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In an electronic ignition, a rotating reluctor and magnetic-pickup
coil replace the traditional cam, breaker points and condenser in the
distributors of cars equipped for electronic ignition. This system
reduces the time between tune-ups. The high spots of the reluctor
interrupt the magnetic field of the pickup coil and the permanent
magnet. These interruptions, or pulses, are transmitted from the
pickup to a nearby electronic control unit. There, the pulses signal
a transistor to break the low-voltage sub-circuit and release high
voltage from the coil to the spark plugs.
The short-lived electronic ignition system was a transition from the
points and condenser system to the computerized ignition system. It
came into widespread use in the mid-1970s, but there are still a few
engines that use electronic ignition.
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