I saw an ad in Popular Science for Pulstar Sparkplugs.
Does anyone have any experience with these?
A Google search came up with the Pulstar DG-1 being Insight compatible but makes no mention of Insights special requirements.
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They only work if you first install magnets on the fuel line to "energize" the molecules!
Seriously, if there were such a thing as "magic" spark plugs, Honda would have used them on the Insight. You can't beat the factory plugs which are specially designed for the car.
If you use "Slick 50" it will coat all the mechanical parts thus significantly reducing internal friction. Then install the "Turbonator" and get even better mileage, as much as a 35% improvement... then install both the hood-scoop off eBay AND the chip and you cold potentially double or triple the mileage! My friend's insight's gas gauge actually spun backwards with all that stuff!
As dumb as it sounds (and a bit off topic), I have in real life actually had a conversation similar to the last post.
A few years ago I was at the Toronto International Auto Show looking at the Ford Escape hybrid. They had a big sign saying "Full Hybrid!" so I was immediately interested in where to plug it in. After being very disappointed with the sales-droid's assertion that it is not actually pluggable, I mention that while I am not a Ford or GM buyer, really the only thing I would consider replacing (or supplementing) my Insight with would be a plug in hybrid with a significant electric only range. The sales-dork then began with the standard speil bragging about the 40 or so MPG the Escape can get, saying how happy I would be with it instead of my old Insight. When I told him my actual mileage (around 80 MPG from London to Toronto that day in -25 degree weather) he really had nothing to refute but did come up with what is possibly the most creative dig on the Insight I have heard so far.
He said something to the effect that getting such incredible mileage is a major disadvantage because the fuel sits in the tank too long, turns sour, and will damage the fuel system over time.
I really didn't know how to respond (how do you counter such a comment with logic?!) so I replied "I'll keep an eye on that" and walked away. Then broke out into laughter a few moments later.
I bought a set of these for my Mazda 3 some months back. I installed them and noticed no real difference in MPG. Idle was a little smoother. Try as I might, I couldn't get any better fuel economy from them. I gave my best hyper mile techniques but to no avail. In fact my mpg's were down by 3 to 4 mpg. I am very stubborn and since these "plugs" cost a century note I kept running them hoping for a different result (insanity?). After several months, I replaced them with the old stock plugs and mpg's rose 3 to 4 mpg's right back, right away.
On the up side here, I have a full set of 4 reasonably new Pulstar Plugs that I would happily unload, ur, ahh, sell for $25 to anyone interested in trying them out.
After jumping on the bandwagon dismissing these spark plugs off hand I became curious. As with _some_ of these type parts there is an element of truth. It is both reasonable and plausable that when swapped with OEM style plugs, and in a high performance engine, and when driven in a moderately high performance fashion that these plugs can achieve low single digit economy improvements.
Read the last sentence carefully. IMO it takes several conditions in combination for the benefit to be measureable. A MUCH better product than the SplitFire spark plugs whose claims were also true, at HIGH engine RPM's. Where economy was already poor and you simply don't cruise down the road in 2nd gear at 50 MPH.
However, the Prius numbers they cite must have been from a heavy footed driver and I'd hate to have seen his "before" MPG numbers (their probably near the bottom of pack). Improvement in an Insight Well, if you _not_ driving using the techniques for high MPG that the Insight is capeable of you could see low single digit improvements. Maybe from 40 to 42 MPG But in a 5 speed Insight without going to all the effort of sorting dozens of these spark plugs to correctly index their ground tang its likely you'll see a narrowing or even loss of the lean burn window and much lower MPG.
Nice story, Aaron. I love it when somebody stumps the sales guys!
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'02 Blue 5 Speed
OMPG - 83.4
LMPG - 77.3
Best Tank Distance - 1273 miles
Best Tank MPG - 95.1
'01 Carbon Fiber VMax (satisfies my need for speed)
There's a whole explanation why, and I went head to head on the RX-7 forum with one of Pulstar's "technicians", but suffice it to say that "junk" is an apt description.
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Fancy spark plugs
IMO it takes several conditions in combination for the benefit to be measureable. A MUCH better product than the SplitFire spark plugs whose claims were also true, at HIGH engine RPM's. Where economy was already poor and you simply don't cruise down the road in 2nd gear at 50 MPH. 
Well, if you _not_ driving using the techniques for high MPG that the Insight is capeable of you could see low single digit improvements. Maybe from 40 to 42 MPG 
