Summit Wagon AWD L4-2350cc 2.4L SOHC (1995)
Ignition Coil: Description and Operation
PURPOSE
The Ignition Coil transforms battery voltage into ignition voltage and delivers it in the form of a high voltage surge to the secondary ignition
components.
OPERATION
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When the ignition power transistor is turned ON by the signal from the engine control module (ECM), primary current flows to the ignition coil
and energy is stored as a magnetic field.
-
When current flow in the primary winding is interrupted (by the power transistor breaking the circuit ground), the magnetic field collapses
inducing a high voltage surge in the secondary windings.
CONSTRUCTION
The Ignition Coil contains two windings of copper wire around a soft iron core.
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The primary winding is made of a hundred or so turns of wire.
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The secondary winding contains several thousand turns of wire wound directly onto the iron core.
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The ratio of the number of wraps in the secondary winding to the number of wraps in the primary windings determines the output voltage of
the coil.
The primary winding is connected directly to the ignition switch (+) and the power transistor (-). The secondary winding is connected to the coil
output tower through the iron core.
