Below is a sample of a few of our test vehicles.

Enerpulse Performance Evaluation Procedure (E-PEP)

The Enerpulse Performance Evaluation Procedure (E-PEP) is a test method for comparing the performance of pulse plugs against that of spark plugs and documenting the comparison in four performance categories: fuel economy, acceleration, horsepower, and torque. Subject vehicles have worn out spark plugs replaced with factory recommended new spark plugs, spark gap settings, tire pressures and fuel. Fuel flow meters are installed into the vehicle’s fuel lines (incoming and return) and linked to a computer to register real-time fuel flow throughout the test to an accuracy of 1/42,000th of a gallon. The vehicle is then setup up on the Enerpulse Mustang chassis dynamometer

Once prepared the vehicle put through a series of tests on the chassis dynamometer. The first of this series of tests is designed to measure horsepower and torque. Typically 3 pulls from low RPM to redline are made on the dyno to measure the output of the engine with factory plugs. If the car is consistent on the dyno, then this data is used for baseline horsepower and torque readings. In many cases it takes several runs for the stock ECU to get accustomed to running on the chassis dynamometer. In this case, more runs are made until consistent results can be achieved.

The next category in the EPEP is the acceleration test. The EPEP focuses on a “passing acceleration” type test typically ranging from 40mph to 80mph. Sometimes this figure is changed a little depending on the platform, gearing, transmission, etc. The ideal situation is to make an in-gear acceleration run representative of a highway passing situation. The goal is to prevent any up-shifts or down-shifts during the pull to eliminate transmission response time as a variable. Three runs are made between the two speed zones. If consistent results are achieved these results become the baseline acceleration times.

The last category of the test focuses on fuel economy. The car is driven on the dyno following the EPA’s US06 driving trace. This test is one part of the US EPA’s fuel economy testing and represents a real world mixed highway driving condition with lots of passing acceleration and high speeds reaching over 80mph. The flow meters are monitored during this test and the results in CCs of fuel are recorded in the Mustang chassis dynamometer file.

When E-PEP is completed for the stock factory spark plug, Pulstar™ pulse plugs are installed. The E-PEP is then run again with pulse plugs.  The results are then compared between the factory plugs and the appropriate Pulstar pulse plug. The graph outputs are scanned from the dyno onto the E-PEP server and a master database file of the results is updated.

The performance of your vehicle may vary with the age and condition of your car, weather, and your driving habits.