Testing, validation & evaluation are vital factors in terms of defining vehicle reliability and durability. Setting the correct ignition timing is crucial in the performance of the engine. It affects many variables including engine longevity, fuel economy, and engine power. It needs to be measured & controlled such that vehicle performance can be improved. Sparks occurring too soon or late in the engine cycle are often responsible for excessive vibrations and even engine damage.
Today's spark-advance controllers are open-loop systems that measure parameters that affect the spark-advance setting and compensate for their effects. A closed-loop scheme instead measures the result of the actual spark advance and maintains an optimal spark-advance setting in the presence of disturbances.
Attempt has been made in our endeavor to develop an embedded system device which can be used hands-on to measure the ignition timing with respect to T.D.C. The benefit of this system is its usage in the field since it does not require any test rig or any special fixture to measure the spark angle. The device measures the analog pulses signal generated from the pulser coil & calculate the RPM. Simultaneously, it also measures the exact timing of spark by detecting the CDI output waveform signal which is going to the ignition coil. The micro-controller then calculates the ignition advance timing and stores the data in EEPROM. It is portable, low cost & highly accurate. The device can be used to validate the ignition advance timing of existing models in an automotive application.