Since I was around and working as a line mechanic/shop manager when the entire electronic ignition concept was developed, I believe I can offer a perspective view of what it is, and isn't. Electronic ignition is simply a way to avoid routine maintenance. Mechanical points cannot tolerate more coil primary current than about 5 amps without having extremely short point life due to arcing, no matter how effective a condenser is installed. The average service life of points was 10K miles, plus or minus a little. When the clean air act of 1968 mandated that emission-related components HAD to function service-free for a minimum of 50K miles, it was impossible for point-ignition systems to meet that standard, the points had to go. GM and the other manufacturers went for a massive overkill, designing a system that would not only meet the mandate, but was capable of firing terribly worn and/or burned plugs with lots of fouling and huge gaps. The coil primary current went up to 15 amps or more, which allowed the open-circuit voltage to exceed 50KV. Clean, properly-gapped plugs still fire at 10-12 KV, regardless of the capability of the coil. Once the gap is ionized it is IMPOSSIBLE for the voltage to rise above the ionization voltage. That 40-50 KV coil is operating at 10KV or less virtually all the time. Of course, the hucksters who want to sell us ridiculously expensive flamethrower coils really don't want that little tidbit of information publicized. It cuts into their profit margin.
When the plugs get worn out, with rounded center electrodes and eroded ground lugs, then it might take 20KV or more to get a spark started. That's still less than half the capability of a standard HEI coil.
Jerry
