Direct Ignition System & Integrated Direct Ignition
The Direct Ignition System (DIS) is a distributorless system used on 1.9L, 2.2L, 3.1L, 3.4L and 4.6L. The 2.4L uses a similar system referred to as the Integrated Direct Ignition (IDI) system. The operation of DIS is quite similar to operation of the C3 I system. Systems consist of 2 (4-cylinder), 3 (V6) or 4 (V8) ignition coils, ignition control module (located under coil pack), a camshaft position sensor, 2 Hall Effect crankshaft position sensors, necessary wiring, and the ignition control and fuel metering portion of the PCM. On the 2.4L IDI system, ignition coils, ignition control module and spark plug connectors are all combined into one unit which plugs directly onto the spark plugs.
Spark is timed by a signal sent from a crankshaft position sensor mounted through side of engine block instead of from a crankshaft position sensor mounted at crankshaft pulley (such as C3 I). This signal is received by PCM (through ignition control module) and is used to trigger each coil at the proper time. See CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR under INPUT DEVICES. As with the C3 I system, each cylinder is fired consecutively with the cylinder opposite it in the firing order. On V8, cylinder No. 1 is paired with No. 4, No. 2 with No. 5, No. 3 with No. 8 and No. 6 with No. 7. On V6, cylinder No. 1 is paired with No. 4, No. 2 with No. 5, and No. 3 with No. 6. On 4-cylinder, cylinder No. 1 is paired with No. 4 and cylinder No. 2 is paired with No. 3. Each pair of cylinders is fired by its own ignition coil.
On all models except Saturn and 4.6L, crankshaft position sensor is mounted on bottom of ignition control module, or near the ignition control module. On Saturn, crankshaft position sensor is mounted on side of engine block. On 4.6L, crankshaft position sensors ("A" and "B") are mounted on side of engine block between cylinders No. 4 and 6. On all models, the crankshaft position sensor protrudes through the side of engine block to within .05" (1.3 mm) of an internally-mounted crankshaft reluctor ring. Sensor position is not adjustable.
The reluctor is a piece of metal, cast with the crankshaft. On all models except 4.6L, reluctor has 7 slots machined into it, 6 of which are equally spaced (60 degrees apart). The seventh slot is spaced about 10 degrees from one of the other slots and generates a synchronization pulse signal. On 4.6L, reluctor has 24 evenly spaced notches machined into it and an additional 8 unevenly spaced notches for a total of 32. On all models, as crankshaft rotates, notches in reluctor ring change the magnetic field at the tip of position sensor. This creates an induced AC voltage signal in the sensor windings, resulting in RPM reference signals which are sent to PCM by the ignition control module. This allows PCM to compute crankshaft position and RPM.