[cooperino]

Gompers,
You might very well be 100% correct. So I looked for some explanation. Here is what I found

The wasted spark system is an ignition system used in some four-stroke cycle internal combustion engines. In a wasted spark system, the spark plugs fire in pairs, with one plug in a cylinder on its compression stroke and the other plug in a cylinder on its exhaust stroke. The extra spark during the exhaust stroke has no effect and is thus "wasted". This design halves the number of components necessary in a typical ignition system, while the extra spark, against much reduced dielectric resistance, barely impacts the lifespan of modern ignition components. In a typical engine, it requires only about 2–3 kV to fire the cylinder on its exhaust stroke. The remaining coil energy is available to fire the spark plug in the cylinder on its compression stroke (typically about 8 to 12 kV).


So to me it looks like they call a wasted spark system one that fires spark plugs simultaneously or in pairs as they put it. The spark in this case is not the same to both cylinders. There is a difference in the amount of energy of spark from one cylinder to the other.. "something I didnt realize till reading this"

The other thing in question that I cant seem to find an answer to is in a SAM system. Does something in that system make each cylinder only fire on compression? I know its advances but it seems like there is more to it than that.

I like the conversation. I like learning how things like this work. I think SAMMAC probably has a good idea of how SAM "spark advance modules " work.