Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #40941
From: <wrjjrs@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] Re: Plugs
Date: Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:27:29 -0500
To: <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Al and Richard,
I worked for Kawasaki in the 2 stroke era. We had many types of CDI ignition. The trouble was we had such a short spark duration that there was trouble igniteing a regular mixture. We were FORCED to use large spark gaps (like .06-.09in.) to get regular plugs to work. Most of the time you will probably find a standard ignition with a longer duration spark will work BETTER. MSD type multiple spark systems are a different matter. Virtually every "super spark plug" has used either a secondary gap or a step up transformer to get the "hotter" spark. If your system is marginal you might get better performance for a short time at the expense of your coils which are being forced to work harder. Since the rotary fires a specific coil more often than a piston engine it might lead to coil failure. Stay with standard plugs and be sure your system is up to the task and you will be better off.
Bill jepson


-----Original Message-----
From: Al Gietzen <ALVentures@cox.net>
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:05 am
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Plugs

Subject: [FlyRotary] Plugs
 
Has anyone used any "Pulstar" plugs? Is there really anything to it?  www.pulstarplug.com 
 
Sounds to me a little like another bottle of snake oil. But, who knows.
 
Richard Sohn
 
My take is that it is mostly snake oil; but could be beneficial if your plugs are subject to fouling.  There is very likely very little additional power into the spark; but the available power is concentrated into a very much shorter time – instead of lighting up the spark for 30 millions of a second, it concentrates it into about a billionth of a second (using their numbers).  Whether this is really advantageous to igniting the mixture; I don’t know, my guess is probably not.  
 
However; doing that would definitely more likely fire a fouled plug. It is similar to holding a gap between the plug wire and the plug.  I remember from way back when I was a kid and had an oil-burning Chevy that would foul plugs.  Rigged about a 3/8” gap between the plug wire and the plugs, and it would run fine.
 
Al

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