ignition

Ignition 1 The Model T Ford Ignition System & Spark Timing By Ron Patterson and Steve Coniff (This article first appeared in the Model T Times) With the possible exception of the planetary transmission, no part of the Model T Ford’s original design is more... More

Ignition 1 The Model T Ford Ignition System & Spark Timing By Ron Patterson and Steve Coniff (This article first appeared in the Model T Times) With the possible exception of the planetary transmission, no part of the Model T Ford’s original design is more commonly misunderstood than the magneto ignition system. The purpose of this article is to simply explain how the Model T Ford ignition system and associated spark timing actually work. The authors have been discussing this subject for some time, each approaching the project with differing objectives. Steve was interested in optimizing ignition timing for racing purposes and Ron wanted to write an article that would clearly explain the original Model T ignition system. Our peer reviewers challenged us. It was a convergence of interests and we all had great fun learning the truth about what we believed we already understood. Before we discuss the details of spark timing, lets review the unique features of the various components Less