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E3 Spark Plugs Hype?

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    E3 Spark Plugs Hype?

    Anyone use these? Following is a supposedly unbiased test. I never heard of these before today.

    Looking at E3 Spark Plugs
    By Christopher A. Sawyer, Executive Editor Chris's Bio Write Christopher


    Norman Garrett, director of Engineering, E3 Spark Plugs (www.e3sparkplugs.com) is used to the incredulous looks he gets when he talks about the company's DiamondFIRE spark plugs. All he has to do is mention how a change in electrode design–from a single J-shaped piece with rounded corners to a three-legged unit topped by an open diamond-shaped end piece with square corners–can boost power and fuel economy in any spark-ignition engine, forces air-gap discharges, and creates the preferred edge-to-edge spark path. Then he hits you with this one: "The EPA has written the E3 into its emission rulemaking for engines at or below 19 kW under the company's original 'Pyrotek' name." (It's true.) Although the spark plug is only available in the aftermarket, Garrett and his colleagues are willing to speak to any OEM about fitting the E3 to its vehicles. Here's what else you'll want to know:

    * Test results showed the plug measurably increased combustion pressure at each cycle, produced the fastest flame speed and combustion rise of any spark plug, improved power output by an average of 6% in typical engine operating ranges, and –dependent on engine class–reduced fuel consumption by anywhere from 3% to 13%.
    *
    * During testing at Michigan State, the E3 plug demonstrated a reduction in both hydrocarbon and nitrous oxide emissions across all loads and speeds when tested in a 1998 Ford Escort MPFI four-cylinder engine.
    *
    * Despite being made of conventional materials, the E3 completed 20 million firing cycles with no performance degradation.



    [IMG]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z.com-vbulletin/550x225/80-parkerbsig_5096690e71d912ec1addc4a84e99c374685fc03 8.jpg[/IMG

    #2
    Interesting. I'll ask Jim C. what he thinks of them...

    Comment


      #3
      looks like complete advertising bullshit to me.
      : : 1984 318i : : PNW E30 Crew : : Sold!!
      Now becoming the R3vlimited Pro3 car
      http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=93780

      Comment


        #4
        I'm skeptical, after wasting money on stupid split fires all those years back. but if they cost about as much as regular plugs, I think they'd be worth a shot.
        Build thread

        Bimmerlabs

        Comment


          #5
          Seems they are 5.99 which is in line with Platinum but like the others I am leery.

          [IMG]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/my350z.com-vbulletin/550x225/80-parkerbsig_5096690e71d912ec1addc4a84e99c374685fc03 8.jpg[/IMG

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by lndshrk
            Originally posted by 2002maniac
            What do you know about these? I am prone to calling BS on any "fancy" plug that solves all your problems but this sounds interesting...
            Simple answer.. do you see ANY of the OEMs using
            such a plug? ANY of them?

            If not.. it's snakeoil. If a plug could do ANY of these
            things, it would save (example) GM MILLIONS of $$$
            a year in CAFE fees/etc.

            Jim

            Comment


              #7
              Yeah but at 6 bucks a pop GM isnt going to put them in their cars either. They produce millions of cars across all their makes and models, so Im sure they use the cheapest plugs they can find. Which offsets millions your speak of they have to spend otherwise.
              Back to my roots

              Comment


                #8
                $6 is a lot for a spark plug, and platinums are a waste of money, but i'd be willing to give these a shot, once. 6% power increase on a plug sounds Mighty heady but for $36 its a cheap way to find power on an e30 if it works.

                i'd probably get some regular bosch supers to compare to, so i wouldn't be comparing my old used ones.

                disclaimer: i'm very skeptical, but i can't help but hope (just a little)
                Jay

                Comment


                  #9
                  The science behind it makes sense. A stronger spark would produce more power and better gas mileage, but I doubt it would be any more noticeable then changing from bad/worn plugs to new normal plugs.

                  Another thing is that with non- electronic ignition system (irrelevant to the e30) I can see a problem with the ignition not being able to provide a strong enough spark to fire 3 electrodes.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by NitroRustlerDriver
                    The science behind it makes sense. A stronger spark would produce more power and better gas mileage, but I doubt it would be any more noticeable then changing from bad/worn plugs to new normal plugs.

                    Another thing is that with non- electronic ignition system (irrelevant to the e30) I can see a problem with the ignition not being able to provide a strong enough spark to fire 3 electrodes.
                    Unless I'm missing something, the spark plug will only fire off one spark at a time. Thats just the way the ignition is designed. (Unless the ignition is designed to be a mulit-spark design, in which case you get two sparks in quick succession, but they will happen at the same point on the electrode.) This "e3" plug just exposes the spark a little better than a standard side electrode.

                    To get more than one spark to fire simultaneously would require a major revision of the ignition system, and would also require more than one center electrode (bulky,and I don't think it would work very well since electricity takes the path of least resistance, etc.)

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by redhatpat
                      Unless I'm missing something, the spark plug will only fire off one spark at a time. Thats just the way the ignition is designed. (Unless the ignition is designed to be a mulit-spark design, in which case you get two sparks in quick succession, but they will happen at the same point on the electrode.) This "e3" plug just exposes the spark a little better than a standard side electrode.

                      To get more than one spark to fire simultaneously would require a major revision of the ignition system, and would also require more than one center electrode (bulky,and I don't think it would work very well since electricity takes the path of least resistance, etc.)
                      That's not what I was talking about. I didn't look at the pic well enough and thought it had three electrodes per plug, something like this, only 3:

                      Comment


                        #12
                        A spark plug with multiple electrodes will NEVER fire more than 1 spark. All the spark is, is electrical current traveling from one piece of metal to another. It will always take the path of least resistance. Always. You will NEVER have more than one spark on a single spark plug, no matter how many electrodes are on the ground side of the plug. Also, some ignition systems use a waste spark system where it fires 2 spark plugs (2 different cylinders, one plug per) I believe thats a lot of GM systems but what do I know? :) The multiple arms dont even really last longer than single arm plugs. That one center electrode is always sparking so it will wear down just like the normal ones will. If you ask me, stay with Bosch W8LCR's in m20's. There is no advantage to using anything else.

                        Will
                        RIP e30 (brilliantrot '91 325i) 11/17/06 Byebye: 8/21/07
                        Welcome e30 (brilliantrot '90 325is) 12/23/06
                        DaveCN = Old Man
                        My signature picture was taken by ME! Not by anyone else!



                        Originally posted by george graves
                        If people keep quoting me in their sig, I'm going to burn this motherfucker down.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by NitroRustlerDriver
                          That's not what I was talking about. I didn't look at the pic well enough and thought it had three electrodes per plug, something like this, only 3:

                          That doesn't create multiple sparks, it simply creates a spark along the path of least resistance.


                          Keep it slideways!!

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by PeaveyBassist
                            A spark plug with multiple electrodes will NEVER fire more than 1 spark. All the spark is, is electrical current traveling from one piece of metal to another. It will always take the path of least resistance. Always. You will NEVER have more than one spark on a single spark plug, no matter how many electrodes are on the ground side of the plug.
                            Originally posted by Axxe
                            That doesn't create multiple sparks, it simply creates a spark along the path of least resistance.
                            Ya, you guys are right. I don't know what I was thinking.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              after checking out the website, looks like they have some interesting ideas as far as combustion efficiency goes; i dont believe any of the hype per se but i still think it might be worth a shot.

                              if not, at least i know the good plugs (plain ol' supers) are nice 'n' cheap for our cars.
                              Jay

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