It seems like such a small thing—that tiny area approximately 0.040 of an inch wide inside each combustion chamber. That area we're talking about is the gap between the electrode and strap on each ...

Paging through an ignition catalog reveals all sorts of different ignition coils for conventional distributor-type ignition systems. To say it's a mite confusing is an understatement!Just how does an ...

How can you say "no" to simplicity, reliability, and an increase in power? Yeah, neither could we. Our old '75 Dodge workhorse with a 440ci engine (the Lawg) was still running the factory ignition ...

If you have a classic, vintage, or otherwise old car, you've probably heard of the distributor that it features. It's part of the ignition system that transfers current from the battery to the ...

"It's not a heap, dad. It's a classic." That's harder to justify when your classic muscle car won't start. Nothing like a high-compression V8 combined with a battery that hasn't seen a charge for a ...

Engines need spark plugs to burn their air/fuel mixture, and the spark plugs need a jolt of electricity to do their work. Older cars with conventional distributor-based ignition systems did it by ...

No Ford engine project is complete without a properly functioning ignition system. This system has the important job of delivering the spark to the required cylinder at precisely the right time. Any ...

The intermittent stalling problem was solved by replacing the distributor. This is the sequel to troubleshooting my ‘86 Dodge Aries that defied logic and baffled my mechanic. To be sure, electronic ...

Older vehicles with distributor-type ignition systems use ignition (or spark plug) wires to send electrical current from the distributor to individual spark plugs, with the timing based on their ...

Q. I've noticed my new car doesn't have a distributor or spark plug wires, unlike every other car or truck I've ever owned. Can you explain how this works? A. This is one of the neatest automotive ...

Automotive ignitions systems have seen many transitions over the years. Historically, the designs have matured from a magneto to today’s coil-over-spark plug designs. The progression follows the ...