How Ignition Coils & Spark Plugs Work! 🚗

1. This RUclips channel provides detailed explanations on how car ignition coils and plugs work, offering valuable insights for car enthusiasts and DIY mechanics alike.
2. Through informative videos, viewers can learn about the importance of ignition coils and plugs in the functioning of a vehicle's engine, as well as how to troubleshoot common issues related to these components.
3. Whether you are looking to enhance your understanding of automotive technology or seeking practical tips for maintaining your car's ignition system, this channel is a valuable resource for all things related to car ignition coils and plugs.
Ignition Coils
Function:
Ignition coils are responsible for transforming the battery's low voltage (typically 12 volts) into the high voltage (thousands of volts) needed to create a spark in the spark plugs.
How They Work:
Primary Winding:
The ignition coil consists of two windings: the primary and the secondary winding.
The primary winding is connected to the car battery and the ignition switch.
When the ignition switch is turned on, current flows through the primary winding, creating a magnetic field.
Magnetic Field and Collapse:
When the ignition control module or the car's electronic control unit (ECU) interrupts the current flow through the primary winding, the magnetic field collapses rapidly.
This collapse induces a high voltage in the secondary winding through electromagnetic induction.
Secondary Winding:
The secondary winding, which has many more turns of wire than the primary winding, receives the induced high voltage.
This high voltage is necessary to jump the gap of the spark plug and create a spark.
Spark Plugs
Function:
Spark plugs deliver the high-voltage electrical current from the ignition coil to the combustion chamber, where it ignites the air-fuel mixture.
How They Work:
Structure:
Spark plugs consist of a central electrode, a ground electrode, and an insulating ceramic body.
The central electrode is connected to the ignition coil via a spark plug wire or coil-on-plug system.
The ground electrode is connected to the engine block.
Spark Creation:
When the high voltage from the ignition coil is applied to the central electrode, it creates a potential difference between the central electrode and the ground electrode.
This potential difference causes an electrical discharge (spark) to jump across the gap between the electrodes.
Ignition of Air-Fuel Mixture:
The spark ignites the air-fuel mixture in the engine cylinder.
This ignition causes a rapid expansion of gases, creating a pressure wave that pushes the piston down, producing power.
Interaction Between Ignition Coils and Spark Plugs
Coil Activation:
The ECU or ignition control module controls the timing of the coil activation.
It determines the precise moment to interrupt the current in the primary winding, ensuring the spark occurs at the optimal time for combustion.
High Voltage Delivery:
The high voltage generated in the secondary winding of the ignition coil is delivered to the spark plug either through spark plug wires or directly in a coil-on-plug system.
Spark Timing:
The timing of the spark is critical for efficient engine operation. It ensures that the air-fuel mixture is ignited at the right point in the engine's cycle (typically just before the piston reaches the top of its compression stroke).
Types of Ignition Systems
Distributor-Based Systems:
Older vehicles often use a distributor to route high voltage from a single ignition coil to the appropriate spark plug at the correct time.
Distributor-Less Ignition Systems (DIS):
Newer vehicles may use a DIS, which eliminates the distributor and uses multiple ignition coils (one for each pair of cylinders or one for each cylinder) controlled by the ECU.
Coil-On-Plug (COP) Systems:
Many modern vehicles use COP systems, where each spark plug has its own ignition coil mounted directly on top of it, ensuring precise timing and reducing the need for high-voltage spark plug wires.