The Top Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Resource

Join the best E39A 1991-1992 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 community and document your GVR4 journey.

  • Software Upgraded - Reset Your Password to Login
    In order to log in after the forum software change, you need to reset your password. If you don't have access to the email address you used to register your GVR4.org account, you won't be able to reset your password. In that case, follow the instructions here to regain access to the forum.

Pulstar Spark Plugs

cheekychimp

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
7,333
Location
East Sussex, U.K.
I know the weapon of choice most of you seem to prefer is the NGK BPR7ES but I tried a set of these upon the recommendation of a friend of mine and I was genuinely surprised that they made a difference. I'm not sure if they improve fuel economy because I am having a hard time resisting the temptation to take my foot out if it most of the time now. Much stronger, no breaking up and really smooth. I can't offer any insight on longevity or reliability at this stage but so far so good.
 

bmxr152

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
231
Location
Lake tahoe, NV
I don't know about pulstar but I know e3 I personally have seen evo 4gs and srt4s motors trashed from them. The tip melted off and was jammed in the valve seat then the valve let go and vialo. Anyways I personally stick to the ngk 7s, ive never had a problem with them.
 

ktmrider

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
3,128
Location
Tempe, AZ
Quoting bmxr152:
I don't know about pulstar but I know e3 I personally have seen evo 4gs and srt4s motors trashed from them. The tip melted off and was jammed in the valve seat then the valve let go and vialo. Anyways I personally stick to the ngk 7s, ive never had a problem with them.

Personally seen this on Pulstar plugs.

Tried them on #86, got crazy knock on hot days. Just say No.
 

prove_it

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
4,201
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
Everyone sticks to the NGK's for a reason. You can't argue with proven success. If you think your going to pick up HP with just a plug swap, your not. If you feel a difference, then your plugs were worn out.
 

turbowop

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2001
Messages
11,972
Location
Yakima, WA
Word. I love the Audi forum I'm on. These guys change their plug gap a couple thousandths and think they gain a bunch of WHP. On a car that wasn't having ignition issues. I've argued a few times. Then they tell me it must be true because they can feel it. It's hilarious. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
 

prove_it

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
4,201
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
The butt dyno never lies Mark. Come on man. I can only imagine the threads your involved with. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

Gotta remember, in the Audi/Vw world, plugs are pretty much the only "mods" anyone is capable of doing since parts are too expensive and hard to swap. So they will defend that. lol.
 
Last edited:

cheekychimp

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
7,333
Location
East Sussex, U.K.
Quoting ktmrider:
Tried them on #86, got crazy knock on hot days. Just say No.



Hmmm that's interesting! Any idea what would cause that Mike? I'm pretty cynical about "performance" parts per se so I'd like to think the difference after installing these wasn't all in my imagination. I wouldn't discredit the suggestion that the old plugs were plain worn out as they had been in there a fair old time but I'm more concerned about your comment.

If too much timing also gives knock would there be any correlation between running too hot and getting some pre-ignition, detonation reminiscent of advancing the timing? Any possibility that's where the extra power is coming from and I'm walking a tight rope here?
 

ktmrider

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
3,128
Location
Tempe, AZ
^^ I should restate my answer, got crazy knock on ONE hot day and pulled them. BTW I got the Pulstar's for free.

I think you are right on Paul regarding pre-ignition. I also think the "heat range" is too high for turbo engines. Reminder that a Colder plug does not change the spark intensity, it means the plug transfers more heat from the combustion chamber into the coolant system. Add in warmer intake air temps and its a recipe for detonation/knock.
 

Mn92gvr4

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
Messages
110
Location
North branch mn
Still fairly new to the seen here but I've been playing around with plugs latel. All NKGs car came with brp6es and wasnt running all that great, switched to brp7es and ran smooth till I got above 10psi where it started to break up. So on a recommendation from a buddy I switched to the br7es and she sails smooth under every load ive put in them. Just my -.02¢
 
Last edited:

bradrs

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
128
Location
Alta Loma, CA
The Pulstars are a rehash of an old idea. It comes out every few years, gets a few new people buying them and swearing by them. Then when real testing is done, they are usually dismissed.

Direct Hits is another similar idea recently. Nology Plug wires also have that capacitor storage effect.

What the capacitor does is very slowly store energy into it as the voltage going to the plug gap is rising(which occurs before the spark). This actually delays the spark a fractional amount, but it can be a degree or so at higher RPMs. THEN, when the plug gap flashes over, and the voltage across the gap drops, the energy stored in the capacitor is released very quickly. So quickly that it comes and goes before it can have any real effect.

But, thanks to a phenomena known as persistence of vision, it will appear much brighter. Even though it only had a larger discharge current for nanoseconds.

Nology effects have been pretty well dismissed by most people, and this is a very similar function.

I have heard many DSM gurus swear by some of the various platinums, and I'd give those a try before gimmick plugs.
 

cheekychimp

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
7,333
Location
East Sussex, U.K.
Alright, so assuming for the moment that I'm not on crack or turning into a VW/Audi driver, anything other than the old plugs being worn out that could account for why things are better now?

Previous plugs incorrect for the application?
Previous plugs incorrectly gapped?

Do you guys have any guidelines for gapping plugs dependent upon fuel/boost pressure etc?

Anything I can log to get an idea about what is going on? I recently started using Shell V-Power fuel (which is higher octane) because it was on special offer and cheaper than regular. I didn't notice a significant difference initially but I'm wondering now if old, worn or badly gapped plugs weren't allowing me to take advantage of the better fuel and that's why putting the new plugs in changed things. I take prove it's point that a if a plug change alone makes a difference in performance it means the old plugs were trashed but in my experience where that is true there is usually evidence of breaking up at higher rpms which I wasn't experiencing. In addition, I've never experienced anything like this from a plug change before either which makes me think there is something else I'm missing.

[Edit]: Just to clarify, I mentioned in my first post that I had "no breaking up" with the Pulstars however I wasn't actually experiencing any breaking up with the old plugs either.

If no-one has any ideas maybe I'll pick up a set of NGK BR7es plugs, gap them to the same height as the Pulstars and throw those in. All things being equal I should see at least similar performance now right? If not then there must be something else I'm missing.
 
Last edited:

EHmotorsports

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2012
Messages
1,278
Location
Beaverton
Possible reasons I will just throw out. Timing event has changed + or - /tune may be off, weak spark for other reasons, no dielectric grease on the old plugs causing some minor spark grounding issues.
 

92_talon_awd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
456
Location
Knoxville, TN
In my old dsm I used BR7ES's, just left them gapped as they came. They're so cheap I would change them with the oil every 2-2500 miles. One time I didn't and I was out messing around, hit 10psi and the car fell all over its face. Less than $10 later it was hitting 30 like nothing. I'd always just swap out new plugs before trying to diagnose something that could be spark related, just so cheap and quick.
 

prove_it

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
4,201
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
I do the same. I buy the plugs for about 1.60 a piece, so they get swapped a lot. Like I said, if you swap plugs and it makes more power, then they were worn. Plugs don't add power, they reclaim lost power.
 

G

Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2004
Messages
8,896
Location
zompton
I wouldn't trust pulstar plugs on a boosted engine where detonation is more prevalent. Too high a risk of failure, ie....electrode breaking and destroying your motor. They are probably fine for na engines. I like to use the center design ngk race plugs.

ngk_rennzuendkerzen_motorsport_05.jpg
 
Last edited:

cheekychimp

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2004
Messages
7,333
Location
East Sussex, U.K.
Quoting raptorreed:
Why gap them to the pulstar gap and not like factory (.030-.032ish)?



So what determines plug gap?

I was simply trying to keep as many variables constant and do a plug swap to satisfy my own curiosity as to whether I am just imagining this difference or not. Like I said I accept prove it's point that plugs don't make power they only reclaim it but by the same token if that's true why bother about what plugs you put in at all? As long as they are new and gapped properly it shouldn't make any difference what NGK you use and that clearly is NOT the case. I do nonetheless accept that some issues are going to raise their ugly head at power levels and boost pressures far in excess of what I am attaining on this car.
 

92_talon_awd

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
456
Location
Knoxville, TN
Check this out, should answer your question. click
 
Last edited:
Support Vendors who Support the GVR-4 Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned
Top