Anyone have any experience with Split Fire plugs? I have a set that I have run for several years (but they don't have very many miles on them, probably less than 6000mi) on a small block with the old Rochester fuel injection. I run the injector a little fat (rich) and from time to time I have had to remove and clean them (with a spark plug blaster).They show no signs of wear, just just slightly fouled. Just recently they seem to no longer fire. So I replaced them with the old tried and true AC44, set at .040 (with a PerTrinix ignition) and everything is back to business as usual. Any comments from plug or Split Fire experiences? Honestly I don't think I will buy another set because of the price. And I realy haven't been able to tell a significant improvement over ACs.

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I personally have never used them. But when I worked at a local auto parts store, it was my job to sell em.
My opinion on them is that they are a waste of money. They are a gimic. I sold those plugs for $6.00 a peice 2 yrs ago, and I cannot remember one person being satisfied with them.
If you want to get a "performance plug", go with a platinum plug.
Splitfires are an overpriced joke.

I've used split fire and the only reason is because I really wanted AC Rapid Fire which I use in my '87 Grand National but they don't sell them in a 13/16" plug for my '70 and yes they work. I know many think they are a waste of money too but I believe in them.
I used my split fires for I guess 2 summers and switched back to AC R43 because I didn't think the improvement was there compared to the AC. I ended up widening the gap 5 thou on the AC while running with the Pertronix
Igniter. I hear that the platinum plugs are not a performance plug. Anyone out there try any? The speed shop here say to try Accel Plugs. Anyone try the Accel?

Mark

Be aware that Splitfire recently had a legal decision against them that requires them to refund the money of anyone who had bought their product in some recent time period.The gist of it was that Splitfire could not substantiate any of their claims for performance. I am not surprised.

I cannot substantiate my feelings, but I don't feel satisfied that I got my money's worth. I think I will go back to AC44. I ran across 6 boxes of them after they were discontinued. So I have enough to last a while. Anyone recommend a good sub for AC44?

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I've tried the Split Fires in both my Elky and Harley with no difference in performance or milage on either and I drive 200 miles a day to and from work. I also tried the Accel short plugs and they died out in about three months. So far the Bosch platinums have worked out the best.

Does Bosch make a sub for AC44?

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Platinum plugs have been said to not be a "performance" plug by alot of the late model racers who use nitrous and/or superchargers. They say the platinum heats up (creating a hot spot) and can cause pre-ignition. FYI.

i thought i posted in this thread about this but maybe not..


i went to school with a mechanic who brought in a split fire that was separated at the metal base and the ceramic part.. you could spin one half inside the other..

the only people ive heard that have said positive things about splitfire is in 2 cylinder and less engines like dirtbikes/quads/atcs.....

personally i would never buy them but as for the platinum, i think their main claim to fame is that they last an extremely long time.. not so much a performance gain but that too.


mike, satisfied with ngk's and acdelcos, reeh

I have run Split Fire plugs and did not feel they did what the advertisments claimed.

The Baush platinum plug seems to work good for me and recently they have come out with a Baush platinum 4+ plug that looks interesting. It has four (4) electrodes like the plugs found in aircraft engines years ago. I am anxious to try them but they too are about $6.00 each. I am told you need a good strong ignition system but if you do they are great.

John

My mechanic says platinums run hot and burn up your plug wires faster. I think they are a gimmick too.

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Jameel Qazi
#'s 67 SS

The A/C Delco instructor at the GM training center in Fairfax, Va says that the A/C Rapidfire plug is the best plug to use in the late model GM engines. I personally use the same exact plug that the manufacturer uses in everything I tune up. If you switch to HEI you should gap your plugs .010 wider. Leo Paugh ASE certified master auto and truck technician

A friend of mine used them in his 87 k/20 pickup he didn't notice any difference.

Yes the Platinum plug manufactures have a cross reference for the older cars.

Mark

I have tried split fire no diff. Also tried the platinum plugs and found that what ocs408 & jaqazi say is true. I had more problems with them than I care to talk about.

I've run all different kinds of plugs and none have made much difference. I always go back to the AC R44t's, there cheap and available at any discount auto store. And the others are right, if you have a HEI with a hot coil or MSD box it really deos not matter. I run my plugs at .045 and after 1200 miles, they look as good as new.


Brian

[This message has been edited by Brian n az (edited 03-22-99).]

Technically, a given voltage in a given atmosphere at a given pressure ,will make the same spark regardless of the shape of the electrode, BUT it will pick the path of least resistance. This path is usually the smallest distance. It is very difficult to make the spark split into 2 parts. Practically, what this means is that if the electrode has 2 "fingers" or 100 "fingers", you will still only get one spark - usually from the smallest gap.
Splitfire is a gimmick as their lost court judgement will point out.
The funny part is: if you bought some of these gimmicks, you will be compensated by getting more gimmicks free!!!! You figure !!

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When i raced motorcross i used a splitfire and fouled it within one month ,went back to ngk race plug and never had problems .i feel the ngk's are one of the best plugs ive tried ,on such a small motor every h.p. is noticable and the ngk's were the quickest.

I think we have a concensus here. According to the majority, I probably would be better off with the AC44 and gap .040-.045. Right?

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This should stir the pot nicely..when no AC plugs are to be found, I've had good luck running Autolite spark plugs in my big block and the Harley, but never run anything but AC plugs in a small block. Champions go in the snow blower and lawn mower. No bash intended, just stating the facts! http://205.147.218.10/forum/wink.gif

Stick to standard AC, Champion, or Autolite and you will be alright.

I had my dist out over winter and did some bench test playing with plugs. This was my own experience and by no means an exact science. Hooked up HEI to power with plug and wire and watched the spark. Would spark up .070 but went with .045. Now the fun stuff. No matter where or what gap was, it ALWAYS sparks at closest point between tip and side electrode. Not in middle of center tip but side edge of center to ground. I can see why platnums work better in that its center is small wire centered whereas conventional plugs are large centers.(Forces spark out further?) I had read about the problems of shrouded plugs/spark and if looking how plug fires towards its inside side surface,its that much worse. I followed tip from HotRod and cutback half the ground electrode so it was halfway over center electrode. I then cut a notch in ground electrode to form a "V". Compared to original uncut plug,it looked like same spark intensity,BUT when watching original plug,spark could only be seen from sides.(Not directly below from piston) With modified plug, I could see spark from any angle. Modified all my plugs and put them in and ran real nice. We'll see if they burn up quicker. Supposedly HotRod says cutting plugs(not the V,that was my idea)is worh 5HP and dyno proven. The V furher unshrouds the plug in my mind (plug indexing). Never have tried splitfires. But have made my own now.

13/16 AC Rapid-Fire plugs are available. I have then in my 69 396, but I don't remember the number. If anyone wants to know, e-mail me and I'll go look tomorrow.

Greg, I tried cutting back the ground a few years ago the same way and the car ran like sh%^ when I got on it.

Mark

Elky,
Two hundred miles a day commuting? Wow I do 50 and am pi--ed at the end of each day.

Harvey - I know what you meen - I've been driving to Mountain View M-F for just over a year now and supprised iI havn't gone postal yet.

I have never tried the Splitfire...I was at a car show this past weekend in Jonesboro, Arkansas and I ran into a man that had a beyond sweet '67 Chevelle SS. He had a transplanted LS-6 with about 550 hp. He wouldn't stop about what had really pepped the motor up lately. The answer...AC Rapidfire plugs...he swore by them. I'm going to try them on my 396.