"Pulse Plugs"
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
"Pulse Plugs"
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
There was a thread a few months ago,,a member tried them and they started acting up shortly after installation. Secondly I just read a letter to the tech editor of Chevy High Performance Magazine. He was around when they developed and tested the resistor plug concept concept on Tom McEwens Fuel car. He basically spent a lot of time being diplomatic witha lot of mild techno stuff to sum it up in the last paragraph with,,do they work? They COULD help an engine that has a borderline misfire condition! And commented that over the years many plugs PROMISED great things, They will just wait and see,and offered to test them if they wanted to send them some!! In the text,,they basically said if it's running good there is nothing to gain with them!!
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 3
From: Mesa Arizona
I have them in my car. I can't really say if they make a difference in hp or milage.
I was lucky enough to meet the Pulstar rep at SEMA this year and he gave me a set to try out.
All I will say isto follow the directions to the letter when installing them. They are fragile. Ask me how I know.
Like the instructions say: DO NOT USE A SPARK PLUG SOCKET TO INSTALL THEM! I used a Snap-On double wobbler, big mistake! The little rubber thingy in the socket will put enough of a side load on the plug to snap the plug in half. Must to use a deep well socket only.
Embarassed, I had to call up Pulstar and let them know what I did. They were kind enough to send me two more!
Here is a link to a test TLewis did on these plugs a while back. Actually showed gains on his dyno.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...star-test.html
I was lucky enough to meet the Pulstar rep at SEMA this year and he gave me a set to try out.
All I will say isto follow the directions to the letter when installing them. They are fragile. Ask me how I know.
Like the instructions say: DO NOT USE A SPARK PLUG SOCKET TO INSTALL THEM! I used a Snap-On double wobbler, big mistake! The little rubber thingy in the socket will put enough of a side load on the plug to snap the plug in half. Must to use a deep well socket only. Embarassed, I had to call up Pulstar and let them know what I did. They were kind enough to send me two more!
Here is a link to a test TLewis did on these plugs a while back. Actually showed gains on his dyno.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...star-test.html
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Fancy high dollar spark plugs and fancy expensive spark plug wires do NOTHING to enhance the performance of our LS engines. GM did a good job designing our ignition system. This very subject has been covered too many times to count. The stock ignition will support well over 700hp if it is in good condition.
The stock irridum plugs and the GM Performance Red wires work the best on any LS engine. Trust me. There quality well built wires and have excellent hardware that stay connected to the plugs and coils.
If you have a engine that's been modded with performance heads and a different cam, TR-55's seem to work better but wont last as long as the stock irridums.
Plugs and wires only need to be changed if there damaged or worn out and NOT as a performance up-grade. The only improvement you will see is if the old plugs and wires are effecting engine performance. Then new plugs and wires will only fix that issue. You will see NO performance increase over what you car already has.
Oh, I forgot to mention,,,,your car will be faster if you use those PLUSE plugs!! Your wallet will be $200 lighter
Bill C
The stock irridum plugs and the GM Performance Red wires work the best on any LS engine. Trust me. There quality well built wires and have excellent hardware that stay connected to the plugs and coils.
If you have a engine that's been modded with performance heads and a different cam, TR-55's seem to work better but wont last as long as the stock irridums.
Plugs and wires only need to be changed if there damaged or worn out and NOT as a performance up-grade. The only improvement you will see is if the old plugs and wires are effecting engine performance. Then new plugs and wires will only fix that issue. You will see NO performance increase over what you car already has.
Oh, I forgot to mention,,,,your car will be faster if you use those PLUSE plugs!! Your wallet will be $200 lighter
Bill C
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 2
From: St. Louis Mo
Fancy high dollar spark plugs and fancy expensive spark plug wires do NOTHING to enhance the performance of our LS engines. GM did a good job designing our ignition system. This very subject has been covered too many times to count. The stock ignition will support well over 700hp if it is in good condition.
The stock irridum plugs and the GM Performance Red wires work the best on any LS engine. Trust me. There quality well built wires and have excellent hardware that stay connected to the plugs and coils.
If you have a engine that's been modded with performance heads and a different cam, TR-55's seem to work better but wont last as long as the stock irridums.
Plugs and wires only need to be changed if there damaged or worn out and NOT as a performance up-grade. The only improvement you will see is if the old plugs and wires are effecting engine performance. Then new plugs and wires will only fix that issue. You will see NO performance increase over what you car already has.
Oh, I forgot to mention,,,,your car will be faster if you use those PLUSE plugs!! Your wallet will be $200 lighter
Bill C
The stock irridum plugs and the GM Performance Red wires work the best on any LS engine. Trust me. There quality well built wires and have excellent hardware that stay connected to the plugs and coils.
If you have a engine that's been modded with performance heads and a different cam, TR-55's seem to work better but wont last as long as the stock irridums.
Plugs and wires only need to be changed if there damaged or worn out and NOT as a performance up-grade. The only improvement you will see is if the old plugs and wires are effecting engine performance. Then new plugs and wires will only fix that issue. You will see NO performance increase over what you car already has.
Oh, I forgot to mention,,,,your car will be faster if you use those PLUSE plugs!! Your wallet will be $200 lighter
Bill C
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Thanks for the reply guys. I have an 04 with 26000 miles.
For most of my driving I haven't noticed a problem although I did have a plug wire go bad at less than 10000 miles. Replaced it and that was that.
What got me even thinking about going to these plugs happened last fall. "A friend" told me about driving over to Asheville. On the way back to Knoxville some butthead in a Monte Carlo was aggravating my friend but he didn't want to push it past 90 on those winding mountain roads. After getting out on top of the mountain he said he had enough of the Monte so he punched it.
Passing through 130 the engine started to misfire. He back off to 100 and the engine settled down and no more word from the Monte (or the mounties for that matter!). No problems in normal driving since.
What do you think. Does my friend need to look at the plugs and wires?
For most of my driving I haven't noticed a problem although I did have a plug wire go bad at less than 10000 miles. Replaced it and that was that.
What got me even thinking about going to these plugs happened last fall. "A friend" told me about driving over to Asheville. On the way back to Knoxville some butthead in a Monte Carlo was aggravating my friend but he didn't want to push it past 90 on those winding mountain roads. After getting out on top of the mountain he said he had enough of the Monte so he punched it.
Passing through 130 the engine started to misfire. He back off to 100 and the engine settled down and no more word from the Monte (or the mounties for that matter!
). No problems in normal driving since. What do you think. Does my friend need to look at the plugs and wires?
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Verdad Gallardo
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Could be a number of things but plugs and wires come to mind right off the bat. Unless you have a damaged wire, theres no need to replace them. Wires are easy to check. The OEM wires should ohm out 275 - 750 ohms end to end. Make sure that the electrical contacts in both caps are clean (not corroded) and snap on to the plug and coil properly. Not many people realize this but the coil end actually needs to SNAP into the coil.
If the metal connector inside the coil boots gets pushed too far into the boot, that in its self will cause a high speed misfire and cause the connector to burn up.
If the outside jacket and boots are in good shape and the wire ohms out good, your all set.
Plugs, if in doubt, change them. When you remove them inspect them. They tell a story on how your engine is running.
Other things that can cause this issue are:
Clogged or dirty fuel filter
Bad/weak valve spring/s
Low fuel pressure
Have your friend check the DTCs and see if there are any DTCs set.
BC
If the metal connector inside the coil boots gets pushed too far into the boot, that in its self will cause a high speed misfire and cause the connector to burn up.
If the outside jacket and boots are in good shape and the wire ohms out good, your all set.
Plugs, if in doubt, change them. When you remove them inspect them. They tell a story on how your engine is running.
Other things that can cause this issue are:
Clogged or dirty fuel filter
Bad/weak valve spring/s
Low fuel pressure
Have your friend check the DTCs and see if there are any DTCs set.
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
!!I changed out my plugs at around 56k and was amazed to see the the condition of the originals,,from real wide to WAY too wide!! It was still starting,idling,and running OK,,but the gaps ran from Mid to upper .060's through the .070's to some on the .080's!! Got some Delco Iridiums,,made sure the Gaps were .040 on the dot. Installed them with new wires,,and man what a difference. It's been on the dyno and on the strip,,she runs great,,best 1/4--13.08/110.23! This is with only 2 add ons,,a Blackwing and Corsa touring(cat back only). Plugs are a very realistic probability for your friends car. My car NOW will freely spin to my 6K shift point,,no skips or misses!!