Any gearhead can tell you that fuel, air, and spark are the basic elements of what make an engine run, but the other component that is just as important as those three is having the right timing. Firing the spark to burn that fuel and air mixture at just the right time is really what makes your engine spin and keeps it spinning.

In this video from YouTube, FAST gives a tech review of their trick ignition crank trigger set up. Most of us are plenty familiar with using good old fashioned distributor to deal our sparks to all our cylinders. However, modern technology has really found a better and more accurate way. The video tells us, “The crank trigger wheel is bolted to your crank’s harmonic balancer, and the FAST inductive sensor is attached to the engine via an adjustable bracket. Metal tabs on the outside of the crank trigger wheel trigger the inductive sensor as the crank rotates.”

As you’ll notice on the FAST trigger wheel, there are four tabs that stick out from the wheel. These tabs will send a signal to the sensor each time they pass the inductive sensor and tell it precisely when to fire the spark plug for the correct cylinder. FAST’s design is unique in that there are no magnets embedded in the trigger wheel. FAST’s trigger wheel is made of a single piece of solid steel for accuracy and durability. Of course, the FAST crank trigger is plug-and-play if you are using one of their XFI EFI control systems in your hot rod or race car.

For more info check out the video above, or head over to FAST’s website.