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Split fire plugs

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Old Mar 23, 2014 | 07:15 PM
  #1  
navvet's Avatar
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From: Big Lake,MN..Spent most of my life in Boston
Split fire plugs

Tried to stop my friend from putting split fire plugs in his 68 olds. I told them they were junk, and that years ago the FTC sued them for false ads.
Any thoughts
Old Mar 23, 2014 | 07:26 PM
  #2  
coppercutlass's Avatar
Chevy budget Olds powered
 
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From: Elgin, Illinois
I'm checking in to see what others have to say. I remember the rumors and stories curious to see what's said.
Old Mar 23, 2014 | 07:34 PM
  #3  
MDchanic's Avatar
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From: The Hudson Valley
I bought a set "back in the day."

Didn't make any difference that I ever noticed.

- Eric
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 12:34 AM
  #4  
rustyroger's Avatar
'87 Delta 88 Royale
 
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From: Margate, England
I remember them being sold over here.
The claim was that two sparks occurred simultaneously to different parts of the electrodes, ignoring the fact that electricity travels along the path of least resistance.


I was surprised that our advertising standards authority allowed this.


Roger.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 05:32 AM
  #5  
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From: Mo-Ray-Al, K-Bec.
There's a good reason so many performance cars today come with 2 plugs per cylinder ... You get as much benefit from just clocking your plain jane plugs correctly as those split fire/quad/e3 plug can offer. If the split fires had any appreciable affect, the manufacturers would have been using them to fight off the EPA dogs.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 06:41 AM
  #6  
oldcutlass's Avatar
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I prefer just a standard plug. With the limited amount we drive our cars, in most cases, they will last along time. Occasionally I will check and regap just to keep everything in good operating condition.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 09:57 AM
  #7  
MDchanic's Avatar
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From: The Hudson Valley
Originally Posted by Professur
There's a good reason so many performance cars today come with 2 plugs per cylinder ... You get as much benefit from just clocking your plain jane plugs correctly as those split fire/quad/e3 plug can offer. If the split fires had any appreciable affect, the manufacturers would have been using them to fight off the EPA dogs.
The factory plugs for my BMW have four ground electrodes each.
I imagine there must be a reason, though I'm not sure what it is.

- Eric
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 11:15 AM
  #8  
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From: Austin, TX
Back in the day I performed an experiment on the Splitfires. I had a set in my SBO 350. I noticed a 3 to 4 mpg increase over my traditional plug when the splits were new. I also tried a set in a 89 T-bird w/ fuel injection. There was no noticeable increase in mileage. However, I did have to have emissions checked on the T-bird annually. There was a slight improvement in emissions (lower measure numbers).
I can only attribute this to the flame kernel being more exposed due to the split ground. As a side note the overall acceptable performance of the splitfires were shorter than a traditional plug in my experience.

MDchanic- those Bosch +4 plugs do have four grounds but the current will only flow to one ground. The ground with the lowest ohm resistance is where the spark goes. I guess in theory four grounds means longer life? I don't know. I never owned a set of the Bosch +4's. I usually get NGK Iridium's for my modern vehicles, and NGK's for my Oldsmobile perform better than anything else I have tried.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 11:39 AM
  #9  
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From: SE MI
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/131376.html

Snake oil spark plugs go way back. You can imagine what happens when the shaft wears out and breaks.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 12:09 PM
  #10  
Fun71's Avatar
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Originally Posted by oldcutlass
I prefer just a standard plug. With the limited amount we drive our cars, in most cases, they will last along time. Occasionally I will check and regap just to keep everything in good operating condition.
x2. I don't need a high mileage plug or one that will spark under any foul conditions - I keep my engine in better shape than that.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 02:19 PM
  #11  
76olds's Avatar
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,543
From: Ontario, Canada
I bought a set of nitrode plugs for the heck of it, I will be putting them in this spring to see how they run, normally I run the ac-delco's.... but I read up on the nitrodes and figured I would give them a shot.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 03:10 PM
  #12  
ELY442's Avatar
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Posts: 2,216
From: Brooklyn, NY
Sorry for throwing this thread a curve ball but has anybody ever tried the E3 spark pugs on their cars? I was thinking of getting it for my Cutlass but i need some feedbacks.
Old Mar 24, 2014 | 03:13 PM
  #13  
drop top olds's Avatar
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From: Austin, TX
No experience with E3's I do remember one comment from a small engine repair guy. He told a customer if he ever brought his equipment in to the shop to be worked on and it had an E3 plug in it he would not allow the equipment in his shop.....
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