Pulstar plugs?!
#1
Pulstar plugs?!
Has anyone ever heard of these alternatives to spark plugs?? Anyone tried them out yet? I came across an article about them in popular mechanics praising them like GODS
http://www.pulstarplug.com/
http://www.pulstarplug.com/
#5
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From a quick look it does not appear to be a scam, but it's too new to say...
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...3/ai_n16018827
http://www.rexresearch.com/pulstar/pulstar.htm
http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/06/10/...s-pulse-plugs/
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...3/ai_n16018827
http://www.rexresearch.com/pulstar/pulstar.htm
http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/06/10/...s-pulse-plugs/
#6
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I just read this comment by Randy Steck and he sounds like he knows what he is talking about . I very much like his last paragraph.
"
Randy Steck - June 13, 2007 @ 8:59 am
I also saw this article and found this discussion in researching more. Very good comments so far, but let me play the advocate to see if it rings true.
The place looks like a small company getting started. Big auto companies are not going to buy a startup’s offerings until well proven. That will take some time, and they need to start with the enthusiast market. Great move to advertise in Pop Sci.
Does the technology hold together? Ignoring the obvious marketing claim of 1MW spark (we did this kind of stuff in marketing microprocessors also), the question is whether faster initial combustion in the cylinder will give rise to a higher initial cylinder pressure and perhaps a more complete burn. Most cars have hydrocarbons in the exhaust due to incomplete combustion, and there are a variety of different techniques to improve this, like scored piston heads to give more turbulence, multiple plugs per cylinder, etc.
If the plug really does give a higher initial combustion wavefront as they claim, I can see that combustion could be completed faster, thus releasing increasing the initial cylinder pressure. It may also allow a more complete combustion of all fuel. Note that this could help average cylinder pressure also, but by a substantially smaller margin. Regardless of the completeness of the combustion, higher initial cylinder pressure would indeed give higher torque for probably the first 25% of piston travel. Could you recognize this as better responsiveness in driving? Perhaps…
Clearly a more complete burn would give better mileage, given the same driving conditions.
Things to look out for would be lower exhaust hydrocarbons, effects of higher cylinder pressure on engine life (valve seating issues, ring damage, etc.), and reliability of the plugs themselves. The more complex the system, the more possibility of failure.
For a couple hundred bucks, I may well try these things if I can convince myself that it won’t damage the engine. "
"
Randy Steck - June 13, 2007 @ 8:59 am
I also saw this article and found this discussion in researching more. Very good comments so far, but let me play the advocate to see if it rings true.
The place looks like a small company getting started. Big auto companies are not going to buy a startup’s offerings until well proven. That will take some time, and they need to start with the enthusiast market. Great move to advertise in Pop Sci.
Does the technology hold together? Ignoring the obvious marketing claim of 1MW spark (we did this kind of stuff in marketing microprocessors also), the question is whether faster initial combustion in the cylinder will give rise to a higher initial cylinder pressure and perhaps a more complete burn. Most cars have hydrocarbons in the exhaust due to incomplete combustion, and there are a variety of different techniques to improve this, like scored piston heads to give more turbulence, multiple plugs per cylinder, etc.
If the plug really does give a higher initial combustion wavefront as they claim, I can see that combustion could be completed faster, thus releasing increasing the initial cylinder pressure. It may also allow a more complete combustion of all fuel. Note that this could help average cylinder pressure also, but by a substantially smaller margin. Regardless of the completeness of the combustion, higher initial cylinder pressure would indeed give higher torque for probably the first 25% of piston travel. Could you recognize this as better responsiveness in driving? Perhaps…
Clearly a more complete burn would give better mileage, given the same driving conditions.
Things to look out for would be lower exhaust hydrocarbons, effects of higher cylinder pressure on engine life (valve seating issues, ring damage, etc.), and reliability of the plugs themselves. The more complex the system, the more possibility of failure.
For a couple hundred bucks, I may well try these things if I can convince myself that it won’t damage the engine. "
#7
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Originally Posted by Tac-M
I just read this comment by Randy Steck and he sounds like he knows what he is talking about . I very much like his last paragraph.
"
Randy Steck - June 13, 2007 @ 8:59 am
I also saw this article and found this discussion in researching more. Very good comments so far, but let me play the advocate to see if it rings true.
The place looks like a small company getting started. Big auto companies are not going to buy a startup’s offerings until well proven. That will take some time, and they need to start with the enthusiast market. Great move to advertise in Pop Sci.
Does the technology hold together? Ignoring the obvious marketing claim of 1MW spark (we did this kind of stuff in marketing microprocessors also), the question is whether faster initial combustion in the cylinder will give rise to a higher initial cylinder pressure and perhaps a more complete burn. Most cars have hydrocarbons in the exhaust due to incomplete combustion, and there are a variety of different techniques to improve this, like scored piston heads to give more turbulence, multiple plugs per cylinder, etc.
If the plug really does give a higher initial combustion wavefront as they claim, I can see that combustion could be completed faster, thus releasing increasing the initial cylinder pressure. It may also allow a more complete combustion of all fuel. Note that this could help average cylinder pressure also, but by a substantially smaller margin. Regardless of the completeness of the combustion, higher initial cylinder pressure would indeed give higher torque for probably the first 25% of piston travel. Could you recognize this as better responsiveness in driving? Perhaps…
Clearly a more complete burn would give better mileage, given the same driving conditions.
Things to look out for would be lower exhaust hydrocarbons, effects of higher cylinder pressure on engine life (valve seating issues, ring damage, etc.), and reliability of the plugs themselves. The more complex the system, the more possibility of failure.
For a couple hundred bucks, I may well try these things if I can convince myself that it won’t damage the engine. "
"
Randy Steck - June 13, 2007 @ 8:59 am
I also saw this article and found this discussion in researching more. Very good comments so far, but let me play the advocate to see if it rings true.
The place looks like a small company getting started. Big auto companies are not going to buy a startup’s offerings until well proven. That will take some time, and they need to start with the enthusiast market. Great move to advertise in Pop Sci.
Does the technology hold together? Ignoring the obvious marketing claim of 1MW spark (we did this kind of stuff in marketing microprocessors also), the question is whether faster initial combustion in the cylinder will give rise to a higher initial cylinder pressure and perhaps a more complete burn. Most cars have hydrocarbons in the exhaust due to incomplete combustion, and there are a variety of different techniques to improve this, like scored piston heads to give more turbulence, multiple plugs per cylinder, etc.
If the plug really does give a higher initial combustion wavefront as they claim, I can see that combustion could be completed faster, thus releasing increasing the initial cylinder pressure. It may also allow a more complete combustion of all fuel. Note that this could help average cylinder pressure also, but by a substantially smaller margin. Regardless of the completeness of the combustion, higher initial cylinder pressure would indeed give higher torque for probably the first 25% of piston travel. Could you recognize this as better responsiveness in driving? Perhaps…
Clearly a more complete burn would give better mileage, given the same driving conditions.
Things to look out for would be lower exhaust hydrocarbons, effects of higher cylinder pressure on engine life (valve seating issues, ring damage, etc.), and reliability of the plugs themselves. The more complex the system, the more possibility of failure.
For a couple hundred bucks, I may well try these things if I can convince myself that it won’t damage the engine. "
Interesting Stuff!!! Keep us posted
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#8
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More complete burn?
The O2 and ecu already optimize the burn at 14.7AF so the cats will function.
There is less than 5% leeway and ecu typically holds within 2%.
The O2 and ecu already optimize the burn at 14.7AF so the cats will function.
There is less than 5% leeway and ecu typically holds within 2%.