DIGITAL TIMING

CONTROL

PREPARED AND COMPILED BY: FEGSON JOHN PHABULI

All rights reserved
ELIMINATING THE PROBLEMS OF MECHANICAL TIMING SYSTEMS
Although earlier generations of electronic ignition systems had improved reliability and spark
quality, the accuracy of ignition timing advance and retard mechanisms was still dependent on
mechanical and vacuum operated systems that had not changed for many years: the timing
advance and retard mechanisms were no different to those of contact breaker systems.

The problem again was tighter emissions regulations, a requirement for improved fuel
consumption and continued demand for improved engine power. As is often the case with
emission requirements, there are conflicts between achieving the desired emissions and also
achieving economy and power. However, if the ignition timing can be more accurately
controlled and if the changes in timing (advance and retard with speed and load) can be more
rapidly implemented, then combustion efficiency can be improved under almost all conditions.

If the correct ignition (spark) timing can be provided at exactly the right time, the gases will
expand at exactly the right time and this will allow maximum possible power to be achieved
(assuming all other conditions are good). However, because of minor variations in fuel quality
and in other engine operating conditions, it was general practice to set the timing slightly
retarded so that combustion knock and other overheating problems did not occur.

Importantly, the relative inaccuracy of mechanical and mechanical/vacuum based timing

mechanisms prevented the timing being correct for all operating conditions. Even when the
components were new, mechanical advance mechanisms and mechanical/ vacuum operated
retard mechanisms could not provide correct timing in all operating conditions.

With computer control, and the use of a number of sensors, it became possible to obtain much
more accurate control of ignition timing. Rapidly changing operating conditions could therefore
be sensed (including rapid changes in engine speed), and the computer or ECU could then alter
the timing as necessary. Systems were therefore introduced where the switching action of the
ignition module was controlled by the ECU. A trigger signal is still produced by an inductive or
Hall effect trigger (or other type of pulse generator), but the signal is passed to the ECU, which
modifies or ‘phases’ the signal to achieve timing control.
 Figure below shows the basic layout of such a system. Note that the ignition module can be
separate from the ECU or, in many cases, the module is integrated within the ECU.

The simple example in Figure above shows an ECU receiving a trigger signal provided by an
inductive sensor. A vacuum pipe connects the intake manifold vacuum (depression) to a pressure
sensitive component in the ECU thus providing the ECU with engine speed and load
information.
Digital timing control
If we assume that an ECU receives a trigger signal from some form of engine speed sensor, and
load information via the vacuum sensor, the ECU can then calculate the required ignition timing.
Within the ECU is a ‘look up table’ or memory, which contains all the relevant timing data
applicable to the different load conditions; by comparing the conditions with the data in the look
up table, the ECU can determine the timing advance required.

The look up table effectively contains a three-dimensional map of the timing requirements, a
simple example of which is shown in Figure above. The spark timing map provides the timing
angle (crankshaft angle) related to engine speed (revolutions/second) and engine load (on a scale
of 0 to 1).
The example in Figure below shows a relatively small number of speed, load and timing
reference points, but many more reference points can be included on a spark map.
Figure below (simplified three-dimensional spark advance map) shows the same spark timing
map with the engine speed at 32 rev/s (1920 rev/min) and the engine load at 0.5 (half-load). The
32-point mark on the map is therefore followed across until it intersects with the 0.5 load line;
the intersect point identifies the required spark advance, which in this case is 52°.

The timing advance characteristics are established during many tests on development engines
(before they go into production). Once the timing characteristics have been established,
production ECUs will then have a memory and look up tables containing the applicable data.

Because accurate timing is so important to engine efficiency, performance, emissions and

economy, improvements in all of these factors are achieved with a greater number of timing
reference points.

Figure below shows a more modern and complex spark advance map (compared with the
example in Figure above). It can now be appreciated that considerable accuracy of spark timing
can be achieved with the complex spark timing map. However, because the trigger signal from
the inductive or Hall Effect triggers (and other pulse generators) discussed so far provides only
one reference point per cylinder, this is a limiting factor in the accuracy of ignition/spark timing.

Additionally, the trigger mechanisms so far discussed are usually located within the distributor
body, so the rotation of the trigger mechanisms is driven by the distributor shaft which in turn is
driven by a timing belt or chain. Any wear or maladjustment of the belt or chain will cause
inaccuracies in the timing reference.
A more reliable and accurate means of providing a trigger/reference signal would enable the
spark timing also to be more accurate. Some examples of more accurate timing trigger/reference
signal systems usually have a sensor and reluctor or trigger disc located on the crankshaft.
CRANKSHAFT SPEED/POSITION SENSORS.

Direct triggering reference from the crankshaft

Most crankshaft speed/position sensors are located adjacent to the crankshaft and are usually
inductive sensors (Figures below). In some cases Hall Effect sensors have been used. Locating a
sensor adjacent to a crankshaft allows a reluctor disc (trigger disc with the reference points) to be
mounted directly on the crankshaft, with most versions being mounted either at the front pulley
or at the rear of the crankshaft adjacent to the flywheel. Sometimes a reluctor disc is mounted at
a convenient point on the crankshaft between the crankshaft webs, i.e. the disc is located in the
crankcase. The obvious advantage of locating the reluctor/trigger disc on the crankshaft is that
there is no drive linkage (belt, chain or other mechanism); this means that the trigger or reference
signal will be accurately identifying the crankshaft speed or angular position without any losses
of accuracy that could be caused by drive mechanisms.

Increased number of reference points

With a crankshaft mounted reluctor or trigger disc, it is possible to use a larger diameter disc,
which can more easily contain a larger number of reference points (reluctor teeth). Due to the
fact that most of the crankshaft speed position sensors are of the inductive type, the reference
points usually take the form teeth located around the disc.

In most cases the trigger disc is located directly at the front or the rear of the crankshaft and can
form part of the front pulley or part of the flywheel assembly. Because of these locations,
especially if the disc has a similar diameter to the flywheel, it is relatively easy to locate a
number of reference points around the disc. Some earlier examples had only a small number of
reference points, e.g. two or four, but most modern systems have as many as 60 reference points.
One of the reference points or teeth is usually either missing or is a different shape to the rest of
the teeth; this enables a master reference signal to be produced.
Figure above shows a flywheel located inductive crankshaft speed/position sensor. Note the
missing tooth, which is adjacent to the sensor in the illustration. In fact, the example shown in
Figure above has two missing teeth; one missing tooth is a master reference for cylinders 1 and
4, while the other missing tooth is a master reference for cylinders 2 and 3.

On this particular system, with a single ignition coil, the high voltage output from the coil is
directed via a rotor arm located at the end of the camshaft (OHC type). Therefore, the ECU does
not need to receive a signal relating to each cylinder, but it does receive signals relating to the
TDC position of each pair of cylinders (or other predefined angular position of the crankshaft).

On this system therefore, the sensor would provide the speed signal and the angular position of
the crankshaft as each tooth passes the sensor; the ECU can count the number of signals as each
tooth passes the sensor thus enabling the ECU to identify the angle of rotation from TDC (or
from the master reference position). It is also possible on this type of system for the ECU to
assess any changes in crankshaft speed as each tooth passes the sensor.