Product Description

This revised and updated edition of How to Build High-Performance Ignition Systems is the complete guide to understanding automotive ignition systems, from old-school points and condensers to modern computer-controlled distributorless systems, from bone-stock to totally aftermarket.
Author Todd Ryden leads you through the various components, systems, and subsystems, explaining the theory behind how the parts work with each other to achieve the ultimate goal of efficient combustion. Coils, wires, spark plugs, distributors, magnetos, inductive systems, CD ignitions, multiple-spark systems, computer ignition controls, and rev limiters are explained using clear text and 275 color photos and wiring diagrams.
This book will help you understand how your car s ignition works, and it will help you choose the right components for your car s performance needs, whether it s a 55 Chevy with a 265-ci small block or a 2007 Civic Si with 2.0-liter VTEC K20Z3 engine. How to Build High-Performance Ignition Systems can help you understand and upgrade all types of ignition technology, from points and vacuum advance, to coil-on-plug distributorless systems.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69437 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781932494716
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
Suffice to say that How to Build High-Performance Ignition Systems is a must-read for anyone looking to understand and get the most out of their performance vehicle's ignition system. --Chevy High Performance, August 2008

We can see this becoming a frequently used part of any gearhead's reference shelf. - --Hemmings Muscle Machines, reviewed by Terry McGean, May 2008

About the Author
Todd Ryden grew up around automotive industry muscle cars and drag racing thanks to his dad and uncles. His first trip down the drag racing strip was at age 14 in his dad s 70 SS Chevelle. Todd received an associate degree in automotive mechanics and a bachelor s degree in general studies. He has worked as a Chevrolet dealership technician, service manual tech writer, and automotive freelance writer. He is currently the manager of a major ignition company.

Customer Reviews

Need ignition how-to info? This book's got it all.
This is one of the better books on high-performance and racing ignition to come along in quite a while. How to Build High-Performance Ignition Systems is a comprehensive guide to understanding everything from old-school, points and condenser systems, to modern, computer-controlled, distributorless ignitions and from bone-stock systems to race-only, totally aftermarket ignitions.

This book helps you understand how your car's ignition works and it helps you choose the right components to better its performance, be it a '55 Chevy with a 265 small-block or a 2004 Corvette with a 5.7L LS6. Coils, wires, spark plugs, distributors, distibutorless systems, inductive ignitions, CD ignitions, multiple-spark systems, computer ignition controls, rev limiters-all are covered for both street and race applications.

Author, Todd Ryden, who's day job is working for one of the aftermarket ignition industry leaders, Autotronic Controls Corporation, manufacturer of the well-known "MSD" brand, leads you through the various systems, subsystems and components, explaining theory behind their operation and how the parts work with each other to provide an accurate, powerful ignition system.

In spite of Ryden's employment at Autotronic Controls, the book is not biased towards MSD parts. Components and systems from a fair amount of the aftermarket ignition companies besides the MSD brand, including Crane, Mallory, Electromotive, Performance Distributors, Pertronix and others, are covered in the book. Mr. Ryden is to be complimented for this impartiality.

The book's strongest points are its discussions of basic ignition theory and components in the early chapters, its discussion of the advanced-technology ignition products used in high-end racing applications towards the end of the book, its high-quality photography and that it covers a wide range of ignition components from stock, point distributors and inductive ignition to crank-triggers, individual coil racing systems with all sorts of add-ons like multi-step rev limiters, timing controls and window switches.

Weaknesses are few. There is not enough coverage of and perhaps even a little confusion about detonation and pre-ignition. In a section on distributor gears, there's no mention of the pressed-on, cast iron distributor drive gears which have made it possible to run roller cams on the street with the durability we've come to expect from flat tappet cams. Lastly, there's little mention of blown fuel and blown alcohol drag racing ignitions. Admittedly, few of this book's readers require that, but it would have been interesting just because of some of the high technology in those kinds of ignition products.

Todd Ryden's How to Build High-Performance Ignition Systems is, well..shocking...in the good job it does in explaining today's high-performance, automotive ignition systems. This book will be a welcome addition to any automotive technical book collection.

Awesome!
This is a great book. It describes in detail how every component of the ignition system works. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is building there own ignition or even if you are just troubleshooting your stock ignition.

High Performance Ignition Systems-Basic operation to building the best.
I found this book to be very informal taking the reader from the basic operation of the automotive ignition systems to determining which system would best suit your need. A must have addition to the diy person/professional library of automotive repair. I couldn't put the book down.