Question 1

What does an ignition consist of?

Accepted Answer

The ignition are the electrical and electronic components involved in generating the ignition spark. There is a power source, an ignition coil, spark plugs, cable connections and a part that switches the ignition coil. In the simplest case, this is a mechanical switch called a breaker; in an electronic ignition, it is a complex circuit. The switch is mechanically coupled to the engine via a cam or electronically via an encoder. This ensures that the ignition spark always occurs at a specific time (ignition timing) at the end of the compression stroke.

Question 2

How does an ignition work?

Accepted Answer

The spark that is supposed to ignite the sucked-in fresh gases in the cylinder is nothing but a discharge with very high electrical voltage. The 6 or 12 V provided by the batteries won't get us very far. Low voltage is turned into high voltage with a transformer. The ignition coil is such a part. There are two windings in the ignition coil, one for the low voltage and one for the high voltage. When low voltage current flows through the low voltage coil, a magnetic field builds up. When this current is interrupted, the magnetic field collapses and at the same time produces the desired voltage for the spark plugs in the high voltage coil. The electrician says the voltage is induced. This voltage is conducted via the ignition cables to the spark plugs, where it jumps between the two electrodes as a spark.

Question 3

What types of ignition are there for Harleys?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the type of power source, there are two types of ignition: Magneto ignition and battery ignition. In a magneto ignition, the current that the breaker switches is generated in the device ("magneto") itself by a magnetic rotor in the coil. When the breaker switches, the high voltage is also generated in the coil, which then goes through the ignition wires to the spark plugs and jumps at the spark plug.
In battery ignition, the current comes from an external source, a battery. Most people say battery. With battery ignition, the ignition coil is controlled either by a breaker or electronically.
Harley-Davidson V engines with ioe valve positioning came from the factory with either magneto or battery ignition. Magneto ignition disappeared in the 1930s. From then on, street models were only available with battery ignition. Magneto ignition was again available from the Motor Company in the 1940s for racing models and later in the Sportster C and CH models. In the custom scene magneto ignitions were adapted for other street models. The magnetos from Hunt and Morris proved to be significantly more reliable than those from Lucas, with which the English competition was equipped.

Question 4

What is the ignition timing and what do I have to adjust?

Accepted Answer

The ignition timing is the moment at which the spark jumps between the two electrodes of the spark plug. Since a mechanical switch such as the breaker is subject to a certain amount of wear, the switch must be checked at certain intervals and readjusted if necessary. First, the distance between the breaker contacts is adjusted and then the position of the breaker in relation to the cam. With an electronic ignition, there is actually nothing to readjust. It is only adjusted once during installation. The electronic encoders themselves are wear-free. In the event of a malfunction, however, the only option is replacement. While the condition of a breaker can also be seen, faults in the sensors can usually only be detected with a measuring device.

Ignition

Related Topics

Ignition in Internal Combustion Engines – Basics and History

Components of an Ignition System

How the Ignition Works

Types of Ignition Systems in Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

Setting the Ignition Timing

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