In that it holds energy yes, except that it holds it inductively not
capacitively. And yes, the rotor helps provide that path to ground. The
points make/break so the coil can charge.
Points closed, coil charges...points open, spark to ground thru plug.
CTP
>Actually, as I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong) the coil
>is in essence a large capacitor, whose fucntion is to hold a charge
>until such time as there is a path to ground. So the charge would in
>fact sit ( in the capacitor, not the rotor though) until the rotor came
>around and made contact with cap, wich provides the charge in the
>capacitor (ignition coil) with a path to ground ( via the spark plug).
>
>Boom, plug fires.
>
>Greg
At 5:34 PM -0800 12/17/97, Gregory Kirk wrote:
>Trevor Boicey wrote:
>> > This happens as soon as the rotor swings around to an electrode inside
>> > the cap. Boom! A sparkplug ignites.
>>
>> That's simply not true. The voltage will not "sit" on the rotor
>> waiting for the proper gap before firing.
>>
>> The voltage appears at the rotor when produced by the coil. It
>> will either arc to the metal if the metal is close, or nothing
>> will happen. It will not "sit and wait" and screw up your timing,
>> that's simply not possible.
>>
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