ZZ3tpichevelle

Anyone experience a miss or popping back with AC Rapid fire plugs in thier MAF TPI cars? Put in new std Delco plugs and it went away. The Rapid Fire's were brand new ,and I didn't crack them, they appear fine.

Rob P

iTrader: (1)

All I could think of is they are factory gapped. Did you change the gap? Were they the correct application? Perhaps they were too hot or cold a plug for your car. I've used them in the past and never had a problem. I just use regular AC Delco plugs now.

ZZ3tpichevelle

The gap and the application were correct. I have had bad plugs out of the box before, but I has wondering if anyone else had the same experience. This is not the first time I have had Rapid Fire plugs cause driveability problems. I usually will only use the exact replacement plug for the application but the plugs came with the car. (not installed) Thanks anyway.

formul8!!

I had them and took them out. The coating flaked off and the gap closed on the electrode. I went back to Bosch Platinums and have had no problems since.

8Mike9

I've used them, didn't have any problems at all, but never used them again...didn't think the addditional $$ were justified.

chevymad

I put rapid fires in my truck with all aftermarket ignition. The thing ran terrible so i replaced with standard autolites. Works fine. Then took the same set of rapid fires and installed in my 64 chevelle with the stock point ignition. They work fine there. There was a notice with my plugs when i got them. Said they were for stock ignitions only. Dont know what the problem with your set is, but this was my experience.

IROC315

iTrader: (9)

I switched from the old style rapidfires to the newer style and have devoloped a miss. I have a MSD. I am going to switch to regular AC's to see if it stops. I have to switch anyhow. I was told Rapidfires won't work too well with nitrous.

RobBob87GTA

I have an 87 GTA. I am loaded with MSD stuff. Box, coil, cap, rotor, wires. I was running the rapidfire plugs and after 3 months massive missfires. I checked everything and found that the wires and the plugs were shot. This was the second time this happend. I called MSD and they explain that you can't run high resistance plugs with all the MSD that I had. You need to have every connection greased up with dielectric and they say to use standard plugs. Gap the snot out of them and us plain Jane AC's or Champions nothing fancy. After I cooled off I did as they said and all seams to be fine. Its been 9 months now. They did say that you still need to change out plugs every 6 to 9 months. I am starting to get a hesitation so I guess its time.

Hope this helps.

IROCKER

I installed the Rapid Fires last year and have had no troubles with them. I currently have a stock ignition. I was going to install the MSD 6A box, but now you guys have got me wondering whether I should or not...I'm not really into changing those plugs every 6 months as they are a pain in the ar$e to do.

RobBob87GTA

It is a pain I totally agree there. I also have a set of SLP with AIR headers on and boy oh boy is it a super pain. I have found that getting under the car to change out the back 5 or 6 plugs has cut down the time from 5 hours to about 45 minutes. Also the stock plugs are about a 1/2 inch shorter so you can get in better. I have run the 6A box for about 3 years but things really went bad on the pieces burning with the install of the coil. But I'll tell you I would never go back. The increase in power and response is what a guy needs man. I also found that I went from an average of 333Kms per tank of fuel to about 390Kms. I drive pretty quick as well so I like that a lot.

On a personal note I have a wife and 4 kids, I have found that when working on the car or around the house I tend to be left alone. Anyone coming around to ask bothersome questions ends up handing me tools or gets a rake given to them. I find piece and quite and no one is counting beers. Just a personal thing.

u r sofa king we tah did

i had rapidfires and after a few months i was getting horrible pinging, so i switched back to regular ac delco plugs and its been fine since.

87z28TN

I was planning on getting a MSD ignition box, do they wear out the plugs faster?

I ran rapid fires when I first got my car last year, but they really didn't seem to be worth the money. I switched to ordinarry AC plugs, and they work fine.

RobBob87GTA

In my view with a MSD box on board you end up run at least 5 times as much spark through the plug. That's MSD advertisment that if fires 5 time instead of once and it ups the power of the spark. I would think that this would run the plug faster to burn out. Before I changed my coil to MSD I tuned up the car yearly anyway, the plugs would last that long. Without probelms, it make a big change in fuel consumption, big enought that it paid for new plug in three tank fulls.

Grumpy

Too make a real tech explaination short and sweet.

The spark in a combustion chamber is just like lightning. Before the actual spark there must be an ion trail. For this trail to establish itself, the spark plug must erode ever so slightly (actually were talking just moleules worth). So when you use really none erosive plugs (ie ones made for high mileage) the trade of is the ability for the ion trail to establich itself. No or to few ions and no spark (or a poor one).

As for MSDs and there claim of 5x the spark energy, well, lots of research will lead you to the truth. ie, look at the new GM igintion systems, they are Coil Near Plug, and look at the HP levels of the new *stock* LS1s. I just finished installing a FAST eDIST and some 99 LS1 coils on my car and all I can say is wow. It's expensive, but the ultimate answer for spark energy.

Jza

"some coils" like a couple, or all eight? Damn, I'd like to see that Grumpy. Post or PM me a pic, please?

ZZ3tpichevelle

I would like to see some pics of the LS1 coils as well. As for MSD I have run a 6AL, blaster 3 coil and Accel non resistor plugs for years on my big block with no problems. The TPI has a stock ign. system. I also have a Jacob's Pro Street Pak on a TBI. It really rocks, I actually felt more power gain with it than the MSD, but that is not a fair compare. All I know is the Rapid Fires bite, I have had multiple problems with them and am glad to see I'm not the only one. Thanks for all the replys.

Grumpy

I actually just run one of em lil v6 Buicks, it has the intials GN.
So there are just 6 coils, in my application. <g>

There is an on line article pending on it, I'll post when it's up.

grumpygreaseape

not to blow my own horn here-but i gotta-aint no magic spark plug out there-and in our cars fresh a/c delco plugs with nice sharp electrodes are the A number 1 best deal and not only dat they will not let you down when abused (n2o,blower)try running squeeze thru a motor with bosch platinums, sputter cough moan and groan. i once ate a set (they were side gapped) in about 8 passes well, plus the trip out to l.a.c.r. maybe 100 miles-max. ah- hah take that you split fire people