Automotive Ignition System
So how does your car get moving? It's magic, right? You buy a car, you get this little widget called a
wheels.
Parts
Just like the
oil systems of the vehicle, the ignition system is just one more thing that keeps things working smoothly and you a happy driver. It is probably one of the more complex systems of the vehicle, but it's fairly simple to understand.
Contactor: Simply put, this is your key. It starts the whole process.
Battery: With the battery on the engine and other motors can function.
secondary) that connect to each other and receive signals to and from the battery. The charges alternate into the core. The coil, basically, sends the currents to move the distributor.
Breaker: The breaker is connected to the coil. It's job is to stop the flow of the coil's current on the primary wire.
Distributor: This part is responsible for sending the current to the engine cylinders.
residue.
A Spark of Magic
So basically how do all these parts fit together to start your car? This is how it works:
!
* Sit in your car. Comfy? Good. You look at your
steering wheel.
* You take your key and put it in the ignition. You feel the joy of getting out on the road again so you turn it.
* The signal is sent to the coil and the battery which turn on.
* The coils alternate currents to gather high voltage.
* The breaker stops the primary wire of the coil so that the high voltage increases on the secondary wire.
* That high voltage current moves through another
wire to the distributor.
* This wire moves a rotor in the distributor that clicks past connections to each individual cylinder. There are four connections in total.
* When the rotor passes a connection it sends the signal to the corresponding cylinder's spark plug.
* The spark plug starts the chemical reaction in the cylinder between the air and the fuel, which in turn the
drive wheels.
* The engine moves.
Top Sellers
Related Guides
*
Automotive Oils and Fluids
*
Automotive Shocks and Struts
*
Automotive Exhaust System
*
Automotive Lights
*
Car Air Intakes
External Links
HowStuffWorks.com: Ignition Systems: this site explains how an ignition system functions.
