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-   -   Nology Spark Plug Wires and improved gas mileage? (https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-aftermarket-performance-modifications-23/nology-spark-plug-wires-improved-gas-mileage-36836/)

SP767 08-17-2004 08:50 PM

Nology Spark Plug Wires and improved gas mileage?
 
Okay,

How about this? Michael Huffman of Vivid Racing installed Nology spark plug wires into his RX8 project car. In his write up of the effects, he states that his mileage has improved 4mpg.

I find this incredible if it is true. For those of us who are getting 12-14mpg in the city, a 4mpg improvement would represent a 33% improvement in mileage!!

I can't believe it, but if it's true, i'm getting my set tomorrow!!

http://vrsm.vividracing.com/index.ph...=Project%20RX8

Steve

DOMINION 08-17-2004 08:56 PM

Sounds good. Let us know YOUR MPG...

Fanman 08-17-2004 09:29 PM

I am having my Racing Beat wires installed this weekend. I will let everyone know.

RonD-NM 08-17-2004 09:59 PM

Where did you get them and how much?

RotaMotion 08-18-2004 01:32 AM

Sounds way too good to be true, but I hope it is :D You know the old argument...if it's that good, why doesn't it come from the factory that way... I mean, 4 mpg is something like a 20-25% MPG improvement for a lot of us. That's HUGE!


BTW, here is the link http://www.nology.com/hot.html

Also, discussed here in the past:
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ghlight=Nology
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ghlight=Nology

Also, wonder what the super spark from these things does to the life of our $25 spark plugs...

Fanman 08-18-2004 01:39 AM

I got my Racing Beat Spark Plug Wires at the RX8store (www.rx8store.com). You can order them direct from Racing Beat for $90 (RX8 Store is $1 cheaper).

RonD-NM 08-18-2004 02:36 PM

Thanks for the info RotaMotion! And BTW I think I was told the OEM spark plugs cost $58.00ea. I freaked when the dealership told me this.

RotorGeek 08-18-2004 09:17 PM

Please keep us posted

shaunv74 08-18-2004 09:41 PM

If you have the means do a dyno or gtech run before and after to see if there is a measureable performance difference.

wakeech 08-18-2004 10:25 PM

...my god. some people will buy anything.

Nemesis8 08-18-2004 10:55 PM

If money is not a worry, why not??

wakeech 08-19-2004 02:28 AM

'cause you can always give it to me instead of wasting it on something that doesn't work.

cgrx 08-19-2004 02:34 AM

grounding wires are way better...............LOL

shelleys_man_06 08-19-2004 08:22 AM

Hooray for electrons!

Seriously, until I see actual gains, I'm not buying these wires. Besides, isn't NOLOGY considered a rice brand? Charlatans!

mysql101 08-19-2004 09:01 AM

For $160, they better do something.

Gord96BRG 08-19-2004 11:27 AM


Originally Posted by Nemesis8
If money is not a worry, why not??

Nology wires are snake oil, just like Splitfire spark plugs were/are. To anyone who has studied electrical theory (electronics, electrical engineering, etc.), their web page is good for a bunch of laughs, because there's so much fiction, BS, and made-up nonsense there that it's hilarious!
It gets really ridiculous when they offer plug wires to replace the coil-on-plug OEM setups (like this , relocating the coils to a special bracket! WTF? The coil-on-plug OEM setups already provide real benefits that they only claim to provide, so it's a huge downgrade to switch to Nology wires - but obviously there's plenty of suckers (apologies to the suckers ;) ) who buy the spin that Nology is selling.

300 times more powerful spark. Yeah, right. Like wakeech said - send the money to him, at least it won't be a complete and utter waste then! :D

Regards,
Gordon

Irish_in_a_RX8 08-19-2004 02:46 PM


Originally Posted by Gord96BRG
Nology wires are snake oil, just like Splitfire spark plugs were/are. To anyone who has studied electrical theory (electronics, electrical engineering, etc.), their web page is good for a bunch of laughs, because there's so much fiction, BS, and made-up nonsense there that it's hilarious!
It gets really ridiculous when they offer plug wires to replace the coil-on-plug OEM setups (like this , relocating the coils to a special bracket! WTF? The coil-on-plug OEM setups already provide real benefits that they only claim to provide, so it's a huge downgrade to switch to Nology wires - but obviously there's plenty of suckers (apologies to the suckers ;) ) who buy the spin that Nology is selling.

300 times more powerful spark. Yeah, right. Like wakeech said - send the money to him, at least it won't be a complete and utter waste then! :D

Regards,
Gordon

As always Gorg, your common sense has spoken - well apart from send money to wakeech, I'd like a cut too :)

All the best
Wayne

Dookie_Rx-8 08-21-2004 03:40 PM

so anyone find the mpg true?

mysql101 08-21-2004 04:01 PM

No, but your wallet will definately feel lighter.

shaunv74 08-22-2004 12:09 PM

I guess the big question on these things is does the theory hold water? I'm not much of an EE guy (still trying to figure out how they get all those electrons into those tiny wires) so would inline capacitors and grounding wires improve the spark timing accuracy and would this in turn do anything at all to the efficiency of the combustion process? Does anyone have some solid ignition system experience and can educate us on the wants and don't wants of spark and ignition?

wakeech 08-22-2004 01:06 PM


Originally Posted by Magnecor.com
The most notable of exaggerated claims for ignition wires are made by Nology, a recent manufacturer of ignition wires promoted as "the only spark plug wires with built-in capacitor." Nology's "HotWires" (called "Plasma Leads" in the UK) consist of unsuppressed solid metal or spiral conductor ignition wires over which braided metal sleeves are partially fitted. The braided metal sleeves are grounded via straps formed from part of the braiding. Insulating covers are fitted over the braided metal sleeves. These wires are well constructed. For whatever reason, Nology specifies that non-resistor spark plugs need to be used with their "HotWires." In a demonstration, the use of resistor plugs nullifies the visual effect of the brighter spark.

Ignition wires with grounded braided metal sleeves over the cable have come and gone all over the world for (at least) the last 30 years, and similar wires were used over 20 years ago by a few car makers to solve cross-firing problems on early fuel injected engines and RFI problems on fiberglass bodied cars — only to find other problems were created. The recent Circle Track Magazine (USA, May, 1996 issue) test showed Nology "HotWires" produced no additional horsepower (the test actually showed a 10 horsepower decrease when compared to stock carbon conductor wires).

The perceived effect a brighter spark, conducted by an ignition wire, encased or partially encased in a braided metal sleeve (shield) grounded to the engine, jumping across a huge free-air gap (which bears no relationship to the spark needed to fire the variable air/fuel mixture under pressure in a combustion chamber) is continually being re-discovered and cleverly demonstrated by marketers who convince themselves there's monetary value in such a bright spark, and all sorts of wild, completely un-provable claims are made for this phenomena.

Like many in the past, Nology cleverly demonstrates a brighter free-air spark containing useless flash-over created by the crude "capacitor" (effect) of this style of wire. In reality, the bright spark has no more useful energy to fire a variable compressed air/fuel mixture than the clean spark you would see in a similar demonstration using any good carbon conductor wire. What is happening in such a demonstration is the coil output is being unnecessarily boosted to additionally supply spark energy that is induced (and wasted) into the grounded braided metal sleeve around the ignition wire's jacket. To test the validity of this statement, ask the demonstrator to disconnect the ground strap and observe just how much energy is sparking to ground.

Claims by Nology of their "HotWires" creating sparks that are "300 times more powerful," reaching temperatures of "100,000 to 150,000 degrees F" (more than enough to melt spark plug electrodes), spark durations of "4 billionths of a second" (spark duration is controlled by the ignition system itself) and currents of "1,000 amperes" magically evolving in "capacitors" allegedly "built-in" to the ignition wires are as ridiculous as the data and the depiction of sparks in photographs used in advertising material and the price asked for these wires! Most stock ignition primaries are regulated to 6 amperes and the most powerful race ignition to no more than 40 amperes at 12,000 RPM.

It is common knowledge amongst automotive electrical engineers that it is unwise to use ignition wires fitted with grounded braided metal sleeves fitted over ignition cable jackets on an automobile engine. This type of ignition wires forces its cable jackets to become an unsuitable dielectric for a crude capacitor (effect) between the conductor and the braided metal sleeves. While the wires function normally when first fitted, the cable jackets soon break down as a dielectric, and progressively more spark energy is induced from the conductors (though the cable jackets) into the grounded metal sleeves, causing the ignition coil to unnecessarily output more energy to fire both the spark plug gaps and the additional energy lost via the braided metal sleeves. Often this situation leads to ignition coil and control unit overload failures. It should be noted that it is dangerous to use these wires if not grounded to the engine, as the grounding straps will be alive with thousands of volts wanting to ground-out to anything (or body) nearby.

Unless you are prepared to accept poorly suppressed ignition wires that fail sooner than any other type of ignition wires and stretch your ignition system to the limit, and have an engine with no electronic management system and/or exhaust emission controls, it's best not to be influenced by the exaggerated claims, and some vested-interest journalists', resellers' and installers' perception an engine has more power after Nology wires are fitted. Often, after replacing deteriorated wires, any new ignition wires make an engine run better.



OTHER DEVICES CLAIMING TO INCREASE SPARKS:

Never be fooled by any device that is fitted between the ignition coil and the distributor, and/or distributor and the spark plugs (sometimes in place of ignition wires) for which claims of increased power, multiple sparks, and better fuel economy are made. These devices have come and gone over the last 50 years, and usually consists of a sealed container in which the spark is forced to jump an additional gap or is partially induced to ground on its way to the spark plug gap. These devices can also be cleverly demonstrated to produce sparks the human eye perceives as being "more powerful." The only "increase" a gullible consumer can expect from these devices is an undesirable increase in load on their vehicle's ignition system.

send your money to me, instead. PM me for address, checks or money orders would be great.

RotaMotion 08-23-2004 12:40 AM

Wakeech,

Good debunking and technical data. The ratio of debunking data to strong supporting technical data IMHO is significant, not a good sign for Nology :eek:

BTW, thanks for posting a technical argument with supporting data vs. the "they suck" approach :)

blksf8 08-23-2004 12:47 AM


Originally Posted by wakeech
...my god. some people will buy anything.

Huff probably got his wires for free.

8inVegas 08-23-2004 10:22 AM

what is the difference between spark plug wires and earthing/grounding kits? sorry everyone for my illiterracy.

s13lover 08-23-2004 12:18 PM


Originally Posted by cgrx
grounding wires are way better...............LOL

Well the MS version II of the RX-8 has improved ground wires, so there might be some true to that one as well as the nology wires. I think that the true has been streched as far as the actually gains are concerned.

Oh, and I'm taking Engine Electrical Systems & Electronic Principles in college right now so I may get a chance to test these miracle products.


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