Direct spark uses an ignition coil per cylinder, firing each cylinder once per engine cycle (2 crankshaft revolutions). If multi-coil operation is required for an odd number of cylinders, the only option is to use an ignition coil per cylinder.

 

Xtreme and Storm ECUs have eight ignition drives allowing up to eight individual coils to be controlled. Therefore, these ECUs may be used on engines with eight cylinders or less with direct spark ignition.

 

Fury ECUs have six ignition drives allowing up to six individual coils to be controlled. Therefore, this ECU may only be used on engines with six cylinders or less with direct spark ignition.

 

Atom and Monsoon ECUs have four ignition drives allowing up to four individual coils to be controlled. Therefore, this ECU may only be used on engines with four cylinders or less with direct spark ignition.

 

Engines using direct spark ignition must have a way for the ECU to calculate the current order in the firing sequence. Because an engine may be at one of two possible positions in the firing sequence given a crankshaft position, a trigger wheel rotating at crankshaft speed is not sufficient for direct spark ignition. Therefore a second sensor mounted on the camshaft (or driven at camshaft speed) is required to send a sync pulse. If an engine does not have an appropriate sensor then either one will need to be fabricated or another ignition mode must be used.

 

Some factory set-ups using direct spark have a coil and igniter in one package, mounted on top of the spark plug. These are normally three terminal devices requiring 12 volts, ground, and the signal from an Ignition Drive.

When using a non-factory arrangement the coils should be positioned so they minimise the length of the HT Leads. This will help reduce the noise generated when the spark plugs are fired.

Each ignition drive MUST be connected via an igniter channel to a coil (remember some coils have the igniter built in).

 

Example - 4 cylinder engine with direct spark

·Four ignition drives must be used

·A four channel igniter (or 2 dual channel igniters) must be used

·Four Single Post Coils must be used

·Drive the igniter for cylinder one from Ign 1, cylinder 2 from Ign 2, cylinder 3 from Ign 3 and cylinder 4 from Ign 4.

 

When wiring an ignition system using direct spark, the firing order of the engine is not important as it will be entered into the ECU via PCLink.

Ignition Drive 1 must be wired to cylinder 1 coil, Ignition Drive 2 to cylinder 2, 3 to 3, etc.