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FTSPARK
6.8 Ignition delay time
The FTSPARK has a pre defined “Ignition delay” between processing the input
signal and firing the ignition of 30uS (0.000030 second) that should be added
to the existing ignition delay time set on the ECU when switching from another
ignition system that has close to zero delay.
Typical ignition delay time of a complete ECU, ignition system, coil and spark
wires are 70uS.
To confirm this setting on your system, lock the ignition timing advance to a
fixed timing and check with a timing light that you have no timing change over
the RPM range from idling to high RPM, this means that your “ignition delay”
was set correctly.
If you experience timing being retarded over RPM, you need to increase the
“ignition delay”.
As a reference number, on a sequential ignition setup with locked timing on
ECU, if you are checking timing at 1,000 RPM and then at 9,000 RPM and
timing is retarding 1 degrees over this range, you will need to add 20uS to
the “ignition delay” on the ECU.
7. Recalibrating ignition and fuel map
The additional energy generated and precise ignition timing (related to short
spark duration), generally require ignition map to be recalibrate when FTSPARK
is installed to replace an inductive system.
The additional spark energy allows the engine to operate with richer mixtures
before failure or loss of power. It’s possible to take advantage of this and
operate with a richer fuel map for the same power level, putting the engine in
a safer range of operation avoiding all the problems that might occur when
running with a lean mixture.
8. LED operation indicator
FTSPARK has a LED that allows to diagnose its basic operation. It’s possible
states are listed in the table below.
State
Diagnose
Off
No power input switched 12V
Lit Green
FTSPARK is on, no errors, waiting triggering pulses
Blinking Green
Triggering pulses on input, no errors, operating with standard
energy (400mJ)
Blinking Orange
Triggering pulses input, no errors, operating with maximum energy
(750mJ - guaranteed minimum energy, can reach up to 850mJ)
Fast/slow blinking Red
Failure detected. Displaying error code.
