Ignition System

This posting will be the first of a small series of entries that will explain some of the basic systems in a car that are necessary for the car to function normally. It only makes sense to start out with a system that starts an automobile, the ignition system. Many drivers just turn the key and they are on their way, not even thinking about what happens, but there is more that goes on between when the key hits the ignition and when the car actually starts.

Car’s used to have, in most cases, a distributor; when the ignition key was turned, a current ran from the battery, to the ignition coil, then into the distributor. Once the current hit the distributor it would be sent out to all cylinders via the spark plug wires and spark plugs. The coil basically magnified the current from the battery to a much larger current that allowed for enough voltage to start the engine. The distributor cap sent out current to each cylinder. Depending on how many cylinders a car had, the cap would have that many numbers of spots where the current could be sent out. The rotor was a small plastic piece that spun inside the cap, only making one point of contact to the inside wall of the cap. This contact point on the rotor would then touch each point on the cap as it spun to send out the electric current to each different cylinder in a specific order. If this order was wrong for any reason, such as the wires lead to the wrong cylinder, the car wouldn’t start.

Now, many cars are going to distributor-less ignitions where the ECU has total control over the ignition. Each spark plug has its own coil built onto it. This is a much more efficient system because there is no need for a distributor which wears down over time and there is no need for high-voltage spark plug wires which can also break down. This system is completely run by the car’s computer system, thus making the timing even better.
So next time you get in your car think about what happens when you slip your key into the ignition and turn it, it will surprise you how fast all of this happens.

The Last First

Okay, so what car guy didn’t or still doesn’t want a classic Chevy like the Camaro? Arguably the best Chevy ever, you know you have a hot rod if you’re cruising around in a 69’ Camaro. Designed for speed and more speed and then more speed you were king of the road if you had the 69 Camaro, but not just any of them it had to be the ZL-1!
Chevrolet only made 50 and only because that was the magic number to be able to race it. The engine alone cost more than the car ($4,160) which brought the cars total to roughly $7,200. Its quarter mile time was spitting out low 11s at 122MPH. That was the fastest car ever produced by Chevy; I know what you’re thinking, so what right, don’t forget that Chevrolet at the time was on top of the speed world with cars like the corvette and Impala.
Okay so the ZL1 was an Aluminum monster. All aluminum head, aluminum block this engine weigh as light as a small block but produced nearly double the horse power. The engines’ rating was right at around 500bhp. You could spin the tires off anything with that kind of muscle. The engine turned the newer style of the Camaro into probably the meanest car of its era and even before!
When you see that perfect Camaro rolling down the road, don’t think of this car, this car was better. That may be a lie, I’m sure someone in the world could prove me wrong; but common, this car was years before its time. It was a street legal race car that blew away the competition. Camaro sold more cars in 69 than ever before if that can’t prove my point I don’t know what will. The late 60s were by far the muscle car era but never has a car dominated its time like the 69’ ZL1 Camaro.

ATVs I Want

Growing up I always wanted a four wheeler, but being in a family of boat riders and jet skiers there was no way I was going to get one! Don’t get me wrong I like the water there is nothing like throwing people off the back of a jet ski but lately I’ve just wanted change! If I had a bit of extra cash, which I don’t, I would defiantly get an ATV (All Terrain Vehicles).
I know I probably am not going to get one till I’m out of college what that’s the beauty of the internet you can always look at stuff that you can’t have! I was looking around and the best “bang for your buck” on Kawasaki’s website was there Brute Force® 650 4x4. And for a newbie like myself its nothing too powerful yet it can get the job done when needed. Priced at just fewer than eight grand I might have to get me one once I graduate college of course.
The only trouble I’m having with picking and ATV of my choice isn’t price or color it’s what kind? I could get a wheeler for mudding and going on trails or I could get a sport utility designed for speed. Yamaha has a new 2009 Raptor 700R out on the market and its fast! Today’s day and age there are so many options I wish it were easy to just pick one out and buy it. Anyway, I was just venting about more wishes I had and hopefully I could get a job good enough to where I can just get both. Its too hard to just choice one.

What do you want to know about?

Most likely if you are reading this blog, you are of the age to drive. You may get into your car every day (or use to when you weren’t on campus), start it up, and take off without even thinking about what all goes on to get you where you need to be going. We all use our cars but never stop and wonder why it does what it does. A car is a complex combination of many different systems that allow the car to perform all the things necessary to work properly and get the driver to the preferred destination. Many people drive blind and don’t understand the simple things on a car, and when these things break the person gets upset and storms into a automotive shop or dealer demanding an explanation on why its not working properly.

So here at Automotive Advancements I am going to start writing about different functions a car performs so that you, the reader, can understand the basics of what all goes on under the hood that allows you to get where you need to be. These functions a car performs have changed over time to new forms of technology that have made life even simpler for a driver, therefore causing the driver to take for granted even more that the car will work when they put the key in the ignition. So if you have often sat in your car and thought: “I wonder how that works?” Leave a comment, and I will try to answer your questions!