Date:         Fri, 08 Dec 95 17:14:57 CST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: Splitfire Sparkplugs

i can't say about the splitfires, cause i've never been able to convince
myself of their cost being worth the claims. however, i am currently
trying some Bosch triple-prong (electrode) plugs, and they DO seem to be
doing very nicely. and at HALF the price of the splitfires! NGK also makes
a similar 3-prong plug for slightly less than the Bosch.

now ... subjectively, it SEEMS that the car idles "smoother". seems, mind
you. i can't prove it. all i can "prove" is that my record keeping of gas
and mileage shows an increase of the AVERAGE mpg (highway and town) from
19.4 to 19.5 in the last 30,000 miles ... that is, since i put the bosch
plugs in. well, you say, that isn't much. true. but the thing to me is that
the average is moving upward ... it had stayed steady from 10,000 to 70,000
miles, then started moving up. now, i can't say that it IS the plugs ... i
can't say what it is. maybe just coincidence.

but another "benefit" of the bosch seems to be the longevity ... the first
set i ran for 15,000 miles ... and they looked like they were still very
new. the electrodes were NOT worn. kinda surprised me. so i'm thinking that
i'll leave this set in past 15,000 and see what happens. it kinda makes
some sense ... with three electrodes, the spark will jump from each one
only 1 out of 3 times (more or less) and if one electrode starts erroding
more than the others, it gets "ignored" cause the other two sharper 'trodes
will be more likely to get used. so it appears that these plugs could go
maybe as much as 30,000 miles per set. if so, then they could be much
more economical than the older single-electrode plugs ... cause they can be
used about five times as long, but cost only three times as much (i paid
$3.60 each for the Bosch).

but i can't "prove" that the plugs are the cause of the upward moving average
... it's possible that all the gasolines in this area are getting better and
cleaning the injectors more.  :)  <well, it IS possible!>

so ... would i recommend you try the bosch? yup. do i think they'll help your
mileage? i have no idea. maybe. but i do know they are a cheaper test than
the Splitfires. :)

joel