# Pulstar Spark Plugs



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Well, I've waited long enough for this, and it's time to let the cat out of the bag. 

On 11/19/2012, I sent an email to the support e-mail address for enerpulse. My email contained the following:



> [FONT=&quot]I'm writing because your spark plug has been mentioned on our site on a few occasions, and the general consensus was that there would be no noticeable improvement and that our factory Iridium spark plugs are sufficient. That said, we strive to get the best fuel economy out of our cars, and some of us with the ECO trim and manual transmission are achieving over 50mpg on the highway while driving with the speed of traffic. I personally achieve 39-42mpg with a 73% *city *driving split on any given week. Any notable increase in fuel economy would certainly gain the attention and interest of many of our members.
> 
> For this reason, I'd like to ask if it would be possible to get a set of spark plugs for my Chevy Cruze ECO for review. If your product does indeed provide notable gains in fuel economy, you will gain a significant market by allowing me to review it. Once my testing is complete, I would write a review on the CruzeTalk.com discussion board for this product, and would also publish this review on my website; www.XtremeRevolution.net.


[/FONT]See, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. If any of you have been paying attention, you'll have seen the skepticism that this product has been met with on our forums. In fact, one member even started having very poor performance with his Cruze as well as stuttering issues, if I remember correctly. I figure, if they're selling these plugs for such a high price point, maybe they do work and the bad report was just a fluke. Maybe, just maybe, there might be something there, so why not give them a chance to prove themselves? After all, sending me a set so I would publish a review on my website (which gets a decent amount of traffic) and on CruzeTalk is practically free advertising, and the sales made to members here if a fuel economy gain could be determined would pay for whatever their cost would be in no time. 

I got a response from Lou Camilli, Founder and President of Enerpulse:



> Andrei,
> Thank you for the discussion and opportunity to display our technology. How many “members” do you have on the blog and are they all Cruze owners? Do you have any other demographics about your readers?
> 
> I can understand and appreciate the nature and slant of the comments on any of the blogs that mention our product. Very little is known about ultra-high electromagnetics and how this applies to what looks like a spark plug. With an understanding of the technology and functionality of the Pulstar pulse plug, one comes to understand why it is different and how it works.
> ...


I sent him a reply on 11/20, at which time I ran him by the thousands of users we have on this site, the amount of exposure we get through non-registered viewers, and explained that I was interested in what they had to provide me. I gave him the specific model, trim, and engine of my Cruze, as well as the mileage and the plugs that are currently installed. I waited, and waited, and never got a reply from him. I sent him a follow-up on 11/29 thinking maybe he had forgotten about my email. 

It is 12/27 and I have yet to receive a reply from him or the 3 other enerpulse employees that were copied on these emails. 

I will stand by my previous statements regarding Pulstar plugs in that they offer no benefits to our vehicles. I gave Enerpulse 30 days to reach out and give them a chance to prove that their plugs do something and that maybe they're more than just snake oil, and they dropped the ball. If I ran a company that so many people referred to as "snake oil" and "rip-off," I'd put forth a bit more effort to prove that my product does what I claim it does, but I digress. 

If you're considering Pulstar spark plugs, save your money and buy something that will actually improve your car's performance.


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## spaycace (Feb 9, 2012)

I remember seeing articles on these plugs ... used in a corvette of all things, and there was actually an improvement! Here's a link to the thread: Tampa, FL C6 needed for pulstar test. - Corvette Forum

If I recall however, that was about the only vehicle that DID see noticeable gains that would actually be realized by a consumer. I've also heard that their customer service is lacking, which is apparently substantiated by your experience with them.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

spaycace said:


> I remember seeing articles on these plugs ... used in a corvette of all things, and there was actually an improvement! Here's a link to the thread: Tampa, FL C6 needed for pulstar test. - Corvette Forum
> 
> If I recall however, that was about the only vehicle that DID see noticeable gains that would actually be realized by a consumer. I've also heard that their customer service is lacking, which is apparently substantiated by your experience with them.


The reviews as you clearly pointed out are mixed at best. Then, we have reviews like this on our site:



> Guys I put a set of these pulstar plugs into my Cruze. FOr about 24 hours under light conditions the car ran fine. Then I went to work, as I went to get on the highway I hit the gas and ran the car up to 4k and BOOM, the car bucked and ran like crap! I barely had enough engine power the get back off the highway and back home. I got home, let the car cool down, and changed the plugs and put the original plugs back in and the car ran ok again. Moral of the story PULSTAR plugs suck!


http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/10-e...lstar-spark-plugs-4-12-torque-increase-2.html

Lou impressed me in his response. Being the founder and president of Enerpulse, it was nice to see that he personally responded to my email and copied three of his employees on it. It was not nice to never get a reply back from my second email. I've had to run an IT consulting business for the past month and despite my limited business ownership experience, even I know that you always respond to peoples' email, if only to let them know that you received it. 

I made it clear to Lou that I would be fair in my review and any business man knows that the a favorable review based on more than just anecdotal evidence is very good for business, especially when so many doubt the claims your product makes.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I don't buy his "Very little is known about ultra-high electromagnetics and how this applies to what looks like a spark plug" comment. To me this sounds like the same marketing BS as "improve your fuel economy by wrapping a magnet around your fuel line". What exactly is "ultra-high electromagnetics"? At 6,000 RPM, each spark plug is firing a paltry 100 hertz. This is low frequency by any definition.

XR - I'm not surprised you never got a response to your second email. Scam artists tend not to respond to deeper inquiries.


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## MyShibbyEco (Jan 21, 2012)

Sad that someone representing a company (any company) does not want to support what would be "cheap" advertising by donating a set of free plugs.

Anywho, I highly doubt these plugs will help with power, fuel economy, etc. since the stock plugs do a very good job at getting a complete burn. I would make this statement about most replacement plugs that make such economy claims. Spark plugs are not one of those things where it can always get better linearly, it has diminishing returns very quickly as you add more spark. If you truly want a stronger spark look in to other means such as voltage amplifiers and ignition systems offered from Accel, MSD, etc.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Looks like this might turn out after all. I just received an e-mail from Lou.



> First of all - wishing you a happy and prosperous 2013.
> Secondly, you were not intentionally slighted. We are changing our computer system to better serve our customers and during the move a few e-mails were unintentionally dropped from the transfer to the new server, my apologies. Additionally, we are in the process of acquiring a Cruze to put on our dyno and try to duplicate what your members experienced.
> My research shows that the Cruze uses the Pulstar BE1 series and I would be pleased to have you BETA this product for your readers. Please advise shipping address.


I responded to him with my shipping address. I will report back.


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## tecollins1 (Nov 6, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Looks like this might turn out after all. I just received an e-mail from Lou.
> 
> 
> 
> I responded to him with my shipping address. I will report back.


Well good to hear that they got back to you and that they are actually trying to put a Cruze on a dyno to show results.


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

tecollins1 said:


> Well good to hear that they got back to you and that they are actually trying to put a Cruze on a dyno to show results.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App


Got another reply just now:



> As we are close to getting the Cruze, I would like to test it and send the plugs along with the data we extract. Is that good for you?


It will be interesting to see what data he sends.


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## spaycace (Feb 9, 2012)

I know I'll be waiting with bells on (figuratively speaking of course) to see what kind of numbers the company provides compared to the number a "normal" guy comes up with. So perhaps in the meantime ... :signs015:


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

I have been in the electronics field all of my life and I can tell you all the the phrase < little is known about ultra high electromagnetics > Is a fallacie Think Tesla from the 1800:s


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

The facts about this thread come down to mathematics


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## Hoon (Mar 18, 2012)

I call BS.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Looks like this might turn out after all. I just received an e-mail from Lou.
> 
> 
> 
> I responded to him with my shipping address. I will report back.


If I were you I would not put those in my car, there has been numerous reports of coil pack & PCM failures caused by these plugs.


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## Hammer47 (Oct 11, 2012)

Guys seriously... These plugs + my Car = SUCKAGE!!!! Dont waste your time or money or damage your car! I have a 2011 Cruze Eco MT. I had them in there for less than a day, and then the ONE time I needed to get on it to get up to highway speed something failed. BAD MOJO. :angry:


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Still waiting on their testing and numbers for now.


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## brianguy1979 (Jun 17, 2012)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Still waiting on their testing and numbers for now.



Still waiting???


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## Adrian1989 (Sep 2, 2012)

Did anything ever come of this? Can we officially say "no" to pulstar plugs?


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

I believe the_ interim _consensus is *NO* until such time they produce _valid_ evidence to the contrary.


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## NYCruze2012 (Jan 16, 2012)

I'm totally in agreement with 70AARCUDA! Way too many variables on this to risk ruining your motor. Not enough answers on the side besides the AC Delco plugs are in fact manufactured by NGK anyway and they are iridium plugs and that is good enough for me.

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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

Spark plugs have always been a target for snake oil salesmen. Anybody else old enough to remember Splitfire and their claims of more HP and fuel economy? 

FTC: SplitFire, Inc.

Bottom line is this. If a better plug existed for our cars that would increase mpg, they'd be in them from the factory. Automakers are spending billions of dollars to meet the higher mpg standards coming in yet they use the same plugs.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

Yeah, I remember when those SplitFire plugs first came out...lots of hype and no supporting data.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

I take it the E3 plugs are in the same boat?


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## H3LLON3ARTH (Dec 16, 2011)

Merc6 said:


> I take it the E3 plugs are in the same boat?
> 
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


I've read numerous articles stating there crap.

Sent from my Droid


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## newsguy99 (May 24, 2013)

I also remember split-fire plugs.. While I used them in a old Dotson B210 back in the day, I never had any bad side effects from using them... But, they never really did anything extra as they claimed..


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## KOBALT (Nov 19, 2013)

Hate to bump an old thread, but did anything every come of this??

I'm not due for new plugs but I'm replacing my AutoLites with NGKs, i suppose. My oem NGKs corroded out bad and the AutoLites were the only thing the store had in stock for me. The AutoLites have not given me any issues, but for the price I'm going back to NGKs because that's the consensus that those are the best for the 1.4.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I think the consensus has been to go with the NGK BKR8EIX plugs for the LT, ECO, and LTZ trims. Not sure about the LS trim.


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## Sharkboy24 (Oct 7, 2016)

Just put the darn things in my car, and it stutters like shi#. Going to see if they will fit down the toilet when i get them out. Other than pulseshi# what is the best spark plugs that work for the cruze


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