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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Mustang / September 2006Question:split fire spark plugs
Anyone have experience with split fire plugs? They were popular a while back then seemed to disappear. mike > Anyone have experience with split fire plugs? > They were popular a while back then seemed to disappear. because they turned out to be crap with electrodes falling out.... Thanks for your advice. I bought a set on eBay, but will not use them now. You never know whether they were really good and pushed out of the market by the bigger makers; or they were crap as you say. mike >> Anyone have experience with split fire plugs? >> They were popular a while back then seemed to disappear. > > because they turned out to be crap with electrodes falling out.... > Thanks for your advice. I bought a set on eBay, but will > not use them now. > You never know whether they were really good and > pushed out of the market by the bigger makers; or > they were crap as you say. Until I threw it away a few years ago (why keep it?) I had a spark plug that had three grounding points that was manufactured in the '50s. The plug was similar to a modern spark plug except the grounding points were on the side of the tip. It was manufactured for farm tractors and I guess back then it was the farmer who was gullible. If this type of plug was so good, you would think every spark plug made after 1950 would have this type of plug.......except the idea faded away until Split-fire brought it back to life. >> Thanks for your advice. I bought a set on eBay, but will >> not use them now. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > would have this type of plug.......except the idea faded away until > Split-fire brought it back to life. www.Splitfire.com has an active web site that sells plugs amongst other things. I asked the guy at the local NAPA store what he thought. He said if the plug type you have now works, why change it. Good point. But, you are always looking for that extra edge. The engine is a 351C 4V with Edelbrock manifold, Carter 9637 SA and high energy electronic ignition. It may be worth tweaking. mike >>> Thanks for your advice. I bought a set on eBay, but will >>> not use them now. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > The engine is a 351C 4V with Edelbrock manifold, Carter 9637 SA and > high energy electronic ignition. It may be worth tweaking. splitfire is a marketing buzzword number of partial electrodes is bogus gap, heat range and tolerances are important how could it increase HP? "Chow S" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in news:4511eaad$0$97235$892e7fe2 @authen.yellow.readfreenews.net: > splitfire is a marketing buzzword > number of partial electrodes is bogus > gap, heat range and tolerances are important > how could it increase HP? I remember seeing Split Fire plugs in the JC Whitney catalog back in the 1960s. It's a hoax. One spark jumps from one point to another point one time during the firing. If several sparks would jump at the same time, that might make them worthwhile. The spark always seeks the path of least resistance. > "Chow S" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in news:4511eaad$0$97235$892e7fe2 > @authen.yellow.readfreenews.net: [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > might make them worthwhile. The spark always seeks the path of least > resistance. Very good point. Path of least resistance. Just like lightning. So what plug to buy? "goodnigh" <goodnigh1@mindspring.com> wrote in news:wOmQg.14383$bM.7955 @newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net: > So what plug to buy? I've never gone wrong with plain old Motorcraft or Autolite. Then again, I'm not running a high horsepower engine, either. > splitfire is a marketing buzzword > number of partial electrodes is bogus > gap, heat range and tolerances are important > how could it increase HP? It just make the car feel like it has more horsepower because your wallet is a lot lighter:) Al > But, you are always looking for that extra edge. > The engine is a 351C 4V with Edelbrock manifold, Carter 9637 SA and > high energy electronic ignition. It may be worth tweaking. Have you considered "indexing" the plugs. I've read over the years that is one of the best "tweaking" tricks.  SignatureRichard '94 GT 'vert Under Drive Pulleys Transgo HD2 Reprogramming Kit High Stall Torque Converter 3:73 Gears Gripp Sub Frame Connectors (welded) FRPP Aluminum Drive shaft FRPP M5400-A Suspension Laser Red >> But, you are always looking for that extra edge. >> The engine is a 351C 4V with Edelbrock manifold, Carter 9637 SA and >> high energy electronic ignition. It may be worth tweaking. >> > Have you considered "indexing" the plugs. I've read over the years that is > one of the best "tweaking" tricks. What is that? orientation of the plug body to the intake valve ? Basically, yes.... Essentially, the idea is to place the ground electrode on the shrouded side of the plug, exposing the gap to the centre of the combustion chamber. With tapered seat plugs, this isn't always as easy as it sounds.... >>> But, you are always looking for that extra edge. >>> The engine is a 351C 4V with Edelbrock manifold, Carter 9637 SA and [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > What is that? orientation of the plug body to the intake valve ? So how do you do that? > Basically, yes.... Essentially, the idea is to place the ground electrode > on the shrouded side of the plug, exposing the gap to the centre of the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >> >> What is that? orientation of the plug body to the intake valve ? > So how do you do that? Well you will need a plug washer kit and an indexing base to start. 1. Mark a line on the plug indicating the open gap. 2. Screw the plug into the head and note the approximate degrees past 12 o'clock position the mark is located. 3. Screw the plug into the indexing base and note on the index where 12 o'clock position should be in relation to the plug in the head. 4. Select the thinnest washer that will allow the plug to screw in under normal torque and stop at the 6 o'clock position 5. Note on the plug the cylinder for which it was indexed. 6. Follow the previous five steps for each plug. SignatureRichard > > Basically, yes.... Essentially, the idea is to place the ground electrode > > on the shrouded side of the plug, exposing the gap to the centre of the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >> > >> What is that? orientation of the plug body to the intake valve ? Ok, Thanks Richard. If I find myself with nothing to do on some Sunday afternoon...:) A co-worker described a similar procedure. mike >> So how do you do that? >> [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >> >> >> >> What is that? orientation of the plug body to the intake valve ? http://www.ftc.gov/os/1997/05/c3737cmp.htm > Anyone have experience with split fire plugs? > They were popular a while back then seemed to disappear. > > mike Then they are safe to use but won't necessarily increase performance. > http://www.ftc.gov/os/1997/05/c3737cmp.htm > >> Anyone have experience with split fire plugs? >> They were popular a while back then seemed to disappear. >> >> mike > Then they are safe to use but won't necessarily increase performance. More accurate statement: Are safe to use, but may DECREASE performance. The perfect example of this is the Bosch Platinum plug when used in Ford Distributor FI engines. wide concensus on the Ford NG is that particular brand model tends to random miss at cruise power after a few thousand miles. For some reason Ford ignition systems dont like 'em. Look at it this way, Mfrs no longer just throw in any old plug the suppliers come up with. Because of CAFE and warranty issues, it's to their advantage to glean every possible fraction of efficiency and reliabilty from every component. That's why long term results have almost everyone agreeing you cant go wrong with the Motorcraft OEM for the daily driver application. If you're modding your car, that might change, but if you're SERIOUS about it, you'll be testing that candidate on the dyno. - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- - - And, btw, the idea that making it easier for the spark to find a path is good seems a no brainer, but it aint quite accurate. The idea is to get the hottest fattest longest-duration spark possible. Making it 'easy' wont work... you just get a lazy spark. Having grown up on a farm in the fifties, I've seen every gimmick there is.. the farmer always went back to the standard type plug and wire systems. Most of the gimmicks (like the aircraft style side-fire) resulted in increased plug fouling over time. The only one that DID sometimes work was the 'Spark Enhancer' which was a thing you stuck in the coil hole of the distributor and was nothing but an air-gap. And it only worked when the plugs needed replacing anyway. My old man just figured out which plug was misfiring and pulled the wire just off the plug so that it had the gap. Then replaced the plugs that night. SignatureYeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price you pay..DEAL with it! >> Then they are safe to use but won't necessarily increase performance. > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > If you're modding your car, that might change, but if you're SERIOUS > about it, you'll be testing that candidate on the dyno. I pulled one of the plugs today and it was in picture perfect condition although I don't know how long ago they were installed. Just got the car. Will probably have it dyno'd out of curiosity. I think original stock HP was 285. The current engine is not stock and has among other mods a high energy coil and electronic ignition. You are right again, stick with OEM. > And, btw, the idea that making it easier for the spark to find a path is > good seems a no brainer, but it aint quite accurate. > > The idea is to get the hottest fattest longest-duration spark possible. > Making it 'easy' wont work... you just get a lazy spark. Good point. mike
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