Are Distributors History?
I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that
new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car and say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. Thanx! Jonathan |
Re: Are Distributors History?
In article <sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.com> ,
"K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote: > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that > new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that > all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of > engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate > now. Is this a fact? Pretty much so, yeah. Such precise control is the only way to meet newer emissions and mileage requirements. > If > this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. What's to know? The spark plug needs to get a spark; instead of a single coil and a mechanical device rotating around and feeding the right voltage at approximately the correct time, through a bunch of hardware which amounts to nothing more than more weak spots, each plug gets its own coil--which is electronically triggered by the engine computer to do its thing a the exact time required. You've replaced mechanical bits that weren't very precise to begin with and which are points of failure (no pun intended). |
Re: Are Distributors History?
In article <sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.com> ,
"K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote: > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that > new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that > all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of > engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate > now. Is this a fact? Pretty much so, yeah. Such precise control is the only way to meet newer emissions and mileage requirements. > If > this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. What's to know? The spark plug needs to get a spark; instead of a single coil and a mechanical device rotating around and feeding the right voltage at approximately the correct time, through a bunch of hardware which amounts to nothing more than more weak spots, each plug gets its own coil--which is electronically triggered by the engine computer to do its thing a the exact time required. You've replaced mechanical bits that weren't very precise to begin with and which are points of failure (no pun intended). |
Re: Are Distributors History?
Back in the 50's the German auto maker DKW (later became part of Auto
Union, which is now Audi) had a 3 cylinder, two stroke engine with one coil per cylinder. As you know, the old distributors had two different functions. The top part, with the cap and the finger, directs the high voltage from the coil to the right spark plug. The bottom end has the contact points that open and close the ground circuit to the coil primary. In the DKW, there were three sets of contact points, one for each coil. with this setup, there is no need for the finger and distributor cap. Each plug has its own coil. The contact point were a big pain in the rear, they would wear out as a result of arcing every time they broke the connection to the coil. With this, timing and dwell would change, and you would gradually loose performance. About 20 years ago electronic ignition started fixing this. The contact point would only make and brake a very tiny signal current to the electronic box, which in turn used transistors or thyristors to turn the coil on and off. Eventually the contact point were replaced altogether with other type sensors, usually magnetic types. So, eliminating the top part of the distributor was tried as early as the 50's. Eliminating the bottom part happened in the 80's. Eliminating both parts also started to gain momentum in the 80's. I believe Saab was one of the first companies to do this with their SDI system (Saab Direct Ignition, not to be confused with Strategic Defense Initiative :-} ) in the mid 80's. In theory, the coil per cylinder is a more robust system, but there has been problems. VW's 1.8 Turbo engines were famous for blowing coils a few years ago. It got so bat that dealers had to raid their new car lots to find coils to fix customers' cars under warranty, virtually no supply of new, good coils. My friend's Infiniti has had all 6 coils replaced under warranty. Another friend has had all 4 coils replaced under warranty in his Renault Megane. K-town wrote: > > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that > new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that > all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of > engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate > now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura > Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car and > say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If > this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel > free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. > > Thanx! > > Jonathan |
Re: Are Distributors History?
Back in the 50's the German auto maker DKW (later became part of Auto
Union, which is now Audi) had a 3 cylinder, two stroke engine with one coil per cylinder. As you know, the old distributors had two different functions. The top part, with the cap and the finger, directs the high voltage from the coil to the right spark plug. The bottom end has the contact points that open and close the ground circuit to the coil primary. In the DKW, there were three sets of contact points, one for each coil. with this setup, there is no need for the finger and distributor cap. Each plug has its own coil. The contact point were a big pain in the rear, they would wear out as a result of arcing every time they broke the connection to the coil. With this, timing and dwell would change, and you would gradually loose performance. About 20 years ago electronic ignition started fixing this. The contact point would only make and brake a very tiny signal current to the electronic box, which in turn used transistors or thyristors to turn the coil on and off. Eventually the contact point were replaced altogether with other type sensors, usually magnetic types. So, eliminating the top part of the distributor was tried as early as the 50's. Eliminating the bottom part happened in the 80's. Eliminating both parts also started to gain momentum in the 80's. I believe Saab was one of the first companies to do this with their SDI system (Saab Direct Ignition, not to be confused with Strategic Defense Initiative :-} ) in the mid 80's. In theory, the coil per cylinder is a more robust system, but there has been problems. VW's 1.8 Turbo engines were famous for blowing coils a few years ago. It got so bat that dealers had to raid their new car lots to find coils to fix customers' cars under warranty, virtually no supply of new, good coils. My friend's Infiniti has had all 6 coils replaced under warranty. Another friend has had all 4 coils replaced under warranty in his Renault Megane. K-town wrote: > > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that > new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that > all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of > engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate > now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura > Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car and > say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If > this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel > free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. > > Thanx! > > Jonathan |
Re: Are Distributors History?
"K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote in
news:sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.co m: > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell > me that new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. > He said that all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration > coupled with a series of engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and > throttle angle sensors to operate now. Is this a fact? I drive a > 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura Legend, and I don't feel like > walking up to some stranger with a new car and say, "Hey, mind if I > take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If this is true, > I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel free to > post any informative URLs, if any are available. > > Thanx! > > Jonathan > > Not -all- new cars,but yes,some of them,generaly the more expensive ones use individual coils for each spark plug,and ISTR one that shared a coil between two plugs opposite in the firing order.The coil fired both plugs,but one didn't matter,it was on the exhaust cycle. You could check cars on dealers lots.They often have a hood up on some of them.Some may even mention it on the sticker. -- Jim Yanik jyanik-at-kua.net |
Re: Are Distributors History?
"K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote in
news:sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.co m: > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell > me that new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. > He said that all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration > coupled with a series of engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and > throttle angle sensors to operate now. Is this a fact? I drive a > 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura Legend, and I don't feel like > walking up to some stranger with a new car and say, "Hey, mind if I > take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If this is true, > I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel free to > post any informative URLs, if any are available. > > Thanx! > > Jonathan > > Not -all- new cars,but yes,some of them,generaly the more expensive ones use individual coils for each spark plug,and ISTR one that shared a coil between two plugs opposite in the firing order.The coil fired both plugs,but one didn't matter,it was on the exhaust cycle. You could check cars on dealers lots.They often have a hood up on some of them.Some may even mention it on the sticker. -- Jim Yanik jyanik-at-kua.net |
Re: Are Distributors History?
Wow..it's like talking to someone that just woke up from a 15 year coma...
;0 "K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote in message news:sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.co m... > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that > new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that > all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of > engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate > now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura > Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car and > say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If > this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel > free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. > > Thanx! > > Jonathan > > |
Re: Are Distributors History?
Wow..it's like talking to someone that just woke up from a 15 year coma...
;0 "K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote in message news:sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.co m... > I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me that > new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said that > all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series of > engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to operate > now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura > Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car and > say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" If > this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel > free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. > > Thanx! > > Jonathan > > |
OT Re:Are Distributors History?
Randolph wrote:
Another friend has had all 4 >> coils replaced under warranty in his Renault Megane. >> Are you in Canada or somewhere outside the USA? Or how did you get a French car into the USA? I want to bring a 2002 Peugeot 206 Quicksilver edition into the US but have been told several times that this is virtually impossible. |
OT Re:Are Distributors History?
Randolph wrote:
Another friend has had all 4 >> coils replaced under warranty in his Renault Megane. >> Are you in Canada or somewhere outside the USA? Or how did you get a French car into the USA? I want to bring a 2002 Peugeot 206 Quicksilver edition into the US but have been told several times that this is virtually impossible. |
Re: OT Re:Are Distributors History?
Andy M --Tampa Bay-- wrote:
> > Randolph wrote: > Another friend has had all 4 > >> coils replaced under warranty in his Renault Megane. > >> > > Are you in Canada or somewhere outside the USA? Or how did you get a French > car into the USA? I want to bring a 2002 Peugeot 206 Quicksilver edition > into the US but have been told several times that this is virtually > impossible. I'm in California, the Renault is not. My friend lives in Europe. Every so often I read about companies that specialize in importing cars into the US that you can't normally find here. I have never actually been able to locate such a company. Perhaps http://www.importexporthelp.com/importing-cars.htm can be a starting point. |
Re: OT Re:Are Distributors History?
Andy M --Tampa Bay-- wrote:
> > Randolph wrote: > Another friend has had all 4 > >> coils replaced under warranty in his Renault Megane. > >> > > Are you in Canada or somewhere outside the USA? Or how did you get a French > car into the USA? I want to bring a 2002 Peugeot 206 Quicksilver edition > into the US but have been told several times that this is virtually > impossible. I'm in California, the Renault is not. My friend lives in Europe. Every so often I read about companies that specialize in importing cars into the US that you can't normally find here. I have never actually been able to locate such a company. Perhaps http://www.importexporthelp.com/importing-cars.htm can be a starting point. |
Re: Are Distributors History?
CaptainKrunch,
Um, I was only 9 fifteen years ago. (So yes, I'm 24) I have only recently started being interested in auto mechanics. Of course, the only cars I work on are my 1990 Civic and my wife's 1986 Acura Legend. BTW, I thought your area of expertise was breakfast? Cereal, to be specific? ;-) Jonathan "CaptainKrunch" <nobody@nothing.com> wrote in message news:yoydnUiagZZz1azcRVn-og@comcast.com... > Wow..it's like talking to someone that just woke up from a 15 year coma... > ;0 > > > "K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote in message > news:sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.co m... >> I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me > that >> new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said > that >> all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series > of >> engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to >> operate >> now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura >> Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car > and >> say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" > If >> this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel >> free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. >> >> Thanx! >> >> Jonathan >> >> > > |
Re: Are Distributors History?
CaptainKrunch,
Um, I was only 9 fifteen years ago. (So yes, I'm 24) I have only recently started being interested in auto mechanics. Of course, the only cars I work on are my 1990 Civic and my wife's 1986 Acura Legend. BTW, I thought your area of expertise was breakfast? Cereal, to be specific? ;-) Jonathan "CaptainKrunch" <nobody@nothing.com> wrote in message news:yoydnUiagZZz1azcRVn-og@comcast.com... > Wow..it's like talking to someone that just woke up from a 15 year coma... > ;0 > > > "K-town" <jdu52580@carolina.rr.com> wrote in message > news:sM6Yc.6209$LH6.541473@twister.southeast.rr.co m... >> I had a friend of mine, who is a high-performance car mechanic, tell me > that >> new cars no longer use distributors, caps, rotor buttons, etc. He said > that >> all new cars use a coil-per-cylinder configuration coupled with a series > of >> engine speed/timing, air/fuel ratio, and throttle angle sensors to >> operate >> now. Is this a fact? I drive a 1990 Civic, and my wife has a 1986 Acura >> Legend, and I don't feel like walking up to some stranger with a new car > and >> say, "Hey, mind if I take a quick look under the hood of your new car?" > If >> this is true, I'd like to know how this new type of ignition works. Feel >> free to post any informative URLs, if any are available. >> >> Thanx! >> >> Jonathan >> >> > > |
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