(c) Modern magneto systems are more compact, therefore require less
space.
Disadvantages
(a) Burning of electrodes is possible at high engine speeds due to high
voltage.
(b) Cost is more than that of battery ignition systems.

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Drawbacks of conventional ignition systems :
(a) Because of arcing, pitting of contact breaker point and which will
lead to regular maintenance problems.
(b) Poor starting: After few thousands of kilometers of running, the
timing becomes inaccurate, which results into poor starting
(Starting trouble).
(c) At very high engine speed, performance is poor because of
inertia effects of the moving parts in the system.
(d) Some times it is not possible to produce spark properly in fouled
spark plugs.

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IGNITION ADVANCE
The purpose of spark advance mechanism is to assure that
under every condition of engine operation, ignition takes place
at the most favorable instant in time i.e. most favorable from a
standpoint of engine power, fuel economy and minimum
exhaust dilution. By means of these mechanisms the advance angle
is accurately set so that ignition occurs before TDC point of the piston.
The engine speed and the engine load are the control quantities
required for the automatic adjustment of the ignition timing. Most
of the engines are fitted with mechanisms which are integral with
the distributor and automatically regulate the optimum spark advance
to account for change of speed and load. The two mechanisms used
are:
(a) Centrifugal advance mechanism, and
(b) Vacuum advance mechanism.
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Combustion-pressure curve for various ignition firing points
1 Correct ignition advance (Za),
2 Excessive ignition advance (Zb),
3 Excessive ignition retard (Zc).

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CENTRIFUGAL ADVANCE MECHANISM

The centrifugal advance mechanism controls the ignition timing for

full- load operation.

The adjustment mechanism is designed so that its operation results in

the desired advance of the spark. The cam is mounted, movably, on
the distributor shaft so that as the speed increases, the flyweights
which are swung farther and farther outward, shift the cam in
the direction of shaft rotation. As a result, the cam lobes make
contact with the breaker lever rubbing block somewhat earlier, thus
shifting the ignition point in the early or advance direction.

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Depending on the speed of the engine, and therefore of the shaft, the
weights are swung outward a greater or a lesser distance from the
center. They are then held in the extended position, in a state of
equilibrium corresponding to the shifted timing angle, by a retaining
spring which exactly balances the centrifugal force.

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The weights shift the cam of centrifugal advance mechanism to

advance ignition.
The beginning of the timing adjustment in the range of low
engine speeds and the continues adjustment based on the full
load curve are determined by the size of the weights by the
shape of the contact mechanisms (rolling or sliding contact
type), and by the retaining springs, all of which can be widely
differing designs. The centrifugal force controlled cam is fitted
with a lower limit stop for purposes of setting the beginning of
the adjustment, and also with an upper limit stop to restrict the
greatest possible full load adjustment. 17
VACUUM ADVANCE MECHANISM

Vacuum advance mechanism shifts the ignition point under partial

load operation.

The adjustment system is designed so that its operation results in

the prescribed partial load advance curve. In this mechanism the
adjustment control quantity is the static vacuum prevailing in the
carburetor, a pressure which depends on the position of the throttle
valve at any given time and which is at a maximum when this
valve is about half open. This explains the vacuum maximum.

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The diaphragm of a vacuum unit is moved by changes in gas
pressure. The position of this diaphragm is determined by the
pressure differential at any given moment between the prevailing
vacuum and atmospheric pressure. The beginning of adjustment
is set by the pre- established tension on a compression spring.
The diaphragm area, the spring force, and the spring rigidity are
all selected in accordance with the partial –load advance curve which
is to be followed and are all balanced with respect to each other.
The diaphragm movement is transmitted through a vacuum
advance arm connected to the movable breaker plate, and this
movement shifts the breaker plate an additional amount under
partial load Ignition Systems condition in a direction opposite to
the direction of rotation of the distributor shaft. Limit stops on the
vacuum advance arm in the base of the vacuum unit restrict the range
of adjustment.
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The vacuum advance mechanism operates independent of the
centrifugal advance mechanism.

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SPARK PLUGS
The simple requirement of a spark plug is that it must allow a
spark to form within the combustion chamber, to initiate
burning. In order to do this the plug has to withstand a number
of severe conditions. Consider, as an example, a four-cylinder
four-stroke engine with a compression ratio of 9:1, running at
speeds up to 5000 rev/min. The following conditions are typical.
At this speed the four-stroke cycle will repeat every 24 ms.
_ End of induction stroke –0.9 bar at 65 ° C.
_ Ignition firing point –9 bar at 350 ° C.
_ Highest value during power stroke –45 bar at 3000 ° C.
_ Power stroke completed –4 bar at 1100 ° C.
Besides the above conditions, the spark plug must withstand severe
vibration and a harsh chemical environment. Finally, but perhaps
most important, the insulation properties must withstand voltage
pressures up to 40kV.
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Construction
The centre electrode is connected to the top terminal by a stud.
The electrode is constructed of a nickel-based alloy. Silver and
platinum are also used for some applications. If a copper core is used
in the electrode this improves the thermal conduction properties.
The insulating material is ceramic-based and of a very high
grade. Aluminium oxide, Al2O3 (95% pure), is a popular choice,
it is bonded into the metal parts and glazed on the outside
surface. The properties of this material, which make it most suitable,
are as follows:
_ Young’s modulus: 340kN/mm2.
_ Coefficient of thermal expansion: 7.8 x10K-1.
_ Thermal conductivity: 15–5W/mK (Range 200–900 ° C).
_ Electrical resistance: 1013 Ω/m.
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The above list is intended as a guide only, as actual values can
vary widely with slight manufacturing changes. The electrically
conductive glass seal between the electrode and terminal stud is
also used as a resistor. This resistor has two functions.
First, to prevent burn-off of the centre electrode, and secondly
to reduce radio interference. In both cases the desired effect is
achieved because the resistor damps the current at the instant of
ignition.
Flash-over, (spark leakage) or tracking down the outside of the
plug insulation, is prevented by ribs that effectively increase the
surface distance from the terminal to the metal fixing bolt, which
is of course earthed to the engine.

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Electrode materials
The material chosen for the spark plug electrode must exhibit the
following properties:
_ High thermal conductivity.
_ High corrosion resistance.
_ High resistance to burn-off.
For normal applications, alloys of nickel are used for the electrode
material. Chromium, manganese, silicon and magnesium are
examples of the alloying constituents. These alloys exhibit
excellent properties with respect to corrosion and burn-off resistance.
To improve on the thermal conductivity, compound electrodes are
used. These allow a greater nose projection for the same
temperature range. A common example of this type of plug is the
copper-core spark plug.
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Silver electrodes are used for specialist applications as silver has very
good thermal and electrical properties. Again, with these plugs nose
length can be increased within the same temperature range.
The thermal conductivity of some electrode materials is listed for
comparison.
_ Silver 407 W/m K
_ Copper 384 W/m K
_ Platinum 70 W/m K
_ Nickel 59 W/m K
Compound electrodes have an average thermal conductivity of about
200 W/m K. Platinum tips are used for some spark plug applications
due to the very high burn-off resistance of this material. It is also
possible because of this to use much smaller diameter electrodes, thus
increasing mixture accessibility. Platinum also has a catalytic effect,
further accelerating the combustion process.
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Electrode gap
Spark plug electrode gaps have, in general, increased as the power of
the ignition systems driving the spark has increased. The simple
relationship between plug gap and voltage required is that, as the gap
increases so must the voltage (leaving aside engine operating
conditions).
Furthermore, a larger gap using higher voltage will result in a
shorter duration spark. A smaller gap will allow a longer duration
spark. For cold starting an engine and for igniting weak mixtures, the
duration of the spark is critical. Likewise the plug gap must be as
large as possible to allow easy access for the mixture in order to
prevent quenching of the flame.
The final choice is therefore a compromise reached through testing
and development of a particular application. Plug gaps in the region of
0.6–1.2 mm seem to be the norm at present. 27
ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM
Electronic ignition is now fitted to almost all spark ignition vehicles.
This is because the conventional mechanical system has some major
disadvantages.
• Mechanical problems with the contact breakers, not the least of
which is the limited lifetime.
• Current flow in the primary circuit is limited to about 4A unless
damage will occur to the contacts or at least the lifetime will be
seriously reduced.
• Legislation requires stringent emission limits, which means the
ignition timing must stay in tune for a long period of time.
• Weaker mixtures require more energy from the spark to ensure
successful ignition, even at very high engine speed.

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To overcome the above stated limitations, following electronic ignition
systems are now a days used in most of the automobiles.
 Transistorized Coil Ignition (TCI) System
 Capacitor Discharge Ignition (CDI) System
These problems can be overcome by using a power transistor to carry
out the switching function and a pulse generator to provide the
timing signal. Very early forms of electronic ignition used the existing
contact breakers as the signal provider. This was a step in the right
direction but did not overcome all the mechanical limitations, such as
contact bounce and timing slip. Most systems nowadays are constant
energy, ensuring high performance ignition even at high engine speed.
Figure of the circuit of a standard electronic ignition system is shown
below.

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The following are advantages of electronic ignition system:
(a) Moving parts are absent-so no maintenance.
(b) Contact breaker points are absent-so no arcing.
(c) Spark plug life increases by 50% and they can be used for about
60000 km without any problem.
(d) Better combustion in combustion chamber, about 90-95% of air
fuel mixture is burnt compared with 70-75% with conventional
ignition system.
(e) More power output.
(f) More fuel efficiency.

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Capacitance Discharge Ignition System
It mainly consists of 6-12 V battery, ignition switch, DC to DC
convertor, charging resistance, tank capacitor, Silicon Controlled
Rectifier (SCR), SCR-triggering device, step up transformer, spark
plugs.
A 6-12 volt battery is connected to DC to DC converter i.e.
power circuit through the ignition switch, which is designed to
give or increase the voltage to 250-350 volts.
This high voltage is used to charge the tank capacitor (or
condenser) to this voltage through the charging resistance. The
charging resistance is designed to control the required current in
charging of the condenser.

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Depending upon the engine firing order, whenever the SCR
triggering device, sends a pulse, then the current flowing through
the primary winding is stopped. And the magnetic field begins to
collapse. This collapsing magnetic field will induce or step up high
voltage current in the secondary, which while jumping the spark plug
gap produces the spark, and the charge of air fuel mixture is ignited.

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Transistorized Assisted Contact (TAC) Ignition System
Is Electronic Ignition System which uses transistor as a switch to
assisting the work of the contact breaker.

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Advantages
(a) The low breaker-current ensures longer life.
(b) The smaller gap and lighter point assembly increase dwell time
minimize contact bouncing and improve repeatability of secondary
voltage.

(Disadvantages
(a) As in the conventional system, mechanical breaker points are
necessary for timing the spark.
(b) The cost of the ignition system is increased.

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Distributor-less Ignition
Distributor-less ignition systems (DIS) have eliminated much of the
maintenance that used to be associated with the ignition system. No
distributor means there's no distributor cap or rotor to replace,
and no troublesome vacuum or mechanical advance mechanisms
to cause timing problems. Consequently, DIS ignition systems are
pretty reliable.
Even so, that doesn't mean they are trouble-free. Failures can and
do occur for a variety of reasons. So knowing how to identify and
diagnose common DIS problems can save you a lot of guesswork the
next time you encounter an engine that cranks but refuses to start, or
one that runs but is missing or misfiring on one or more cylinders.

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If an engine cranks but won't start, is it fuel, ignition or
compression? Ignition is usually the easiest of the three to check
because on most engines, all you have to do is pull off a plug
wire and check for spark when the engine is cranked. On coil-over-
plug DIS systems, there are no plug wires so you have to remove a
coil and use a plug wire or adapter to check for a spark.
If there's no spark in one cylinder, try another. No spark in any
cylinder would most likely indicate a failed DIS module or
crankshaft position sensor. Many engines that are equipped with
electronic fuel injection also use the crankshaft position sensor
signal to trigger the fuel injectors. So, if there's no spark and no
injector activity, the problem is likely in the crank position
sensor. No spark in only one cylinder or two cylinders that share a coil
would tell you a coil has probably failed.
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Principle of Operation
Distributor-less ignition system used extensively by Ford
incorporates all the features of electronic spark advance systems,
except a special type of ignition coil is used in place of HT
distributor. The system is generally used only on four- or six-
cylinder engines, because the control system becomes highly
complex for higher number of cylinders. It works on the principle of
the lost spark. The spark distribution is achieved by the help of two
double ended coils, fired alternately by the ECU. The ignition
timing is obtained from a crankshaft speed and position sensor
as well as through load and other corrections. When one of the
coils is fired, a spark is delivered to two engine cylinders, either 1
and 4, or 2 and 3. The spark delivered to the cylinder on the
compression stroke ignites the mixture as normal.
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Whereas the spark in other cylinder causes no effect, as this
cylinder is just completing its exhaust stroke. The disadvantage of
this system is that the spark plugs may wear more quickly with
this system.

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System Components

The distributor-less ignition system contains three main components

such as the electronic module, a crankshaft position sensor and the
distributor-less ignition coil. Many systems use a manifold absolute
pressure sensor, integrated in the module. The module functions
almost in the same way as the electronic spark advance system.

The crankshaft position sensor is also a reluctance sensor positioned

against the front of the flywheel or against a reluctor wheel just behind
the front crankshaft pulley. The tooth pattern uses 36-1 teeth, which
are spaced at 10 degree intervals, with a gap for the 36th tooth.
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The missing tooth is located at 90 degrees before TDC for numbers 1

and 4 cylinders. This reference position is located a fixed number of
degrees before TDC for calculating the timing or ignition point as a
fixed angle after the reference mark.

The distributor-less ignition coil has a low tension winding, which is

supplied with battery voltage to a center terminal. The appropriate half
of the winding is then connected to earth in the module. The high
tension windings are separate and are specific to cylinders 1 and 4, or
2 and 3.

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