spark advance
- noun
- Specialized
:
avance de encendido
- Incorrect spark advance may cause knocking or poor acceleration in cars.
Examples
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Modern engines use sensors to automatically control spark advance for optimal operation.
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Can you explain how spark advance affects performance?
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Adjusting the spark advance can improve an engine’s performance and efficiency.
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The spark advance is crucial for engine efficiency.
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The mechanic explained how changing the spark advance can improve engine efficiency.
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He adjusted the spark advance to achieve optimal combustion in the engine.
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To enhance performance, the technician reset the spark advance settings during the tune-up.
Synonyms
6
9.9
The timing of an engine's spark that affects how it runs
How Early
Surface Forms
Morphology
There is a visible link between 'spark' (the ignition event) and 'advance' (moving forward), so a learner might guess it has to do with the spark happening earlier, but the precise technical sense — timing of ignition measured relative to piston position — requires domain knowledge and uses a specialized sense of 'advance' (earlier timing) that a B1 learner may not automatically infer. Because the meaning is partially predictable from the parts but relies on technical usage, it is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Spark advance comes from the image of moving the spark a little earlier, an 'advance', so the fuel lights at the right moment as the piston moves in the engine. That's why it means the 'timing' of ignition.