The E3 spark plug has been unfairly compared as
"another Splitfire"...

This is not true...

So far (6 months) the E3s in my Cavalier are the
best and superior to AC platinums...

They are quickly gaining popularity, see from their
advertisement :

http://www.e3sparkplugs.com/crosscomp.asp

I've had this a while...

The Parts of the Spark Plug
Let's start by naming and understanding the parts of the plug.

1. Insulator - This white, shiny aluminum oxide ceramic is kiln fired
at a temperature above that of steel. (This is the part that always snaps when we put the socket on crooked.) The part in the combustion chamber can be as hot as 1750 degrees F (at pre-ignition).

2. Centre Wire - This is usually 2 parts of metal. The top is iron, and the lower part that we see is nickel. The nickel is good to approximately 2500 degrees F and is electrically stable.

3. Terminal Stud - This part can have a solid or removable nut. Make sure that this is always tight with a pair of pliers.

4. Shell - This is the part that has the hex that the socket fits on, and the treads that hold it in the head. It's made from mild machined steel, then plated with zinc or nickel.

5. Ground Wire - The hook or "L" shaped projection on the business end of the plug. This area is where all the "new tech" is taking place.

6. Washers - These are installed and pressed. If you run a digitron, you know how hard it is to get some of these off!

Manufacturing Assembly

The plug is then assembled and sillment is tamped into the plug to seal it during cold pressing. Then the ground electrode is trimmed and the gap set. Next they are pressure checked at 8,000psi and centre wire push out is checked at 300psi. You can set gaps with a plier style gapper safely, but do not force the center wire sideways, as it will break the insulator. We use a simple round wore gap gauge and bend the side wire.

Testing Spark Plugs

Various standard tests are done on plugs to establish their particular characteristics and heat ranges. These include an IMEP test which measures mean effective pressure sensitivity, thermo coupler testing which shows cold fouling, a flame analyzer which uses an oscilloscope to look at ionization of the plug gap, and an erosion test to measure wear. None of these are useful to us because we don't usually stray far from the recommended heat range for our cars. One heat range colder is the usual change.

Gap Styles

The next subject is obviously the one that all the ads emphasize. This is the gap style. We have U-grooves, and V-gaps, split fires and ring fires, side gap and surface gap, projected and retracted single and multiple. Which theory is right, or does it matter? Let's take a look at each.

(A) Standard Gap or J-Gap: This plug can have a variety of electrodes, including full coverage, half coverage (where the side wire ends at the mid-point of the center electrode) and corner gap (where it ends at the edge). A race plug always has the shortest or corner gap design, because a spark likes to jump to a sharp edge and it always takes the path of least resistance. This is usually on the back side. An edge or corner gap plug allows the mixture better spark exposure and a cleaner flame kernel.

(B) Projected Core Nose: This type sticks the spark 1/8" into the combustion chamber. This helps prevent low speed and cold fouling and also gets cooled by the incoming charge at high speed. It is difficult to build a projected plug in very cold heat ranges however, because of the long ground wire, which is typically the hottest part of the plug. To a very limited degree, this plug behaves as though the ignition were more advanced, because it places the flame more centrally in the chamber.

(C) Retracted Gap: Designed for very high output engines (F-1, Indy) with high cylinder pressure and temperature and side wire clearance problems. Some of these have silver center wires to help dissipate heat. We would never use this type of plug because it provides the least effective combustion incentive.

(D)Surface Gap: These were originally designed to solve fouling problems on outboard 2-stroke engines. They are so cold, they have no measurable heat range. They also require a very high energy ignition system. The newest style is a "surface air gap" for "F-1" engines with a fine wire center (.052") which has more nose length.

(E) U-Groove: The only possible advantage to this plug would be a more exposed spark due to the lack of a "center" in the ground wire. The same thing is usually accomplished by a fine wire/corner gap design. In fact a NipponDenso Engineer was heard to say, the reason for this U-design was to eliminate shell distortion when welding the side wire onto the shell. Larger wire takes more heat when welding.

(F)Split-Fire/Ring of Fire: Again the possible advantage is better spark exposure by splitting the ground wires around the center wire. However, this ground wire has more mass and actually shrouds the edges of the center wire badly and secondly its additional edges which should give longer wear life, create extra hot spots in a racing application. As for the more spark energy claim, as long as you compare "apples to apples", there is no difference compared to any standard gap plug. Any difference would be to compare resistor to non-resistor or auxiliary gap to standard plug. As for the multiple spark claim, it can be explained by the arc of lightning. It's the best example of "one charge/one arc". If the plug receives one charge, it will deliver one arc. As the coil collapsed, some small oscillations create refires, but these are insignificant to performance.

(G) Fine Center Wire/Ground Wire: Originally designed to improve 2 stroke anti fouling characteristics. The small center wire reduces voltage required to file the gap. The small cross sectional area of the wires result in less cycle to cycle variations. The small center wire (0.052" vs. 0.100") allows a smaller center insulator and thus gets more fuel charge into the clearance volume of the plug to keep it cleaner and cooler. These plugs are proven to fire the charge under greater pressure with a similar ignition system.

Precious metals such as copper, silver, gold, etc. are designed to pull heat out of the firing end of the plug. If used in the center wire, they usually add durability. This is not a concern in our cars, but since they have a "free electron" the spark tends to "leave" more easily. One interesting side note is that platinum is a catalyst for alcohol (ethanol, methanol). This causes a serious deterioration in the metal, so never use a platinum plug in an alcohol fueled engine.

That plug retails at 5.99 each. A set of NGK Iridiums or Bosch Platinum 4+ plugs costs that much so I would like to see dyno tests and other proof besides pictures that show graphs where half of them do not include actual numbers on the scale.


--------------------------------------------------
'96 Cavalier Good ol' Pushrod 2.2
-24X,000 miles on factory build
-Some oil loss between changes, me thinks it be rings.

It's funny that you take their word. I can sell a pile of @!#$ and say it smells like roses. We all know it's not the truth but someone will believe it because the manufacture of it says so. You sir are that person.





I used to race cars, now I race myself.
5K PB: 24:50
10K PB: 54:26

to David Jones :

Last year I was in Loew's for a spark plug for one of my

lawnmowers. Out of curiosity I bought one made by/for

E3.

Immediate improvement over the standard spark plug

was much easier starting. So, I gradually replaced all

standard spark plugs, both 4 cycle and 2 cycle, with new

E3s. I was very pleased with results in every case.

When my Cavalier showed symptoms of needing new

spark plugs, I found several mail order sources for the

automotive type of E3s. I ordered and installed the

automotive E3s about 6 months ago. The Cavalier

showed similier improvements to what had happened

with the lawn equipment.

To find out what I'm talking about, all it takes is buying

a new plug for a lawnmower. I see they're now available

at Home Depot.

to Team Vision Racing :

I know that you've never tried this new spark plug design.

If you had you wouldn't have written such harsh comments.

My only purpose here is to help, and I hope that I've helped

someone.

Leland,

Even a $1, no name plug will work better than one that is worn out.

I have a significant documented MPG loss w/ brand new Bosch Plat's +2's, but am willing to try a bench test w/ these.

to Kardain :

A neighbor that lives across the street from me came over

just as I snugged down an E3 in a 3 HP blade edger. I was

getting ready to edge my sidewalks and curbs.

As he was walking away he watched me pull on the little

engine.

It started about half-way through the pull. Really quick.

He later asked me, "What kind of spark plug was that ?"

I told him, and he bought one for his lawnmower. He's

been very pleased also.

The main improvement provided by the automotive E3s

is how smooth the engine idles and accellerates.

^ that's just as good as the butt dyno.

IIRC you said the same thing about another sh**y subject. Yet you don't have any proof. Go shoot yourself for god sake.



Gilles
2.3 Ho

to J-Body Org. moderator :

Please delete this topic in its entirety. Thank you.

Well, doesn't look like they carry a plug equiv to the ACDelco 41-928, so if there's an equiv plug that will work in the 2.2...

In order for my bench test to work, it has to be with OEM compatible plugs (ie direct match)