Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier Scam?

[Bill Bowden]

At a swap meet today, I saw a vendor selling a device called the
"Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" that connects in series with an automotive
HV coil lead to the distributor to increase spark plug power, get more
milage, save gas, start engine easier, etc.

It was an impressive demonstration. There was a demo box hooked up
under the hood of his car with a exposed spark plug so you coud see the
change in spark intensity with the device installed as compared to
normal wiring. He also had a speedometer hooked up to read simulated
vehicle speed as he changed RPM. He would adjust the throttle to set
the speed to 55 MPH and then install the device in series with the coil
which increased the speed to 65MPH indicating the car was moving 10 MPH
faster with the same fuel consumption. .

People were standing in line to buy this Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier for
$15. The guy said the device would be available at WalMart in 90 days,
but they could get a better deal today if they paid cash.

I'm pretty sure this thing is a scam, but I didn't see the operator
doing anything suspicous when he installed and removed the device to
illustrate enhanced performance. It was an impressive demo. He pulled 4
plug wires and had the car running on 2 cylinders with the device
installed, as compared to 4 cylinders or more without the device.

-Bill

 

[Pooh Bear]

At a swap meet today, I saw a vendor selling a device called the
"Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" that connects in series with an automotive
HV coil lead to the distributor to increase spark plug power, get more
milage, save gas, start engine easier, etc.

It was an impressive demonstration. There was a demo box hooked up
under the hood of his car with a exposed spark plug so you coud see the
change in spark intensity with the device installed as compared to
normal wiring. He also had a speedometer hooked up to read simulated
vehicle speed as he changed RPM. He would adjust the throttle to set
the speed to 55 MPH and then install the device in series with the coil
which increased the speed to 65MPH indicating the car was moving 10 MPH
faster with the same fuel consumption. .

People were standing in line to buy this Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier for
$15. The guy said the device would be available at WalMart in 90 days,
but they could get a better deal today if they paid cash.

I'm pretty sure this thing is a scam, but I didn't see the operator
doing anything suspicous when he installed and removed the device to
illustrate enhanced performance. It was an impressive demo. He pulled 4
plug wires and had the car running on 2 cylinders with the device
installed, as compared to 4 cylinders or more without the device.

You can only get a bigger spark by using more energy. That energy still has to
come from the same coil you already have. I see a likelihood that this device
may simply burn out your exisitng coil in long term use.

Graham

 

[[email protected]]

At a swap meet today, I saw a vendor selling a device called the
"Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" that connects in series with an automotive
HV coil lead to the distributor to increase spark plug power, get more
milage, save gas, start engine easier, etc.

It was an impressive demonstration. There was a demo box hooked up
under the hood of his car with a exposed spark plug so you coud see the
change in spark intensity with the device installed as compared to
normal wiring. He also had a speedometer hooked up to read simulated
vehicle speed as he changed RPM. He would adjust the throttle to set
the speed to 55 MPH and then install the device in series with the coil
which increased the speed to 65MPH indicating the car was moving 10 MPH
faster with the same fuel consumption. .

People were standing in line to buy this Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier for
$15. The guy said the device would be available at WalMart in 90 days,
but they could get a better deal today if they paid cash.

I'm pretty sure this thing is a scam, but I didn't see the operator
doing anything suspicous when he installed and removed the device to
illustrate enhanced performance. It was an impressive demo. He pulled 4
plug wires and had the car running on 2 cylinders with the device
installed, as compared to 4 cylinders or more without the device.

-Bill

Perhaps it's just best to buy new (dealership) spark plug wires and a
new ignition coil if your car is over 100,000 miles... that reminds
me... I should do the same...

And, of course, changing your spark plugs regularly. You do that,
right?

 

[Jasen Betts]

It was an impressive demonstration. There was a demo box hooked up
under the hood of his car with a exposed spark plug so you coud see the
change in spark intensity with the device installed as compared to
normal wiring.

was the exposed plug operating under compression?

He also had a speedometer hooked up to read simulated
vehicle speed as he changed RPM. He would adjust the throttle to set
the speed to 55 MPH and then install the device in series with the coil
which increased the speed to 65MPH indicating the car was moving 10 MPH
faster with the same fuel consumption. .

he did this on a dynomometer, or with the transmission in neutral?

People were standing in line to buy this Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier for
$15. The guy said the device would be available at WalMart in 90 days,
but they could get a better deal today if they paid cash.

I'm pretty sure this thing is a scam, but I didn't see the operator
doing anything suspicous when he installed and removed the device to
illustrate enhanced performance. It was an impressive demo. He pulled 4
plug wires and had the car running on 2 cylinders with the device
installed, as compared to 4 cylinders or more without the device.

they really seem like ambiguous results to me.

if the device is an inductor as I suspect it is installing it will slightly
retard the spark timing, so If he tweaked the timing for fastest running
with the device attached removing it would slow the engine....

smoke and mirrors all the way.

Bye.
Jasen

 

[Si Ballenger]

was the exposed plug operating under compression?


he did this on a dynomometer, or with the transmission in neutral?



they really seem like ambiguous results to me.

if the device is an inductor as I suspect it is installing it will slightly
retard the spark timing, so If he tweaked the timing for fastest running
with the device attached removing it would slow the engine....

smoke and mirrors all the way.

When I was a kid I saw this very same gizmo being demoed and sold
at the world's fair in NYC (1962?) using the same type of car
setup. I was amazed, but my dad (a physics teacher and pretty
good car mechanic) explained the deal pretty much as you have. It
appeared to be an extra coil installed on top of the regular
coil. It was also "transistorized" (high tech back then) because
it had transistor glued inside, but apparently not electrically
connected to anything.

 

[Rich Grise]

At a swap meet today, I saw a vendor selling a device called the
"Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" that connects in series with an automotive
HV coil lead to the distributor to increase spark plug power, get more
milage, save gas, start engine easier, etc.

It was an impressive demonstration. There was a demo box hooked up
under the hood of his car with a exposed spark plug so you coud see the
change in spark intensity with the device installed as compared to
normal wiring. He also had a speedometer hooked up to read simulated
vehicle speed as he changed RPM. He would adjust the throttle to set
the speed to 55 MPH and then install the device in series with the coil
which increased the speed to 65MPH indicating the car was moving 10 MPH
faster with the same fuel consumption. .

People were standing in line to buy this Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier for
$15. The guy said the device would be available at WalMart in 90 days,
but they could get a better deal today if they paid cash.

I'm pretty sure this thing is a scam, but I didn't see the operator
doing anything suspicous when he installed and removed the device to
illustrate enhanced performance. It was an impressive demo. He pulled 4
plug wires and had the car running on 2 cylinders with the device
installed, as compared to 4 cylinders or more without the device.

His magical "Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" is a spark gap. What happens is,
it's in series with the spark gap in the plug, so the inductive kickback
voltage on the coil has to go higher to start the spark, consequently
there's more stored energy. They've been doing this since the 1940's,
but I seriously doubt if it really improves mileage or they'd be standard
by now. They probably eat into the lifetime of your plugs, coil,
distributor, etc; and as someone else said, was the demo plug under
compression, and was the engine on a dyno, or in neutral?

Thanks,
RIch

 

[Bill Bowden]

His magical "Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" is a spark gap. What happens is,
it's in series with the spark gap in the plug, so the inductive kickback
voltage on the coil has to go higher to start the spark, consequently
there's more stored energy. They've been doing this since the 1940's,
but I seriously doubt if it really improves mileage or they'd be standard
by now. They probably eat into the lifetime of your plugs, coil,
distributor, etc; and as someone else said, was the demo plug under
compression, and was the engine on a dyno, or in neutral?

Thanks,
RIch

Stored energy is 1/2 LI^2, and I = ET/L, so if the breaker points stay
closed for T time, the stored energy will J joules. This will be the
same regardless of spark gap. You can't get more energy out then you
put in. I asked the guy how he was getting more energy out for the same
energy going in, and he stated that the voltage was higher at reduced
current. Problem with that analogy, is the spark voltage is determined
by the gap and compression. To get a higher voltage, all you have to do
is widen the gap. But if you add a second gap in series to increase the
total from the coil, you lose energy in the unused gap.

So, it remains a mystery what it does if anything. The demo plug was
exposed with no compression, and the car was just running in idle mode,
no load.

-Bill

 

[Gareth]

At a swap meet today, I saw a vendor selling a device called the
"Astro-Jet Pulse Amplifier" that connects in series with an
automotive HV coil lead to the distributor to increase spark plug
power, get more milage, save gas, start engine easier, etc.

It was an impressive demonstration. There was a demo box hooked up
under the hood of his car with a exposed spark plug so you coud see
the change in spark intensity with the device installed as compared
to normal wiring. He also had a speedometer hooked up to read
simulated vehicle speed as he changed RPM. He would adjust the
throttle to set the speed to 55 MPH and then install the device in
series with the coil which increased the speed to 65MPH indicating
the car was moving 10 MPH faster with the same fuel consumption. .

The main reason for the increase in fuel consumption at increased speed
is air resistance. From your description, it doesn't sound like the
demo would take this into account.

--