44 replies to this topic

[minimad998]

The thing with the multi electrode spark plugs is that it does extend the life of the plug. As the spark is produced, errosion of the electrode occurs. What then happens is the gap gets bigger, so the spark switches to another electrode that is closer. In theory the plugs should last 5 times longer than a standard single electrode plug, and probibly cost 5 times as much.

yh you are right there, the thing that i bought is like a ht lead with a cotton reel on it if you look ^^ there is some pics that i placed on erlier

[minimad998]

only 1 spark is needed,
i got one of these last year and worked well for a WHILE then it got a bit C**p, so i took itoff,
later i stepped on it by accident and there was 3 washers in there!!!!!!

SO £25 for 3 washers...........never again.

lol you where ripped off there, didnt look like mine did it?

Edited by minimad998, 10 January 2008 - 11:50 PM.

[Sprocket]

Whoopsie, i read five sparks and though multi electrode plugs

[JetBLICK]

I got the splitfire leads, just the normal ones tho... they came with a lifetime warranty, cant loose

[Dan]

Those are a different, unrelated product from what is being discussed here. Splitfire leads are just multicore plug leads, a different daft ignition doodad from this one.

[pinch]

my mate bought a power ball lead the other year and when we were drunk at the same car show we opened it up in front of him and it contained a self tapping screw and washer at each end crudely holding the lead in place and to make up the gap in between the screw heads there were 4 washers jammed in. all for £25. nice. as dan said, you don't see these things on supercars etc, or indeed i've never seen one on a high performance engine built by a mini specialist!

[CharlieBrown]

I got one of these at a show a few years ago. Cant really tell if it did any good but ive had it on the mini ever since.

The little demonstration they give is quite convincing though...

[998dave]

I can't help thinking that these may help in the same way as a new standard lead is better then an old one.

As for 5 sparks, I have some issues here, 5 sparks, with a time delay between each could help if they're timed well and you have some swirl in your combustion chamber, this would give four ignition nuclei and therefore, if the charge was swirling faster then a flame would spread, lead to a faster burn, itself leading to more efficient combustion...?

It all seems quite odd though, especially with washers inside...!?

As for being an amplifier - this is technically impossible, the only way to amplify an electrical signal, is with more electricity, this isn't posible, unless you have an extra input to the device.

Thinking about that though, if you have a capactior, each spark could be more 'dense', (it's a word that almost fits), giving shorter more intense sparks?

I'd like to look into this more, if anyone's got a broken Multispark then please PM me, I'll happily conduct a study into it's workings...

(P.S. not just after bits - I am, theoretically, an Advanced Concepts Powertrain Engineer... hehe...

Dave

[WiredbyWilson]

The thing with the multi electrode spark plugs is that it does extend the life of the plug. As the spark is produced, errosion of the electrode occurs. What then happens is the gap gets bigger, so the spark switches to another electrode that is closer. In theory the plugs should last 5 times longer than a standard single electrode plug, and probibly cost 5 times as much.

cost 5 times as much and last 5 times longer - so basically the same as servicing more regularly! but you will only ever get one spark from a plu, whether it has 1 electrode or 4! as said above the advantage of multi electrode plugs is the spark looks for the easiest route, thus not wasting enegy jumping a bigger plug gap.

so in all honesty im in the boat with Dan above, i cannot see how it would work and why all manifacturers dont use them as standard

Edited by Wilson1275, 11 January 2008 - 01:28 PM.

[Elfie]

I don't understand, that cone is on the lead from the coil to the dizzy yeah? And from what I've read here does it give each spark plug 5sparks each time it fires? Or does it do something to the contacts in the dizzy? Does the cone turn the one current that is then split into four into five currents that is split into 20?
I'm not sure what happens where

[JetBLICK]

Those are a different, unrelated product from what is being discussed here. Splitfire leads are just multicore plug leads, a different daft ignition doodad from this one.

Woops, i read spitfire as splitfire, my bad...

... i'll get my coat

[Stimpy]

Get a set of nice thick HT leads. Expensive ones. They'll last a long time and give a quality spark

 

I have to agree with the sceptics - I bought one some time back (the 5 spark demo looked good).  Dunno why I bought it as I'm usually good with avoiding snake oil.

 

The biggest thing it did was interfere with my radio.

 

With a new set of HT leads I broke the splitfire and found the metal washers.

Apparently you can a different spark if - before it gets to your sparkplugs - you make a gap for the HT current to jump over. Thats what the splitfire does.

 

Make the gap on your sparkplugs wider - its the same thing.

 

And - of course - no car manufacturer has these as standard.  Why not?

[puggered]

I remember this gimmick in the early 90's when I first started driving lol

[Yoda]

These use the same trick as we used on old Antique classic cars to make them run smoother and fire up easier, As Stimpy has stated, it creates an extra gap to apparently intensify the spark. The way we used to do this was with a two hole button and a bit of 13A fuse wire. Basically you wrap the fuse wire around the top of the plug and then replace the little screw cap adapter, then pull off the plug cap from the HT lead, and bare back the inner core ( only works with wire leads of course) then you put the fuse wire through one button hole and turn it back and twist it together, then you do the same with the HT lead so that there is no electrical contact. The current then has to JUMP the gap created by the button and somehow the spark is intensified. Dont ask me how, it just does. Sometimes this was the only way to get our old Model T Ford to start. 

 

If you want a cheaper way to make your engine run smoother, just get a set of these and leave them connected

 

Less than a tenner with postage LINK

 

These work exactly the same, just a modern version of my button! and they look pretty in the dark when you lift the bonnet. LOL

 

I just know that some of you are rummaging in the button tin right now to go and try it.

Edited by Yoda, 26 September 2013 - 08:35 AM.

[JustSteve]

I just know that some of you are rummaging in the button tin right now to go and try it.

 

On my way to grandma's as we speak! She'll sort me out