Modern automobiles are not only mere mechanical contraptions. Their operations are also regulated by electrical and electronic components. The process of combustion is initiated, sustained and regulated by electrical and electronic components. Most important of these components is the ECU or engine control system. As the name suggests, it is the built-in computer that controls the operation of the engine. It automates the process of combustion so that it can be more precise and efficient. It is the system that regulates the air intake rate, the spark plug timing rate, and the fuel injection rate. It automatically responds to the mechanical demands of the engine. However, it is susceptible to the radio frequency interference produced by the spark plugs.
Radio frequency interference is the result of the high-voltage electrical discharges of the spark plugs. Although the ECU controls the ignition system, including the spark plugs, it can adversely be affected by radio frequency interference. It can malfunction, leading to engine breakdown and fuel inefficiency. As an electronic system, the ECU can easily be disrupted by radio frequency waves. It can misinterpret data and can inaccurately send signals to the ignition components. If the interpretation of data is inaccurate, the response of the ECU will also be inaccurate.
Radio frequency interference is the direct result of the oscillation of the magnetic field and electrical field. The high-voltage current flowing in the spark plugs and the ignition wires produces magnetic and electrical fields. These fields are perpendicular to each other. When these fields oscillate, radio waves are propagated. Since the distributor rotor alternately distributes the current, it results to current oscillations that also lead to field oscillations. The oscillations create weak radio frequency waves. To prevent these waves from interrupting the operation of the ECU, the ignition system have special, multi-layered insulations. In this manner, the precision and efficiency of the engine is preserved.
