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“Pulse Plug” Demonstrates 2.7% Improvement in Fuel Efficiency
23 January 2006
ENERPULSE, an ignition products company, announced today that its prototype pulse plug (Pulstar), has demonstrated a 2.7% improvement in spark-ignition engine vehicle fuel efficiency over spark plugs in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests.
Pulstar is the first capacitor-enhanced spark plug. The drop-in replacement for spark plugs uses the capacitor to store and then discharge the ignition’s electrical power in a powerful pulse.
What makes Pulstar different from spark plugs is its built-in capacitor, which stores the ignition’s electrical power and then discharges it in an intense plasma ball. Pulstar is capable of delivering up to 10,000 times the power of an average spark plug, which translates into greater fuel efficiency, increased torque and horsepower and reduced hydrocarbon emissions. In fact, spark plugs can be compared to the low-power output of a flashlight, while pulse plugs generate intense power like the brightness emitted from a camera’s flash bulb.
—Daniel Parker, ENERPULSE CEO
Testing in the EPA’s FTP 75 test resulted in a 2.7% increase in fuel efficiency. Internal tests conducted by Enerpulse demonstrated a nearly 9% improvement in fuel efficiency. This test also showed a 7% improvement in torque and a 10.5% improvement in horsepower output over regular spark plugs.
ENERPULSE plans to conduct extensive additional testing in 50 different vehicle makes and models to measure fuel efficiency, torque and horsepower performance.
Altira, a Denver-based venture capital firm, provided the first round of financing in early 2004 to develop the Pulstar prototypes and fund the necessary EPA and independent testing of the new technology. ENERPULSE is now seeking to attract a second round of investment capital to finance the market launch of the product.
Enerpulse had marketed an earlier version of the technology in a 2-piece sparkplug it called DirectHits.
January 23, 2006 in Fuel Efficiency, Vehicle Systems | Permalink | Comments (39) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
I wonder if these capacitance spark plugs work with flex-fuel vehicles? Would fuel enrichment for cold starts, such as delivered by recently awarded Bosch Flex Fuel Engine Management System, still be necessary?
Posted by: jcwinnie | Jan 23, 2006 8:42:25 AM
Are these things competitively priced with spark plugs? If so, it seems like we've got a new replacement for the ubiquitous spark plug. Make way for the Pulstar...
Posted by: Jesse Jenkins | Jan 23, 2006 9:24:08 AM
OK, so it seems they are not competitively priced as a ubiquitous replacement for spark plugs (at least not currently) but rather as a performance upgrade for those wanting more torque and power (and mileage).
It would cost $195.00 to purchase a set for my car. Not exactly cheap but still worth it for many...
Posted by: Jesse Jenkins | Jan 23, 2006 9:28:41 AM
If this thing really worked as advertised, OEMs would be knocking each other down to talk to Enerpulse. Yes they're expensive but a 2.7% FE increase due to a single part is huge and costs can be partially mitigated through economy of scale and I'd bet a GM or Toyota would help out with engineering to get costs down.
Posted by: The Anonymous Poster | Jan 23, 2006 12:58:57 PM
That translates into an additional 0.54 MPG on a car that gets 20 MPG. The reduced hydrocarbon emissions are an additional plus. It would be great to see these things go mainstream. Every little bit helps.
Posted by: Tripp Bisop | Jan 23, 2006 2:22:19 PM
I'm all for them. At $25/plug, that's cheap horsepower. If manufacturers were designing engine programs around these plugs, even more efficiency and power could be unlocked.
Posted by: Adam H. | Jan 23, 2006 3:52:04 PM
skeptical, sounds gimmikie.
Need some third party testing to convince me.
Posted by: joe | Jan 24, 2006 4:49:41 AM
I agree with Joe. Sounds gimmikie(sp). If this technology exists, why has it not been tested in racing somewhere, like F-1, nascar, or NHRA. That being said, I hope its ligit, and becomes mainstream.
Are they available now, at $25 a pop?
Posted by: Mark A | Jan 24, 2006 6:04:12 AM
It's little things like this and HyDrive coupled with the exhaust treatments on future diesels that is leading me to believe that spark ignition engines will become more fuel efficient than diesels soon.
Posted by: tom deplume | Jan 24, 2006 6:33:07 AM
Sorry, I presented $25 apiece as a figure that would be a significant performance value.
It's too bad they only expect the plugs to last 'as long or longer' than conventional spark plugs. At a 5% fuel economy benefit, with a 60k mile lifespan, $2.50/gallon gas, on a 25 mpg vehicle, these plugs would save around $280 in fuel over their lives.
At a 3% increase in fuel economy, they save only $175 over those same 60k miles. So at $25/apiece, they'd pay for themselves over their lifespan in a V-6 engine, while producing more power and torque, which one could consider free thanks to the fuel savings. A bit like an underdrive accessory pulley in terms of performance and economy - IF the plugs do what they say.
Posted by: Adam H. | Jan 24, 2006 9:28:43 AM
Had 'em on my '00 Mustang with an air intake. Very impressive, but then again I had the chance to see a before and after. The shop who installed them had an MSD display on the counter, they unscrewed the Bosch and replaced it with the Pulstar. It looked like a welding torch. The place and guys working there went nuts...Most of them were mechanics for the owner who races a drag-car with nitrous. They were overwhelmed thinking about burning up excess vapour.
Posted by: Daggnabbitt | Jul 11, 2006 12:28:05 PM
It is simple economics from the point of view of the
manufacturer. If you lower the price, you will make
more money. See ' Pricing Methods ", in your local
library.
Consequently, charge $10.00 for each plug, make the
buyers happy, and yourself rich.
Posted by: Greg | Jun 20, 2007 6:20:40 PM
I find it interesting that readers of a blog dedicated to efficiency are highly intrigued and supportive of the technology that the Pulstars represent, while posters on automotive performance forums cry "bullshizzle" and say it is all a gimicky scam like the Turbonator. I definitely find this technology compelling, and probably effective in most of their claims.
The difference between a conventional plug and a Pulstar appears to me to be the difference between a taser and a pulse rifle. A taser will knock you on your heinie from the electrical charge (same as gas gets ignited by a conventional spark) but a shot from a pulse rifle that fires a burst of superheated plasma, similar to the claims made by Pulstar, will take your heinie right off your body and probably cauterize the wound in the process. The first is effective, but leaves room for a less than satisfactory result based on limitations of the system. The second helps to neutralize many of those unsatisfactory results by being devastatingly effective.
I only wish they could bring the price down to $10-15. I could use the Pulstars on my V-6 but could probably only afford to put them on my I-4, and that car already gets 35-38 mpg, so the incentive is less compelling.
Posted by: Boz | Jul 4, 2007 3:44:59 AM
could increased combustion chamber pressures blow head gaskets??????????????
Posted by: | Jul 8, 2007 9:23:12 AM
IS their any chance in the very near future that this PulStar sparkplug can be used for emergency home gas generators.
Posted by: william washington jr | Aug 1, 2007 12:00:27 PM
IS their any chance in the very near future that this PulStar sparkplug can be used for emergency home gas generators.
Posted by: william washington jr | Aug 1, 2007 12:01:01 PM
Sounds bogus. Reading the fine print - here's what they changed to derive their test results:
1. spark plugs (of course)
2. tyre pressure (!)
3. fuel (!!)
*. (in non-"EPA standard" tests, they also re-program vehicle ignition computers too)
Everyone knows that better tyre pressure and high-octane fuel will give you improved performance, as will messing around with your computer (the latter one possibly shortening your engine life) - so why the heck didn't these snake-oil peddlers just run their plugs without changing other stuff? These guys must think that making up fake test results is less honest than rigging the tests...
C'mon - common sense - fuel goes "bang" when you ignite it - it doesn't go "more bang" just because you ignite it some other way.
Posted by: chris | Aug 26, 2007 4:41:57 PM
This looks to be somewhat false or misleading advertising.
The have no outside or independent testing. The only way that these spark plugs could make a marked improvement would be if your current spark plugs were fouled or otherwise compromised.
Posted by: tim | Aug 31, 2007 11:29:59 AM
This looks to be somewhat false or misleading advertising.
The have no outside or independent testing. The only way that these spark plugs could make a marked improvement would be if your current spark plugs were fouled or otherwise compromised.
Posted by: tim | Aug 31, 2007 11:30:36 AM
This looks to be somewhat false or misleading advertising.
The have no outside or independent testing. The only way that these spark plugs could make a marked improvement would be if your current spark plugs were fouled or otherwise compromised.
Posted by: tim | Aug 31, 2007 11:30:43 AM
This looks to be somewhat false or misleading advertising.
The have no outside or independent testing. The only way that these spark plugs could make a marked improvement would be if your current spark plugs were fouled or otherwise compromised.
Posted by: tim | Aug 31, 2007 11:30:46 AM
"Testing in the EPA’s FTP 75 test resulted in a 2.7% increase in fuel efficiency. Internal tests conducted by Enerpulse demonstrated a nearly 9% improvement in fuel efficiency. This test also showed a 7% improvement in torque and a 10.5% improvement in horsepower output over regular spark plugs."
Useless claims, unless we see the actual test data.
Posted by: Garrett Smith | Sep 11, 2007 7:37:44 PM
I would like to know where I can buy the pulse plug for testing perposes. I teach automotive technology at El Paso Community College and we are always looking for new technology that works. Students are always asking if its worth paying eight and ten dollors for a spark plug. Would like to test yours.
Posted by: Leo Pineda | Sep 20, 2007 8:45:04 AM
These are all lies, the EPA has run no such tests and even if they did, where are those tests? The EPA allows anybody to access them. The Plugs will work like any other plug, its like lighting a gallon of gasoline with a blow torch as opposed to lighting it with a simple matchstick, both will give you the same explosion.
Bosch Platinum 4 prong is what I use and now they have the new Platinum Iridium plugs that will last even longer. They're very inexpensive and you can also have piece of mind due to Bosch's years of experience in making quality products. Pulstar is new and still tweaking their product to remove any gliches.
Posted by: Oscar | Sep 25, 2007 10:03:23 AM
I tried the pulse plugs on my VW GTI and there was a noticeable increase in torque. It has been 3 months and so far so good. All the testing data means nothing if I can not feel it in the seat of my pants
Posted by: Al | Dec 7, 2007 10:46:52 AM
I wonder how a million watt plasma ball will interact with my Joe Cell.
"The use of high performance spark plugs, distributor and coil may significantly improve the
performance of a Joe Cell powered engine."
There's nothing Quite as rewarding as running an internal cumbustion engine with no fuel!
Can't wait to try 'em.
www.thejoecell.com
Posted by: FringeScience | Jan 15, 2008 9:29:36 PM
Unlike you folks, I purchased 6 for my torrent last night, so I will be able to determine first-hand, not on a blog that many feel they can say anything about, with or without experience.
I've always been an "early adopter", perhaps that's why I am a steam engineer, not a blogger.
Experience is the teacher, the only Reliable teacher
Posted by: paul | Jan 23, 2008 8:05:58 AM
http://www.pulstarplug.com/testresults.html
covers many of your concerns about testing...
Posted by: paul | Jan 23, 2008 9:31:36 AM
New Pulstars replacing Bosch 4-prong fusion (Platinum & iridium) plugs with 25K miles on them in 1995 Buick Ultra, 3.8 V6 supercharged. 225 HP, 275 Torgue. Burns 91 octane premium.
At first I felt some hesitation or miss after multiple hard accelerations. Enerpulse said to re-set to .035 due to the supercharged induction engine. I did, and problem solved. I maintain the car impeccably, with recent top end gasket replacement and timing chain. Running Amsoil's new 0W-30 (zero W-30).
Now, idle is silk smooth without the occasional hiccup. Starting, cold or hot is quicker, almost instant-on. Noticed smoother stronger acceleration under light throttle in town. Full throttle feels stronger with no computer-adjusted backing off. Holds 70 MPH speed in cruise mode in overdrive on certain hills where it used to decrease speed and shift out of overdrive lock. I will check mileage for 10K before coming to any conclusions on economy. Currently, I get 17 city and 26 hwy. A 6,600 mile summer trip averaged 26.3.
So far, Pulstars have made a more noticeable difference than any single thing I have tried over the last 40 yrs. (some things have helped slightly) The Bosch fusions made no discernible difference over standard ones, but these plugs made a significant noticeable difference.
Posted by: Russ Kennel | Jan 24, 2008 9:14:06 PM
I am David Wofsey the inventor of the Sonic Spark Plug US Patent No. 5,610,470. At present, I have no experiance with the Pulse Star Spark Plugs. However, the claims made are extravagent. Unfortuneately, the technology, Physics, and Chemistry are probably understood by very few people. A concentrated initial spark is only a partial solution to increased fuel economy. I have been dealing with the spark plug market for over 10 years. There is much variability in the performance increase that one can obtain to a change in the technology of spark plugs. Yes, the spark plug is the important component in combustion efficiency. The spark plug companies make attempts to improve their products. Examples: multiple grounds, Platinum, Iridium, and changes made by independent inventors. They all claim improvements. However, specific claims are difficult to verify. Sonic Spark, Llc takes the path that the automotive engineers have optimized the spark plug spaecifications for their vehicles which is programed into the computor settings. With this direction, Sonic Spark, generally selects the spark plug make and number to match the specific vehicle specifications. Sonic Spark's Utra Sound modification is the only change made to the general OEM specified spark plug.
I must advise any one, or company that wishes to enter the spark plug market. It is tough. The Automotive Companies, and spark Plug Companies own their market. I wish PulsStar Good Luck.
Respectfully; David Wofsey, Inventor, Chief Agent
Sonic Spark, Llc.
Posted by: David Wofset | Jan 27, 2008 1:55:31 PM
It would be interesting to add the Sonic plug to the dyno comparo by Sparkplugs.com.
See: http://www.sparkplugs.com/sparkplug411.asp?kw=SRT%2D4+Dyno+Results&mfid=0&KID=3095
Also some independent economy testing using stock, Pulstar and Sonic would really put things into perspective. It will take some time before I can see whether there is a difference on my car.
At $6.95 Sonic is certainly competitive compared to $25 Pulstars. Would be nice to know whether Pulstars are worth the extra money. Better stronger running result was like getting a great tuneup plus enhanced performance for only $150. So, $30 would be even a better deal for an equivalent result.
Posted by: Russ Kennel | Jan 27, 2008 9:41:45 PM
I am a SMOG check technician with my own dynamometer and Smog check engine emissions sampling computer. I received the pulse spark plugs not gapped properly. Two of them had a very wide gap and two had a very short gap. Be aware of u knowing basic mechanical knowledge. I ran a smog test with Brand new NGK Iridium spark plugs on a 2000 Toyota Corolla 1.8 I believe Iridium spark plugs last very long maybe 70000 miles. The test results with Iridium spark plugs came out good and a passing smog test. I replaced the new Iridium plugs with the newly arrived pulse spark plugs and corrected gap. I reset the car’s computer with a scanner and drove a couple of miles to allow the computer monitors to complete. The computer monitors completed and ran smog test. The smog test showed lower emission levels. Specially carbon monoxide. Example: Iridium spark at 15 mph .30 CO, pulse spark at 15 mph .02 CO.
I plugged in all the emission numbers into an equation that tells if your engine is or is not burning fuel at stoichiometric (1 X 14.71) Results were that my car with brand new iridium plugs did well at stoich, but with pulse plugs the result were almost perfect. .999 X 14.69.
The engine runs same at idle, but it runs smooth at low and high moving speeds. The pick up speed seems to be better. I do not notice any gas improvement.
I noticed one flaw. My car’s engine makes rattling noises with 87 gas, but noises went away with higher octane gas. My car did not care the type of gasoline I filled it up with when I had stock spark plugs.
Maybe if your car has mechanical problems and your car runs rich, this pulse spark plug would be a good band aid to correct and try to burn all the excess fuel.
Stills testing so far it seems to be a good product.
Posted by: Gus Hernandez | Feb 17, 2008 10:12:55 AM
I am a SMOG check technician with my own dynamometer and Smog check engine emissions sampling computer. I received the pulse spark plugs not gapped properly. Two of them had a very wide gap and two had a very short gap. Be aware of u knowing basic mechanical knowledge. I ran a smog test with Brand new NGK Iridium spark plugs on a 2000 Toyota Corolla 1.8 I believe Iridium spark plugs last very long maybe 70000 miles. The test results with Iridium spark plugs came out good and a passing smog test. I replaced the new Iridium plugs with the newly arrived pulse spark plugs and corrected gap. I reset the car’s computer with a scanner and drove a couple of miles to allow the computer monitors to complete. The computer monitors completed and ran smog test. The smog test showed lower emission levels. Specially carbon monoxide. Example: Iridium spark at 15 mph .30 CO, pulse spark at 15 mph .02 CO.
I plugged in all the emission numbers into an equation that tells if your engine is or is not burning fuel at stoichiometric (1 X 14.71) Results were that my car with brand new iridium plugs did well at stoich, but with pulse plugs the result were almost perfect. .999 X 14.69.
The engine runs same at idle, but it runs smooth at low and high moving speeds. The pick up speed seems to be better. I do not notice any gas improvement.
I noticed one flaw. My car’s engine makes rattling noises with 87 gas, but noises went away with higher octane gas. My car did not care the type of gasoline I filled it up with when I had stock spark plugs.
Maybe if your car has mechanical problems and your car runs rich, this pulse spark plug would be a good band aid to correct and try to burn all the excess fuel.
Stills testing so far it seems to be a good product.
Posted by: Gus Hernandez | Feb 17, 2008 10:13:36 AM
I am a SMOG check technician with my own dynamometer and Smog check engine emissions sampling computer. I received the pulse spark plugs not gapped properly. Two of them had a very wide gap and two had a very short gap. Be aware of u knowing basic mechanical knowledge. I ran a smog test with Brand new NGK Iridium spark plugs on a 2000 Toyota Corolla 1.8 I believe Iridium spark plugs last very long maybe 70000 miles. The test results with Iridium spark plugs came out good and a passing smog test. I replaced the new Iridium plugs with the newly arrived pulse spark plugs and corrected gap. I reset the car’s computer with a scanner and drove a couple of miles to allow the computer monitors to complete. The computer monitors completed and ran smog test. The smog test showed lower emission levels. Specially carbon monoxide. Example: Iridium spark at 15 mph .30 CO, pulse spark at 15 mph .02 CO.
I plugged in all the emission numbers into an equation that tells if your engine is or is not burning fuel at stoichiometric (1 X 14.71) Results were that my car with brand new iridium plugs did well at stoich, but with pulse plugs the result were almost perfect. .999 X 14.69.
The engine runs same at idle, but it runs smooth at low and high moving speeds. The pick up speed seems to be better. I do not notice any gas improvement.
I noticed one flaw. My car’s engine makes rattling noises with 87 gas, but noises went away with higher octane gas. My car did not care the type of gasoline I filled it up with when I had stock spark plugs.
Maybe if your car has mechanical problems and your car runs rich, this pulse spark plug would be a good band aid to correct and try to burn all the excess fuel.
Stills testing so far it seems to be a good product.
Posted by: Gus Hernandez | Feb 17, 2008 10:14:34 AM
"Pulse plugs incorporate a pulse circuit, which stores incoming electrical energy from the ignition system and releases the stored energy in a powerful pulse of power. Instead of 50 watts of peak power typical of all spark plugs, pulse plugs deliver up to 1 million watts of peak power."
Use your brains people. Your car delivers 50 watts of juice to your plug. Unless your plugs have a another power source that is the most that will come out of them. If these things really worked you could use one to run your house on a AA battery.
Posted by: Gus | Mar 15, 2008 12:49:56 PM
The plugs work great out of the box. The pulse circuit on the set i bought burned out at 8000 miles. Once they get this number beyond 50000 they'll have the product of the year. I'll buy them again as soon as that happens.
Posted by: king | Mar 24, 2008 7:01:36 AM
what worries me about all these "claims" is the lack of statistical data! Where is the published study with a proper abstract, raw data, and results? what are the P-values of those results? what method of data collection and data analysis was used? how many different cars and in what climate conditions? were they all on the same dyno? the same tires and tire pressure and same quality fuel? This "2.7% increase" looks very suspect to me. Many people who have had their cars on a dyno will fluctuate as much as 5% up and down without much reason at all. This leads me to believe that the statistical significance of these gains is null. The subjective 'gains' people are experiencing just have too many unfactorable variables. It's an error of logic to assume a before and after test can be made a generalized truth. Just to calculate gas mileage alone you would have to consider weight, road surface, wind resistance, average speed, driving style, tire pressure, traffic, fuel quality, and altitude to name a few...and that's just for one car. Imagine this from a medical standpoint for a minute, would you trust this thing inside your body if the research isn't there to back it up? Don't believe in anything just because its in print! Also some coursework in Statistical Analysis and Research Methods, would be beneficial to all. Just my two cents.
Posted by: daryl | Apr 18, 2008 12:52:37 PM
I'm noticing a miss every now and then that I didn't have before in my 96 Riviera. I haven't had it checked out yet. Any ideas?
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