Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

Has anyone heard anything about Pulstar plugs? They are high-powered spark plugs that claim to achieve a more complete fuel burn and greater fuel economy.

http://www.pulstarplug.com/index.html
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/9653/pulstartp0.jpg

Here's some testing they did on an '05 Prius:
http://www.pulstarplug.com/tresults/05prius.html

Does anyone know how well these work in a HCHII? By the way, they are $25 per plug. Our little 1.3L engine would need eight of them.

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

Spark plugs are passive devices and have no inherent power at all. This is another take on the age old wonder devices to make your car more efficient. But if you insist on getting $200 worth, then get one of these too! :D

http://www.gjlenterprise.com/tornado.jpg

Better yet, send me $200 and I will provide you with carbon offsets by planting some trees in my backyard!

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

I wonder about stuff like this myself.....either a spark plug will have enough of a spark to start combustion, or it won't. How can the "spark" provide more complete combustion?

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

The HCH2 already has high-end iridium-tipped spark plugs. Iridium is a very hard material, so the tip can be thinner, which increases the electrical field and the spark ignites easier. Second reason is longer life, plugs only need to be replaced every 100 000 km.

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

Totally sweet - Tornado reference... ;)

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

$200 for 2 or 3 hp? No thank you.

The max Champion HP was 204.91 and the max Pulstar was 205.95, a whopping 1 HP. That's less than 1/2 of 1%, which tells me the error of the test is larger than the difference between the different plugs tested.

I'd say the stock plugs on the HCH are as good or better than these.

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

I believe the plugs that are in the HCH are that expensive if not more. They are meant to go 100K miles.

Re: Pulstar plugs - spark plug replacement
 

Hi Brian;

I cannot speak from much experience, but one of the members at CleanMPG ran a test on those very same spark plugs in his Prius-II and in his report he found them to offer no discernible FE benefit at all.


Cheers;

MSantos

New to Hybrids...
 

I've had my HCHII since April and have not yet gone digging around under all the covers in the engine compartment. Recently I saw a review of the HCHII and it mentioned that the L4 motor uses 2 spark plugs per cylinder. Since I haven't (yet) bought the $125 service manual for it, I ask... 4 or 8?