Deck 26: Ignition Systems

Question 1

A late model ignition system can supply 30,000 to 60,000 volts of electricity.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Which of the following is a component of the secondary ignition circuit?

A) battery
B) ignition switch
C) PCM
D) spark plug

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The waste-spark ignition system on a four cylinder engine with dual plug [two spark plugs per cylinder] cylinder heads requires four ignition coils.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Conventional ignition systems are capable of producing higher electrical energy than distributorless ignition systems.

Question 5

Reach, heat range, and air gap are all characteristics that affect the performance of which ignition system component?

A) ignition coils
B) ignition cables
C) spark plugs
D) breaker points

Question 6

A spark plug fires before the piston reaches top dead center (TDC).

Question 7

A spark plug's ceramic core or insulator acts as a heat conductor.

Question 8

Magnetic pulse generators produce a weak DC voltage when the teeth of the trigger wheel rotate past the pickup coil.

Question 9

Many of the inputs used for ignition system control are also used to control other systems,
such as fuel injection.

Question 10

The distributorless ignition system of a V-6 engine may be designed with three ignition coils.

Question 11

Modern ignition cables contain carbon fiber cores that act as a(n) ____ in the secondary circuit to cut down on radio and television interference and reduce spark plug wear.

A) insulator
B) resistor
C) semiconductor
D) heat shield

Question 12

The misfire monitor uses a high data rate CKP [crankshaft position] sensor to detect engine misfires, and the CMP [camshaft position] sensor is used to identify which cylinder is misfiring.

Question 13

Driving on a rough road can trigger the engine misfire monitor.

Question 14

Most distributor-equipped ignition systems use one ignition coil for each cylinder.

Question 15

The magnetic field surrounding the pickup coil in a magnetic pulse generator moves when the ______.

A) reluctor tooth approaches the ignition coil
B) reluctor tooth begins to move away from the pickup coil
C) reluctor tooth begins to move away from the ignition coil
D) the pickup coil is midway between two reluctor teeth

Question 16

What happens when the low-voltage current flow in the coil primary winding is interrupted by the switching device?

A) The magnetic field around the primary winding collapses
B) The movement of the magnetic field across the winding induces a high voltage in the secondary winding
C) both "The magnetic field around the primary winding collapses" and "The movement of the magnetic field across the winding induces a high voltage in the secondary winding"
D) neither "The magnetic field around the primary winding collapses" nor "The movement of the magnetic field across the winding induces a high voltage in the secondary winding"

Question 17

Very few newer engines are equipped with a distributor.

Question 18

On a coil-over-plug type ignition system, a faulty coil will affect two cylinders.

Question 19

A camshaft position sensor [CMP] is necessary for a waste spark type ignition system to determine which coil to fire when the engine reaches TDC.

Question 20

Until 1994 all ignition systems used some type of distributor.

Question 21

All the following elements except _____ are used in the spark plug center electrode to increase plug life.

A) platinum
B) iridium
C) yttrium
D) cesium

Question 22

Which of the following components is part of the primary ignition circuit?

A) spark plug
B) spark plug cable
C) ignition switch
D) neutral safety switch

Question 23

Spark plug design is being discussed. Technician A says a plug with too short a reach makes it difficult to attach the plug wire boot. Technician B says a plug with too long a reach may cause preignition. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 24

Technician A says a plug with a V-notch ground electrode will have two electric arcs jumping across the spark plug gap each time the spark plug fires. Technician B says a spark plug gap that is too wide requires higher voltage to jump the gap, which can cause a misfire. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a spark plug thread diameter?

A) 12 mm
B) 14 mm
C) 18 mm
D) 9/16 in.

Question 26

Crankshaft sensors are being discussed. Technician A says the signal from a Hall-effect CKP cannot be used to synchronize fuel injector timing with the engine. Technician B says some early distributor ignition systems relied on photoelectric sensors to monitor crankshaft position. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 27

While discussing electronic ignition systems, Technician A says an NPN transistor in the PCM or ignition module controls primary current flow through the coil. Technician B says coil saturation is controlled by the length of time the primary ignition current is turned on. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 28

The heat range of a spark plug is indicated by ______.

A) the color of the insulator ribs
B) the number of insulator ribs
C) a code within the plug number imprinted on the side of the spark plug
D) all answers are correct

Question 29

Resistor-type spark plugs are being discussed. Technician A says the resistor increases the plug firing voltage. Technician B says the resistor helps reduce radio frequency interference [RFI], which can interfere with, or damage, radios, computers, and other electronic accessories, such as GPS systems. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 30

The typical amount of secondary coil voltage required to jump the spark plug gap is ____ volts.

A) 500
B) 1,000
C) 10,000
D) 50,000

Question 31

One of the advantages of a coil-on-plug type ignition system is that it eliminates the need for ______.

A) crankshaft position sensor [CKP]
B) camshaft position sensor [CMP]
C) knock sensor [KS]
D) spark plug wires

Question 32

Technician A says spark plugs are part of the secondary ignition circuit. Technician B says the battery is part of the primary ignition circuit. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 33

Which of the following is not a type of electronic ignition system?

A) DI [distributor ignition]
B) MAF [mass airflow]
C) DLI [distributorless ignition]
D) DI [direct ignition]

Question 34

Computer-controlled ignition timing is being discussed. Technician A says when excessive wheel slippage occurs, the PCM will advance the timing to increase the torque output from the engine. Technician B says to provide smooth shifting of an automatic transmission, the PCM will temporarily retard the ignition timing to reduce the engine's torque when the transmission is beginning to change gears.

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 35

Technician A says a magnetic pulse generator type sensor generates a small AC voltage each time one of the machined slots in the trigger wheel passes by. Technician B says some ignition systems use dual Hall-effect sensors that produce a 3x and 18x/revolution pulse. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 36

In EI systems using one ignition coil for every two cylinders, Technician A says two plugs fire at the same time, with one wasting the spark on the exhaust stroke. Technician B says one plug fires in the normal direction and the other in reversed polarity. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 37

Coil-over-plug ignition systems are being discussed, Technician A says COP coils have less time between each firing cycle, which increases the heat in the coil and can cause premature failure. Technician B says the COP system allows the ignition timing for each cylinder to be individually changed for maximum performance as the system responds to knock sensor signals. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 38

Ignition timing is being discussed. Technician A says when the engine idle speed moves away from the desired idle speed, the PCM will adjust the timing to stabilize the engine speed. Technician B says when a knock is detected, the PCM retards the timing in fixed steps until the knock disappears. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 39

Spark plug wires are being discussed. Technician A says silicon-insulated wires are used for normal temperature applications. Technician B says hypalon-insulated wires are used for high-temperature applications. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 40

EI systems are being discussed. Technician A says a waste spark system has one coil per cylinder. Technician B says a coil-on-plug system uses a double-ended coil. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 41

Which of the following is an advantage of EI ignition?

A) There are no moving parts, and therefore it requires little maintenance
B) It is possible to control the ignition of individual cylinders to meet specific needs
C) Mechanical timing adjustments are eliminated
D) All answers are correct

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT a type of engine position sensor?

A) Hall-effect
B) magnetic pulse generator
C) photoelectric [optical]
D) piezoresistive

Question 43

A magnetic pulse generator consists of two parts: a ____________________ and a pickup coil.

Question 44

If the required voltage to fire a spark plug is greater than the available voltage, the result is known as a ____________________ condition.

Question 45

A Hall-effect sensor has three wires connecting it to the PCM: (1) a 5- to 12-volt reference voltage, (2) ground, and (3) ____________________.

Question 46

Electronic ignition systems with a coil for every two spark plugs use the ____________________ spark method of spark distribution.

Question 47

A Hall-effect switch generates a ____________________ wave voltage signal.

Question 48

Two technicians are discussing waste spark type ignition systems. Technician A says that half of the spark plugs in the system fire in reversed polarity [from the ground electrode to the center electrode]. Technician B says that the two spark plugs are connected in series with the coil. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 49

When current flowing through a winding is at its maximum and the strength of its magnetic field is also at its maximum, the winding is said to be ____________________.

Question 50

The ignition coil is essentially a pulse ____________________.

Question 51

Resistor plugs are being discussed. Technician A says that if the original equipment resistor plugs are replaced with nonresistor plugs, the engine will produce more power at high RPM. Technician B says that if the original equipment resistor plugs are replaced with nonresistor plugs, the engine will run smoother at low RPM. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 52

The period of time during which there is primary current flow through the ignition coil is called ____________________.

Question 53

Spark plug cables contain fiber cores that act as electrical ____________________ in the secondary ignition circuit.

Question 54

The ____________________ on a spark plug help prevent electric arcing on the outside of the insulator.

Question 55

Some engines use a ____________________ sensor designed with an LED, a phototransistor, and a slotted disc to identify crankshaft position.

Question 56

Which of the following components is part of the primary and secondary ignition circuits?

A) spark plugs
B) ignition coil
C) battery
D) ignition switch

Question 57

The hex size [socket size] used for tightening and loosing the spark plugs is either 5/8 in. or ______.

A) 19 mm
B) 22 mm
C) 11/16 in.
D) 13/16 in.

Question 58

Ignition coils are being discussed. Technician A says the primary coil is normally composed of 100 to 200 turns of 20-gauge wire. Technician B says the secondary coil consists of 15,000 to 25,000, or more, turns of very fine copper wire. Who is correct?

A) A only
B) B only
C) both A and B
D) neither A nor B

Question 59

Some spark plugs have ____________________-tipped electrodes to extend the life of the plug.

Question 60

A ____________________ ignition system has one ignition coil per cylinder and also uses spark plug wires.

Question 61

What is preignition?

Question 62

Why is reserve voltage necessary in a secondary ignition system?

Question 63

What happens when the low-voltage current flow in the coil primary winding is interrupted by the switching device?

Question 64

Describe a coil-on-plug ignition system.

Question 65

Describe a dual plug system.

Question 66

What is an engine's firing order?

Question 67

Describe the term "dwell time."

Question 68

What is spark plug reach?

Question 69

Explain how the spark plugs fire in a double-ended coil EI system.

Question 70

By what factor is the heat range of a spark plug determined?

Question 71

Why is the correct spark plug heat range important?

Question 72

Name various locations of sensing devices used to identify engine component position for ignition timing.

Question 73

What is the function of the crankshaft position sensor [CKP]?

Question 74

Describe a waste spark ignition system.

Question 75

How are engine misfires detected?