1. Battery: The car battery stores electrical energy and provides the initial power required for the ignition system to operate.
2. Ignition Switch: When the ignition key is turned, it completes a circuit, allowing current to flow from the battery to the ignition system.
3. Distributor (older vehicles) or Ignition Control Module (modern vehicles): The distributor, found in older vehicles, or the ignition control module in modern vehicles, distributes electrical current to the correct spark plugs at the appropriate times.
4. Ignition Coil: The ignition coil steps up the voltage from the battery to a high voltage level, typically between 10,000 to 25,000 volts. This high-voltage current is required to create a spark across the spark plug gaps.
5. Distributor Cap and Rotor (older vehicles) or Spark Plug Wires (modern vehicles): In vehicles with distributors, the distributor cap and rotor distribute the high-voltage current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. In modern vehicles without distributors, spark plug wires perform this task.
6. Spark Plugs: The spark plugs receive the high-voltage electrical current and generate an electric spark across their electrodes, igniting the air-fuel mixture in the engine's cylinders.
By coordinating these components, the car ignition system ensures proper delivery and timing of electrical energy to the spark plugs, which in turn ignites the fuel mixture and causes combustion in the engine, allowing the vehicle to run smoothly.
