What does a coil do?

Question

just doing a lil research on things so i know how my car works. What does a coil do? also how do spark plugs create the bang to get the pistons going or do they do something before that happens

Answer 1

A coil is a device that takes the voltage in your automotive system and increases it to several thousand volts to create the spark that is sent to the spark plugs. That spark ignites the pressurized mixture of fuel and air, which burns rapidly so as to create a small explosion, and sending the piston downwards at a high rate of speed. That should answer both parts of the question.

Answer 2

The coil is nothing more than two seperate windings of wire in a stable base. One side with less windings is connected to battery voltage all the time. When the power or ground to the low voltage side is taken away the magnetic feild collapses and induces a voltage into the high voltage side. The winding difference transforms the current into 5,000 to 100,000 volts which is needed to jump the spark gap. The coil has a heavily insulated wire going to the distributor or directly to each spark plug. Coil on plug engines use one coil for every spark plug. Modern high energy ignitions create enough voltage to hurt you or stop your heart, so never pull plug wires running.

The fuel and compression created by the 4 cycle engine are what makes the process work. Spark plugs and coils just ignite the mixture at the proper time to explode and force the piston down for the power stroke. Valves and camshafts control flow in and out of the engine. It's an air pump in its basic form. The starter motor spins the engine at 200-300 rpms untill the gasoline kicks in and gives you your vroom.

Answer 3

A coil is a step up transformer, which means that a low voltage of electricity enters the coil, and passes from the low voltage windings to the high voltage windings. The stepped up voltage then passes on to your spark plugs where it jumps the gap in the spark plug, which ignites the air fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. This forces the piston down, causing the crank shaft to rotate, ultimately causing your car to move.

Answer 4

A coil simply intensifies the electrical energy from small to BIG in order to create a spark that combusts the fuel in the cylinder. Once the piston has reached the top of the cylinder with its fuel/air charge, thats when the computer tells the coil to fire which in turn ignites the charge and pushes the cylinder down from the explosion. The process repeats itself usually with multiple cylinders and creates the power to move the vehicle.

Answer 5

It disperses current on distributor from battery or starter...kinda like circuit breaker in house..

Answer 6

a bit more info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignition_coil