Pick-Up Coil: Description and Operation

Pickup Coil Air Gap:

The signal generators, found inside the distributor housing, consist of the NE sensor rotor, its associated pick-up coils, and a common shaft that is directly coupled to the camshaft. Because the shaft is coupled to the camshaft both sensors turn in time with the engine. As the teeth on the sensor rotor breaks the flux lines of the respective pick-up coils, a voltage pulse is generated. These pulses are the input signal to the engine control unit (ECU).

The NE sensors detect crank angle and engine RPM. The signals are received by the ECU and utilized, with input from other engine sensors, to produce computed ignition timing, electronic spark advance (ESA), and injection timing.