Yes, believe it or not, only one ignition coil. It had ignition cables that plugged into the spark plug for each cylinder on the engine and often had an additional wire that connected to a single ignition coil. This “octopus” was actually called the distributor. There used to be a device on the engine that looked like an octopus ( Figure 1). My point: ignition timing can be incorrect, even though it is not adjustable by a technician, and subsequently cause driveability issues.įigure 1 - A distributor, or an “octopus,” on a 1970 Challenger R/T.įor those of you who are green, or entry level technicians, let me paint this picture. Does this mean that ignition timing is any less important? Of course not. To muddy the waters even further, manufacturers no longer provide base ignition timing specifications. Most frequently there are no timing marks on the crankshaft pulley and no spark plug wires to connect our timing lights to if we even wanted to perform such a task. Today’s engine applications usually do not offer technicians a method of checking ignition timing because it is no longer adjustable. Regardless, ignition timing is a very important aspect of engine performance. Not in Chicago! I rarely see something older than 1996, but I still own a blue wrench just in case. Environmental/geographic issues such as this can often result in a 2018 vehicle in one bay of a shop while a 1976 vehicle could be right next to it. If I lived in an area like Phoenix or San Diego, this story might be completely different. I own a fancy timing light but it probably has a thick layer of dust on it… if I can even find it. Salted roads, rust, emissions testing and “cash for clunkers” eliminated 99 percent of the vehicles that required ignition timing adjustments in my area. I am in the Chicago area and I cannot remember the last time I used a timing light.
Do you own a timing light? When was the last time you used it? Old guys like me know what it is, but do younger technicians have a clue? To be fair, the answers to these questions vary based on geographic location.
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