In a message dated 5/4/99 16:51:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Gerry.Willburn@trw.com writes:
<< Actually, it does.
Better electron emission is obtained when the center electrode of the spark
plug is of negative polarity. This is because of the thremonic emission
effect from a cathode (negative electrode).
>>
You're right, of course. You've tickled neurons way back in my head that
haven't had to work in 20 years.
One more question.....You wrote "Ignition tends to be binary. That is, it
works or it doesn't. If a spark is hot enough to fire the fuel mixture, a
hotter spark does not do it any
better! If your car does not electrically misfire, it is adequate."
Wouldn't a super-hot, long-reaching spark jumping a big plug gap have some of
the same effect as an MSD ignition? People swear by those things, but they
wouldn't do any good at all if the first spark ALWAYS fired off the mixture,
would they? If one spark will do, how do "multiple" ones help?
The selfish reason I'm asking is that my car has a Jacobs computerized MSD
ignition module and coil, which triggers from the points, and I'm thinking
about disconnecting it all and going back to the regular coil (which is still
waiting patiently on the fenderwell). The engine's all racey and built, but
I don't plan on running the thing at 7000 rpm all day long, and would rather
have a simple ignition system than that 15-wire mysterious pair of aluminum
boxes sitting under the hood, which if they break I have no way of diagnosing
them; I can handle a Lucas coil and points. Any advice??
Thanks!!
Lannis
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