Key Page Topics: Pulstar, Pulse Plug,
Spark Plugs, Enerpulse, Fuel Economy, Improve Fuel Economy, Horsepower, Torque, Better Fuel Economy,
Gas Mileage, Improve Gas Mileage, Better Gas Mileage, Fuel Savings, Save Petrol, Petrol Savings
Flashcards are the official New Zealand Distributor for the Pulstar pulse plug range of Spark Plug Replacements. Pulstar pulse plugs are made by Enerpulse, Inc., USA.
Click HERE to read about the Pulstar pulse plug independent scientific testing.
Click HERE to read more about the big names backing Pulstar pulse plugs.
Pulse Plugs are so named because they differ in design from traditional Spark Plugs although they fulfill the same function in an engines ignition system.
You may have been surprised to find out that Flashcards (and its parent MRS Technologies Ltd.) sell the Pulse Plugs due to our
more traditional Consumer Electronics range. Pulse Plugs however fit in well with our desire to source and sell the very best Hi-Tech products in New Zealand.
We sell them through the Flashcards website HERE simply because it has a such a broad reach and well established happy customer base.
We have put together this New Zealand Spark Plug FAQ and Buyers Guide to help you understand Spark Plug Technology and how the Pulstar Pulse Plugs can
help increase your engines power, torque and fuel economy (particularly important as oil and fuel prices are hitting record levels).
How are Pulse Plugs different to spark plugs?
Pulse plugs are a radical departure from spark plugs. For 100 years, spark plugs have remained much the same as they are today generating only 50 watts of peak discharge power. Pulse plugs look like spark plugs because they must fit precisely into the same space as spark plugs. But this is where the similarity to the spark plug ends.
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 10 times more peak power. It takes electrical power to light fuel. The more power (watts) the better. Nothing can compete with Pulstar™.
Pulsed Power Technology is the science of storing power for a relatively long period of time and then discharging the stored power in an instantaneous pulse of energy. Installing Pulsed Power Technology in a performance auto part increases horsepower while at the same time increasing gas mileage! That's right - you no longer have to give up gas mileage to increase the power and productivity of your car or truck!
A simple way to think about the Pulsed Power Technology behind pulse plugs is that it is similar to a camera flash, whereas spark plug technology is more like a flashlight/torch. A camera flash is exponentially brighter than a torch even though they both may use the same battery.
Are Pulse Plugs better than current, top of the line Platinum and Iridium Spark Plugs?
We sure think so! Remember, the main benefit of Platinum and Iridium Spark Plugs is longer life versus traditional plugs. This is because the center electrode is either made of or tipped with these super hard metals, making them last longer.
This doesn't usually increase performance or economy except in cases where a worn electrode would cause a mis-fire otherwise. Pulse Plugs are different in that not only
are they long lasting but they actually increase performance and economy by lowering the 'Arc Over' voltage (good for lower powered or older ignition systems) as well as storing the
ignition energy within the plug itself for a super charged and highly controlled detonation event!
Most people don't notice mis-fires because their engine management system masks it so well.
However, we have personally tested the Pulse Plugs and the performance increase is immediate and noticeable. This is because there is less wasted fuel due to mis-fires as well as more of that fuel creating power in the cylinder
instead of being sent out the exhaust un-burnt. Mis-fires show up as decreased fuel economy, less power and decreased engine smoothness. When Flashcards looked at taking on the Pulstar Distributorship, we first tested the plugs
in a Toyota Altezza and Porsche Boxter and the results were so impressive we immediately completed distributorship negotiations with Enerpulse.
One of the primary advantages of Pulse Plugs, especially when used in an OEM ignition system (especially an older system, which may not be producing as much voltage as when it was new), is that they require less arc-over voltage and therefore, particularly in a weak ignition, allows the spark plug gap to be jumped a higher percentage of the time = fewer mis-fires.
The problem of reduced arc over voltage is usually a lower powered spark however. Pulse Plugs overcome this by storing a large amount of electrical energy internally so that when the ignition does take place, it is of a very high quality and power.
Have a look at the high-speed video HERE to see just how well the Pulse Plug ignites the fuel in the cylinder vs. a traditional premium Iridium Spark Plug.
The page HERE shows scientific test results of some of the performance and fuel economy improvements using Pulse Plugs in real life vehicles vs. traditional spark plugs.
Listen to the Designer of the Pulse Plug (Lou Camilli) giving an interview and Q&A about his amazing product by clicking on the MP3 file HERE (either right click and 'Save As' or Stream).
Click HERE to read more Pulse Plug interesting Fast Facts and Figures.
General Spark and Pulse Plug FAQ's:
Q: What is the function of a spark plug?
The spark plug has two primary functions:
1) To ignite the air/fuel mixture. Electrical energy is transmitted through the spark plug, jumping the gap in the plugs firing end if the voltage supplied to the plug is high enough. This electrical spark ignites the gasoline/air mixture in the combustion chamber. Pulse Plugs work far better than Spark Plugs because they have a much more powerful spark and ignite the fuel/air mixture more rapidly and fully.
2) To remove heat from the combustion chamber. Spark plugs cannot create heat, they can only remove heat. The temperature of the end of the plug's firing end must be kept low enough to prevent pre-ignition, but high enough to prevent fouling. The spark plug works as a heat exchanger by pulling unwanted thermal energy from the combustion chamber and transferring heat to the engines cooling system. The heat range of a spark plug is defined as its ability dissipate heat from the tip. Pulse Plugs fulfill this function as well as or better than all Spark Plugs currently on the market.
Q: How do I know which Pulse Plug I need for my car?
That's easy! Just go to our Spark Plug Cross Reference Guide. We list vehicles by brand and within each brand is a buyers guide that you can click on that will tell you which Pulse Plug model your car uses, along with a direct link to that plug in our Online Store. If you have any queries or can't see your vehicle listed, just email us or ring us on 0800-352-741 - we're here to help.
Q: How do I set the Spark Plug 'Gap' on a Pulstar Pulse Plug?
Pulse Plugs are Pre Gapped to a maximum .040" or 1.02mm
If your vehicle manual calls for a gap less than .040" or 1.02mm then use the factory recommended settings. Under no circumstance set the gap to greater the .040" or 1.02mm regardless of the manual setting.
For Turbocharged and Supercharged Engines: Under No Circumstance set the gap to greater the .025" or 0.63mm regardless of the manual setting.
Q: Will I increase my Fuel Economy Running Pulse Plugs instead of standard premium Spark Plugs?
Yes! Fuel economy savings of only a few % can put a significant amount of money back in your pocket, while rewarding you with a better driving experience. Pulstar™ lasts about 50,000 miles or 80,000 km (3-4 years) so they continue to pay you a dividend in fuel economy savings after the first year of ownership.
Users and both manufacturer and independent testing of Pulstar™ Plugs has seen fuel economy improvements of 2-12% with the average being around 6%.
A 4 Cylinder car running Pulstar™ Plugs only needs to save you $2.95 a week on Petrol to pay off the cost of Pulstar™ plugs in under a year, a 6 Cylinder car running Pulstar™ Plugs only needs to save you $4.40 a week on Petrol to pay off the cost of Pulstar™ plugs in under a year and as the price of fuel tops NZ$2 a litre as of June 2008, the savings just keep adding up year after year. On average if you spend $50 per week on petrol, a 4 cylinder will pay off the new plugs ($152.00 incl GST) in 12 months. We'll let you do the math on say an average 6% saving on your weekly petrol costs. How much are you spending per week?
Of course, your savings will vary with the age and condition of your car, weather, and your driving habits. We recommend that your vehicle is tuned once to twice a year, and keep your tires inflated correctly.
Pulse plugs are an investment, spark plugs are simply a replacement.
Q: Will Pulse Plugs make my car faster?
Yes. Every car on the market has the option of increasing 0-100 KPH acceleration simply by replacing spark plugs with Pulstar™ pulse plugs.
Q: How can changing such small part make such a big difference?
A pulse plug directly increases torque by increasing cylinder pressure.
With increased cylinder pressure, the piston is pushed down with more force, which, in turn, generates more torque to the crankshaft, more liveliness to the throttle and more power to the wheels.
Of course, if you don't use this torque to go faster, the engine does its work with less effort resulting in better fuel economy.
Pulstar Pulse Plugs burn fuel more efficiently than spark plugs.
Tests at an independent laboratory demonstrate how Pulstar™ pulse plugs burn fuel more efficiently than spark plugs. The ignition plume of Pulstar™ grows at more than twice the speed of spark plugs. Pulstar™ generates a much larger spark than spark plugs, which reduces overall burn time and burns the fuel more completely. Once created, the spark dissipates over a period of 30 millionths of a second, ensuring that no damage is done to the engine.
Engine horsepower is created from ignition velocity.
Ignition velocity refers to the growth of the combustion flame front, the speed of which determines the amount of energy released from the fuel. The greater the amount of ignition energy the larger the spark. The larger the spark the more efficiently your engine can operate to produce horsepower or, inversely, better fuel economy.
Q: Will Pulse Plugs increase my Vehicles Towing Capacity?
All other things being equal - YES! Increase towing capacity at it's source by replacing your spark plugs with Pulstar™ pulse plugs.
No need to buy a bigger vehicle that only promises more towing capacity. You can actually improve low-end torque and towing capacity simply by installing Pulstar™ in your vehicle. This is because of the unique way Pulstar™ ignites fuel and generates additional cylinder pressure.
Q: Do Pulse Plugs come with a warranty?
Yes! Pulstar™ Plugs purchased from flashcards.co.nz come with a 30 day "no questions asked refund", if you are not happy, return the plugs you purchased to us within 30 days and we will give you a full refund of the purchase price.
CAUTION : Pulstar™ model recommendations are for stock, unmodified engines. If you have added an after market turbocharger, supercharger, nitrous or any other product that increases displacement or compression to your engine you will require a colder heat range pulse plug in order to avoid possible damage to your engine. For these applications please call us at 0800-352-741
Q: Will installing Pulse Plugs void my vehicles factory warranty?
No! Pulse Plugs meet or exceed all requirements for all vehicle manufacturers warranties. Using Pulse Plugs adds significant benefits with no increased risk to your engine or warranty.
Q: What is the metal used on the electrode in Pulse Plugs?
The ground strap and electrode are both Inconel, a nickel alloy. The
ground strap has been nickel plated so it looks a bit different from the
electrode. Inconel is often encountered in extreme environments.
It is common in gas turbine blades, seals, and combustors, as well as turbocharger rotors and seals, high temperature fasteners, chemical processing and pressure vessels, heat exchanger tubing, natural gas processing with contaminants such as H2S and CO2, firearm sound suppressor blast baffles, and Formula One exhaust systems.
North American Aviation constructed the skin of the X-15 rocket plane out of an Inconel alloy known as "Inconel X".
Q: What is misfire?
A misfire occurs when the spark is not strong enough to ignite the cylinder charge at the proper moment of the power stroke. A weak spark can be due to a fouled plug, defective coil, to much gap for the compression ratio, incorrect timing, leaking plug wires, crossfiring plug wires, weak ignition module, etc.
Pulse Plugs help prevent misfires by having a lower Arc-Over Voltage as well as a very High Powered Spark causing rapid and complete fuel detonation at exactly the right time.
Q: Do I need to make any modifications to my car to use Pulstar™ pulse plugs?
No. Pulstar™ pulse plugs are a "plug and play" product with no further modifications necessary.
Pulstar specifically designed the pulse plug to fit into the same hole as your existing spark plug. When you receive your pulse plugs you will find they have them same size and shape as a standard spark plug, and are installed the same.
Simply remove your existing spark plugs according to the manufacturers recommendations and replace them with your new, fuel efficient, Pulstar™ pulse plugs and start enjoying a faster, more enjoyable car!
Q: What will Pulstar™ do to my engines main computer?
Nothing. Pulstar™ contains circuitry to prevent radio frequency interference (RFI) and electro-magnetic interference (EMI).
Pulstar scientists and engineers thought of everything when they developed the Pulstar™ pulse plug. In order to have a product that could be used by every car on the market, they had to take into account a myriad of different computers.
The pulse of the Pulstar™ pulse plug is so quick, burning the fuel in the chamber completely that the intensity of the ignition spark is complete in a period of 30 billionths of a second.
Q: Will the high power of Pulstar™ plugs in any way harm my engine?
No. The high power of Pulstar™ pulse plugs occurs within 2 nanoseconds (30 billionths of a second), which is enough time to ignite fuel, but not enough time to overheat the combustion chamber or engine parts.
Q: How much performance improvement will I get after the installation of Pulstar™ in my car?
Pulstar™ pulse plugs will improve all aspects of combustion quality in your car. You will notice improved throttle responsiveness, more torque and better fuel economy. The amount of performance will depend on the make, model and condition of your vehicle. In general, you should expect torque to increase by 4 to 12% and realize a significant improvement in fuel economy.
Q: Why is Pulstar™ more expensive than spark plugs?
Pulstar™ is more expensive to make than an ordinary spark plug. It is based on a totally new principal and technology than ordinary spark plugs. As such, it has totally different components inside of it, versus only a plain metal core, and operates far differently. As a result it produces a greater amount of horsepower/torque than a conventional spark plug. It also burns the fuel/air mixture inside of a engine cylinder more completely and faster than an ordinary spark plug, thereby increasing fuel economy and reducing unburned hydrocarbons. Reduce your carbon foot print; buy Pulstar™. It actually pays for itself in 12 months or less.
Q: How long do Pulstar™ plugs last?
Pulstar™ plugs lasts as long as most spark plugs - about 80,000 Kilometers depending on the condition of your vehicle and driving habits.
In the image above you can clearly see just how much bigger the Pulstar Pulse Plug Spark is vs. the weak spark of a traditional Spark Plug!
