Ignition timing Ignition timing In a spark ignition internal combustion engine, Ignition timing refers to the timing, relative to the current piston position and crankshaft angle, of the release of a spark in the combustion chamber near the end of the compression stroke. The need for advancing (or retarding) the timing of the spark is because fuel does not completely burn the instant the spark fires, the combustion gases take a period of time to expand and the angular or rotational speed of the engine can lengthen or shorten the time frame in which the burning and expansion should occur. In a
MSD Ignition MSD Ignition MSD Ignition is an American automotive aftermarket manufacturing company that specializes in high-end ignition system and electrical components. MSD Ignition was the first company in the world to experiment with Multiple Spark Discharge for the ignition system of internal combustion engines in 1970. The idea was first proposed by a group of engineers working on the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. The engineers worked for the research and development company Autotronic Controls Corporation (ACC) that was striving to develop leaner burning fuel systems to increase engine fuel efficiency. The engineers discovered that their limiting factor