Pulse Plugs
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JK Enthusiast
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From: Northern VA
Pulse Plugs
Last edited by Robar; Mar 2, 2012 at 09:23 AM. Reason: Please do not post clickable non-sponsor links
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Boynton Beach, FL
JK Super Freak
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,699
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From: Lancaster Pa
Never tried them howevwer Product Reviews did a test on them from Oct 2008 to Feb 2009.
The test vehicle was a Honda Element with a 2.4L I-VTEC engine. Here are the results and the conclusion they came to:
Before
To get a good average for all the figures measured, the key is to get a bunch of readings, eliminate the highest and lowest values, then average the rest. The performance testing was done using a G-Tech performance meter - an easy-to-use product that has proven to be within a couple of percent of more traditional measurement methods. Below is a table of ten 0-60 times, ten horsepower runs and seven mpg calculations, sorted lowest-to-highest. The mpg figures are for the last 7 tanks before the test began. These are real-world figures, not manufacturer-inflated ones.
Important note: Because this test was done with an automatic transmission, the horsepower results are slightly skewed. The important number will be the difference between the before and after horsepower values - not the values themselves - because each test was done in near identical conditions with the same equipment, vehicle and testing procedure. Note - the rows are independent of each other. ie. a horsepower measurement does not correspond to an mpg calculation or 0-60 time.
mpg Horsepower 0-60 time
17.6 105 11.37
17.9 106 11.74
18.0 106 11.77
18.2 107 11.78
19.4 108 11.80
19.5 108 11.80
19.7 109 12.00
- 111 12.01
- 112 12.26
- 115 12.28
Eliminating the highest and lowest values for each reading, and averaging the rest gives the following 'before' calculation with stock spark plugs.
For an average of 18.6MPG 108 HP 11.89 sec. 0-60MPH
After
The Pulstar test lasted 4 months which allowed a good spread of time for them to bed in and perform on a daily basis. (Pulstar claim it could take a couple of tankfuls of gas for a car's engine management system to adapt to the new plugs.) The 'after' tests were done in the same location as the 'before' tests with near enough identical atmospheric conditions. As before, the runs were done each way to average out any prevailing wind. The mpg figures represent the last 7 tanks with the Pulstar plugs in the engine. The results were as follows. As above, the rows are independent of each other. ie. a horsepower measurement does not correspond to an mpg calculation or 0-60 time.
mpg Horsepower 0-60 time
15.2 105 11.33
16.6 106 11.35
17.6 107 11.64
17.8 107 11.75
18.3 108 11.80
18.9 109 12.02
19.0 109 12.10
- 112 12.26
- 113 12.31
- 113 12.32
As before, eliminating the highest and lowest values for each reading, and averaging the rest gives the following 'after' calculation with the Pulstar plugs.
For an average of 17.8 MPG 108.8 HP 11.90 sec. 0-60 MPH
Conclusion : "Designer" Spark Plugs.
If you've never changed your spark plugs, putting almost any brand of new plug in your engine will yield some change to your vehicle's characteristics - normally a slightly increased gas mileage and slightly increased horsepower. With the Pulstar plugs, the average gas-mileage went down slightly over the course of the test. This bears out similar reports from other group tests of these spark plugs published elsewhere on the web.
Horsepower did go up but only slightly using the testing method here. As I said above, it's not the absolute value that is important - it's the difference between the before and after figures. In this case half a horsepower equates to about 0.4% difference. Any sort of dyno testing whether it be rolling road or dynamic in-car testing like this will typically have an error tolerance of about 5% so the difference in horsepower results in this case is negligible.
I rated the plugs as 2 stars because they're good quality plugs and make fine replacements for anything you might have in your engine right now. But they simply do not live up to the claims made in the advertising.
Photos of the plugs after 4 months in use will be posted shortly.
The test vehicle was a Honda Element with a 2.4L I-VTEC engine. Here are the results and the conclusion they came to:
Before
To get a good average for all the figures measured, the key is to get a bunch of readings, eliminate the highest and lowest values, then average the rest. The performance testing was done using a G-Tech performance meter - an easy-to-use product that has proven to be within a couple of percent of more traditional measurement methods. Below is a table of ten 0-60 times, ten horsepower runs and seven mpg calculations, sorted lowest-to-highest. The mpg figures are for the last 7 tanks before the test began. These are real-world figures, not manufacturer-inflated ones.
Important note: Because this test was done with an automatic transmission, the horsepower results are slightly skewed. The important number will be the difference between the before and after horsepower values - not the values themselves - because each test was done in near identical conditions with the same equipment, vehicle and testing procedure. Note - the rows are independent of each other. ie. a horsepower measurement does not correspond to an mpg calculation or 0-60 time.
mpg Horsepower 0-60 time
17.6 105 11.37
17.9 106 11.74
18.0 106 11.77
18.2 107 11.78
19.4 108 11.80
19.5 108 11.80
19.7 109 12.00
- 111 12.01
- 112 12.26
- 115 12.28
Eliminating the highest and lowest values for each reading, and averaging the rest gives the following 'before' calculation with stock spark plugs.
For an average of 18.6MPG 108 HP 11.89 sec. 0-60MPH
After
The Pulstar test lasted 4 months which allowed a good spread of time for them to bed in and perform on a daily basis. (Pulstar claim it could take a couple of tankfuls of gas for a car's engine management system to adapt to the new plugs.) The 'after' tests were done in the same location as the 'before' tests with near enough identical atmospheric conditions. As before, the runs were done each way to average out any prevailing wind. The mpg figures represent the last 7 tanks with the Pulstar plugs in the engine. The results were as follows. As above, the rows are independent of each other. ie. a horsepower measurement does not correspond to an mpg calculation or 0-60 time.
mpg Horsepower 0-60 time
15.2 105 11.33
16.6 106 11.35
17.6 107 11.64
17.8 107 11.75
18.3 108 11.80
18.9 109 12.02
19.0 109 12.10
- 112 12.26
- 113 12.31
- 113 12.32
As before, eliminating the highest and lowest values for each reading, and averaging the rest gives the following 'after' calculation with the Pulstar plugs.
For an average of 17.8 MPG 108.8 HP 11.90 sec. 0-60 MPH
Conclusion : "Designer" Spark Plugs.
If you've never changed your spark plugs, putting almost any brand of new plug in your engine will yield some change to your vehicle's characteristics - normally a slightly increased gas mileage and slightly increased horsepower. With the Pulstar plugs, the average gas-mileage went down slightly over the course of the test. This bears out similar reports from other group tests of these spark plugs published elsewhere on the web.
Horsepower did go up but only slightly using the testing method here. As I said above, it's not the absolute value that is important - it's the difference between the before and after figures. In this case half a horsepower equates to about 0.4% difference. Any sort of dyno testing whether it be rolling road or dynamic in-car testing like this will typically have an error tolerance of about 5% so the difference in horsepower results in this case is negligible.
I rated the plugs as 2 stars because they're good quality plugs and make fine replacements for anything you might have in your engine right now. But they simply do not live up to the claims made in the advertising.
Photos of the plugs after 4 months in use will be posted shortly.
