Get some and let us know how they work.

 

Unless they are breaking the rules of electronics, they sound like snake oil to me. They claim that "When the ignition signal is sent to a traditional spark plug, it begins to ionize the spark gap. This means that the voltage builds in the gap until a spark can be formed. During this ionization phase, which lasts about 5 millionths of a second, the incoming voltage (which has nowhere to go) heats up ignition components including the spark plug." Now, unless I really slept through my electrical engineering courses, power is a relationship between resistance and current. Unless there is a spark, there is no current, and if there is no current, there is no power, and if no power, then there cannot be heat! If there is no energy lost as heat, there is no wasted energy for them to reclaim. How are they going to reclaim a supposed "one million watts" when the spark coil puts out 50 watts peak (if that...) on these bikes. Unless there is some sort of perpetual motion apparatus (!!) in the spark plug, they're claiming they are using energy that they never get!

My two cents. Someone please disprove my commentary, because I'd love to get 10% more horsepower just by changing out my plugs!

--Justin

 

I'd love to get 10% more horsepower just by changing out my plugs!

--Justin

As would GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc. on their entire fleet of cars. They would like to get higher fuel mileage for free too! :wink:

 

Seems to me that the energy comes from the fuel and the spark plug is just an ignition source -- so 10% seems like an awful lot of added horsepower from using a better "match" to light the fire. And if it really made that much of a difference, wouldn't the carmakers have added capacitors to the ignition system as soon as CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) legislation forced them to increase the average MPG of the fleets they sold?

But I'm a skeptic -- too much of one to have actually brought my hot, new idea (powdered water) to market over the 20 years since I thought it up. Nor did I follow up on my idea of marketing "clean samples" to athletes; the franchise would have been named Urine Luck.

 

Nor did I follow up on my idea of marketing "clean samples" to athletes; the franchise would have been named Urine Luck.

Thanks, adlowe. I needed that. I'm up to my eyeballs in boring spreadsheets and network statistics this afternoon, and that comment is just what I needed to, literally, laugh out loud at my desk. That's great!

--Justin

 

my hot, new idea (powdered water)

Sooo....

...what does one ADD to powdered water???

some sort of perpetual motion apparatus (!!)

I've been WORKING on THIS one, almost ready, any takers to invest???

Gumpy

 

I was looking at the HP and Torque increase numbers on the vehicles they have listed.

They show a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis with an 11% power increase
with a 0-60 mph time of 5.0 seconds?????
Umm... BAHAHAHHAHAHAHA... oh, sorry.
A Grand Marquis running 5 seconds to 60mph with no other changes
but the plugs? Ain't gonna happen.
The 4.6l is 239hp (depending on the year). An 11% increase would
take it to 265hp.
Ain't no way that you're gonna gain 26hp by changing to these plugs.

As tubes noted, electrically, they can't work.
Just like split fire spark plugs, electrically, what they claim to do, simply
can't be done.

And as cbjr0256 pointed out, if they REALLY worked, every major fleet
in the world would be using them.

 

That was a 5% increase in 0-60 not 5 sec. I thought the same thing until I got down to the BMW. Figured something was wrong. It was me. $100 bucks for a set of plugs? I don't think so.

 

Maybe I read it wrong, but I interpreted the data in the performance table for the Mercury as a 5% increase in 0-60 times, NOT 0-60 in 5 seconds.

So if it could do 0-60 in 10 seconds, and it got a 5% increase in the times, then it could do 0-60 in 9.5 seconds instead. Right?

 

That was a 5% increase in 0-60 not 5 sec. I thought the same thing until I got down to the BMW. Figured something was wrong. It was me. $100 bucks for a set of plugs? I don't think so.

Maybe I read it wrong, but I interpreted the data in the performance table for the Mercury as a 5% increase in 0-60 times, NOT 0-60 in 5 seconds.

So if it could do 0-60 in 10 seconds, and it got a 5% increase in the times, then it could do 0-60 in 9.5 seconds instead. Right?

I went back and looked and yeah, I believe you guys are right.

Oh well, I think we all agree that it's snake oil, anyways.

Boy, if I could put these in our race car and could pick up 10% hp,
we'd be in fat city.
I could pick up 350 hp just by changing spark plugs.

 

Well here is what I have to say. I have been racing drag car for years and there is definitly a big difference in the hottest plug you can buy for a Chevrolet small block the Autolite #26 and a Splitfire spark plug. However the split fire is only strong for the first hundred miles or so then it acts just like the Autolite #26 which is crappy considering they cost 10 to 12 dollars for one.

After reading this about this plug it sounds possible but they would have to change the the resistor to something substantianly with less resistance however Im not certain they could make they claim that it produces less heat because its a electronic plug. If the plug was capablle of being a big capacitor and store much more energy and had a way to amplify what was stored then use the pulse as a signal to ignite the plug I think it would be possible but a cars Hyfire ignition with less resistance would do the same thing. Basically I think what they are trying to sell here is a plug with less resistance which results in a bigger spark but with a more stable peak power instead of the normal fluctuating peak power of a standard plug which would result in better gas mileage and performance. Which could be basically a regulator with less resistance.

I could be majorly wrong but thats how I see it but then again people like me are the ones they are trying to sell too. In my experience plugs are a major performance option when racing and can take a whole second off your time if not properly thought out for your setup. I just dont think there claims are possible although probably does improve to the point its noticible and nothing more.

 

So what is everybody's take on the Halo spark plugs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY-mfctgB9A&mode=related&search=

The one shot they have of the top of the plugs seemed pretty interesting to me, and made the claims seem somewhat plausible. I first came across these a month or two ago and really took notice of the fact that they focus on the reduced emissions and present the performance/mileage boost as an added bonus.

They run about $8 a plug from what I've seen.

 

In my experience plugs are a major performance option when racing and can take a whole second off your time if not properly thought out for your setup. I just dont think there claims are possible although probably does improve to the point its noticible and nothing more.

You've made the key statement there.

If the plugs are not designed for the application and matched to the
application, yes, you can and will notice a loss.

However, using the PROPER plugs, there is no way these plugs can
do what they claim.

 

I could be wrong but that's the point of them making different plugs for different cars and all you have to do is change your gap setting and the cars ignition does the rest...all the plug is for is to be a regulator with less resistance thus a hotter spark no matter the vehicle.

 

On second look at the plug they have increased the shank diameter thus decreasing resistance and look at the gas where it is gas filled (probably with less resistant gas..that not the correct terminology) but also with a lot less shorter of a distant gas. With these two things electronic or not you will make a higher firing plug. Far as heat goes they decreased the amount of insulation probably a better insulator...dont know really.

 

Nor did I follow up on my idea of marketing "clean samples" to athletes; the franchise would have been named Urine Luck.

Thanks, adlowe. I needed that. I'm up to my eyeballs in boring spreadsheets and network statistics this afternoon, and that comment is just what I needed to, literally, laugh out loud at my desk. That's great!

--Justin

That's where these idea come from -- mind-numbingly tedious work in boring spreadsheets. Add a bullpen environment and enough (but not too much) banter and amazing concepst might develop.

 

my hot, new idea (powdered water)

Sooo....

...what does one ADD to powdered water???

If you have to ask, you're probably not in the target market.

The answer, btw, depends on whether you want to carry it for later or use it now.

 

It seems something expensive crap for me... I have no experiences with this product, but I readed how it works. Somebody tell me, if there are 50W power in a cicruit, how makes this plug 1.000.000 watts? You will need no fuel just the spark to ride :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Another thing: they say that you will have more torque and more pressure in the cylinder. If it's true then the bearings won't endure the more power. IF it all is true I don't mean you can easy change to this pulse plugs. But this is just my verdict... God know.

 

On second look at the plug they have increased the shank diameter thus decreasing resistance and look at the gas where it is gas filled (probably with less resistant gas..that not the correct terminology) but also with a lot less shorter of a distant gas. With these two things electronic or not you will make a higher firing plug. Far as heat goes they decreased the amount of insulation probably a better insulator...dont know really.

First off, let's remember that a spark plug is a high voltage, low amperage device. A race car (at least the little ones that I used to build) has ignition voltages in excess of 90,000 volts. If you consider that the ignition system dumps about 50 watts through it (P = IV), you'll figure that there's 0.0006 amps going through that. If you have a 0.1 ohm spark plug, you get (P = I^2R) 50 watts and if you have a 10k ohm spark plug, you still get very, very close to 50 watts. This is because the vast majority of the resistance (tens of mega-ohms) is in the air gap itself, not in the plug. The resistor assembly in a spark plug is typically included to prevent over-current in the plug once the spark is produced, which causes radio interference. (It can also be used to tune the load and maximize power output, but that is usually done by increasing the resistance.) The air gap in the Pulse plug, I'm assuming, is a gas with the high breakdown voltage; on the order of several tens of thousands of volts. This prevents the voltage from reaching the air gap until it has achieved sufficient voltage. Think of it as a florescent light ballast for a spark plug. I can see their logic in this, but there is no way it's going to give you a 10% increase in horsepower using phantom power!

--Justin

 

I agree with you 100%. I cant at all believe a 10% increase and I can see there logic also. Your absolutely right ..even with these factors involved there is no way to get a 10% increase...thats a major difference but when you put your foot on the throttle you should feel a little pep in the step. You just do alot better job of explaining. Im thinking there is something about this plug that is a company secret their no going to devuldge to us lowly commoners. Nicely said tube_rocks! I do believe it is a hotter plug than your average splug plug and different car with different size combustion chambers are going to act differently but there is no way there going to yeild a 10% increase in power. However I have a friend that has a shop with a dynometer and I will physically buy a set of these and put it through my on test. I used to do this for fun and to play with the Autozone guys and see what kind of increase it yeilds. Any takers on what the hp gain will be? Im going to take 5 to 7 rwhp range.

 

Try going to there sister company. I was trying to buy some plugs and I saw a little box that says if you cant find the plug for your car try this http://www.directhits.com/ is pretty much the same plug but they also make them for motorcycle. Anyway go to this link and click on the technical link and its in depth on these plugs with all kinds of test results from people doubting this plug and decided to do there on test. Also technical info on the plug with increased amperage ratings.

 

The best case sernario with a High Performance engine with 841 horsepower was tested with the plug and raised the hp by 10 hp which is like 1.01 percent. Although effient its far from 10%. Im still going to test.

 

Im sorry but this topic interest me. They are only claiming a 10% increase in fuel economy however the hp and torque is affected positively but on average is a 10 hp gain on high performance engines and 6 to 8 hp gain on stock cars with lower compression and non hyfire ignitions. There test results are in depth and seem to be true as these reports come from third partys such as Chrysler and NHRA affliated companys. I like it and my Nova's last DYNO was 618 rwhp so what I will do is run it again then install these cool ass electronic capacitors and post up what the difference is in hp torque and maybe fuel consumption if proper equipment previals.

 

Did anyone check the price on that Directhit plug? $225 ea for my 4 runner, that's $1350 for 6 plugs? What? I doubt I'm buy any stock in this company...

 

They are only claiming a 10% increase in fuel economy however the hp and torque is affected positively but on average is a 10 hp gain on high performance engines and 6 to 8 hp gain on stock cars with lower compression and non hyfire ignitions.

Actually, the chart they show has the Marquis and the Avalanche both
of having an 11% torque increase just by adding their plugs.
Bologna.

There test results are in depth and seem to be true as these reports come from third partys such as Chrysler and NHRA affliated companys.

I didn't see those claims, but I can almost guarantee you that the claims
are totally bogus.
Chrysler doesn't test crap like this. Chrysler have a VERY intense proving
center and they aren't in the business of testing stuff for other people.
They test their own stuff.

And I've been in NHRA for quite a few years now, in the professional classes and I have never heard of these things.
If they were THAT good, why don't we use them in the nitro or alcohol motors?
You realize that on an 8000hp top fuel motor, simply installing these would
gain us 80hp, even with only a 1% increase?
At the 10% range, that's 800 hp!

I also find it funny that they claim installing these plugs will actually make
the fuel burn faster.
Some of their claims are marketing crap that the average person will
get suckered in too because they don't know.
Products like this have been around for years... and they all go by the wayside.
If these things were THAT good, you'd be hearing a LOT more about them.
You be hearing that taxi companies and limo services were using them.
Do you know how many companies out there with large fleets would
give their left nut to put something on their vehicle that would guarantee
them even a 2mpg increase in fuel mileage?
That "Tornado" in take thing that was around a year or so ago that's suppose to swirl the air and give you better gas mileage.
You know how many people bought those things thinking they actually worked?
Yes, swirling air does provide for a better more efficient burn in the combustion chamber.
BUT, how is that air going to swirl past a throttle blade? It's not.
That was just another $100 product that suckered people out of their money and then faded off in to the sunset...