Ignition Systems Components

The Electronic Ignition (EI) system for the 3.8L engine consists of the following components:
^ Crankshaft Position (CKP) sensor
^ ignition coil
^ spark plugs
^ spark plug wires

The crankshaft position (CKP) sensor:
^ is a variable reluctance sensor.
^ is mounted on the engine front cover.
^ is triggered by a 36-minus-1 tooth trigger wheel located on the crankshaft pulley and damper.
^ provides base timing and crankshaft speed (rpm) to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).

The ignition coil:
^ is controlled by the powertrain control module.
^ fires two spark plugs simultaneously.

The spark plugs:
^ ignite the fuel and air mixture.
^ are different for the RH and LH sides.
^ are platinum enhanced for long life.

The spark plug wires:
^ carry high voltage pulses from the ignition coil to the spark plugs.