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The Ignition System:
Spark Plug
 Spark plugs are screwed into the cylinder head. Two thirds of the way down the spark plug a metal hex head provides a surface where a wrench or socket is applied to screw in the plug . This is the final leg of the ignition process and this where it all comes together to create an explosion with military-like precision.
At its heart, your vehicle is powered by expanding gases formed when a timed fireball ignites. In a nut shell, that's all a combustion engine does. But to release the potential explosive energy of the fuel vapor, a proverbial match must be lit. The spark plug uses the electrical current provided by the distributor to play the role of the match.
 To briefly recap, at the top of the electrode the ignition cable connects to the plug and forms a terminal. The boot covers the upper portion of the exposed spark plug and fits snugly over the spark plug insulator. When the rotor passes over the contact points, an electrical current races down the spark plug wire and enters the top of the spark plug. |
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Article Pages
1. Ignition System
2. The Coil
3. The Distributor
4. Distributor Cap
5. Shaft and Rotor Assembly
6. Spark Plug Wires
8. Combustion
Hot Topics
-> Electronic Ignition
-> Learning to Read Your Spark Plugs Can Head Off Future Costly Repairs
-> Timing Is Everything
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