Hyundai Santa Cruz: Ignition System / Description and Operation

- Description The ignition coil is a kind of small transformer that transforms the battery voltage to 30 kV or more to create a spark in the spark plug gap in the cylinder.The igniter embedded in the ignition coil includes the power transistor and it is an electronic switch whose electric current is controlled by the Engine Control Module (ECM) signal. The ignition timing is controlled by the ECM and the standard ignition timing data depending on the engine operating condition is stored in the ECM memory.The engine operating conditions (speed, load, warm-up state, etc.) are detected by the various sensors.Based on these sensor signals and the ignition timing data, when the ECM applies the ignition signal to the ignition coil for a certain period of time, igniter is energized and current flows and rises gradually to the primary coil and the magnetic filed is produced.When the current in the primary coil is cut off by the ignition signal of the ECM, the rapid change of the magnetic flux by the mutual induction action is induced to the secondary coil and high voltage is generated depending on the coil winding ratio.This high voltage generated from the secondary coil is caught in the spark plug gap and discharges as the electric field is destroyed to generate a spark.