Yeah I never thought to get out a multimeter and test resistance. That is fantastic to know. I’ll put a link to this video from mine. The higher resistance might explain why the plugs were burning out my coils.
Although the resistance of the fake ones was all over the show, it's just a matter of time when they also get this into control making it even more difficult to spot. I hate these counterfeiters
Wow, I had no idea that about fake NGK plugs. My plugs arrived today. I watched this video and ran to the shop for my VOM. 4.57 to 4.73 k. Thanks for helping us all out.
Thank you ! I'm from Chile and I've just bought the same spark plugs here . Got my multimeter and ran the same tests and they were fake indeed!!!! Owe you a big one !!! I've just saved my engine from a potential torn up. You Rock!
When measuring resistance don’t touch both leads. Your body creates a parallel path and it will bias your readings. Often it won’t matter but a good practice for when it does.
YOU SAVED ME !!! Came across your video and decided to watch it and scrutinize the NGK’s that I bought on eBay that I was about to install in my BMW 330 CI and to my surprise they are indeed fakes! Went and got a real set from my local auto parts store, cost a little bit more, but they have all the hallmarks of genuine NGK‘s! I can’t thank you enough for this very helpful video. Thank you.
I was curious about the internal resistor, since I'd never heard about that. Found a really good pic. on the NGK site, which labeled it as a "glass resistor". That helps explain what a veteran mechanic told me, "When you drop a spark plug, always drop it twice". The second time is when you drop it into the garbage can, because it might have an internal or hairline ceramic fracture that will result in premature failure.
Very good video, and excellent consumer protection/Public Service! I thought I was saving $ buying sets of 4 NGK iridium plugs on Amazon for ~ $25 My dealer pulled my plugs while diagnosing my cars running issues. I didn’t have time to order cheap ones, didn’t want to pay dealer markup, so picked up a set at a local parts place. Car definitely ran better with the locally sourced set. Started to think that cheap plugs on Amazon were likely knock offs, and you confirmed it! Thanks 🙏
I recently bought a high mileage Camry as a project car for my channel. From over 10 years in the automotive aftermarket I knew there were counterfeit parts; but I had no idea how prolific the counterfeit Toyota parts were. Luckily for me, the Toyota dealer was not even $10 more for me than AutoZone with my commercial account for all the plugs and filters for my car. I'm really glad that people are bringing attention to this problem.
I just checked mine from AutoZone and they're all good. Well known auto parts stores are probably going to be very careful about getting the real ones. Of course thieves anywhere in the supply chain could swap them out for fakes. Even Toyota could fall victim.
I learned from my own mistake a couple of years ago. Around half price you'd pay elsewhere, set of 4 NGK Iridium from Ebay. 6,000km, the car went back to running rough, hesitating as before installing the new plugs. This made me assume something else was failing. After new coil, leads and some messing around with no improvement, I pulled the 'new' plugs out, and found the center electrodes burnt down to almost nothing. A set of confirmed genuine plugs later, and I've so far had 30,000km of trouble free driving.
I also noted from watching this video the color on LASER IRIDIUM , the box on the left in the beginning letters is lightly purple whereas the box on the right is darker purple and the M with the box on the left looks to have a purple hue to it and the box on the right has more of a gold look . The S on the left is half blue the one on the right barely has blue as well as the second i in iridium . The box on the right the colors also look much bolder .
I'm a graphic arts guy so those are the kinds of things that I was picking out. But I'd probably have to have a legit package to refer to. Generally the fake was using enlarged, fattened images that took up more of the surface of every side of the carton. The plug's top terminal looked chubby. The type faces were larger and bolder on just about everything. The UPS code takes up almost the full available height. The glaring difference was the diagram on how far to turn the plug. They added an extra "2/3" pie next to the "1/2" pie of the real ones. (Maybe their fake engineers insisted on that being included for driving safety ) I always wonder why they don't go to the trouble of taking another hour in fake design scrutiny to get those things correct. But that's in the nature of counterfeiters going for every penny of profit they can squeeze out of their victims. MUCH THANKS TO @dial2fast FOR THIS SEGMENT.
Thank you for putting out this video. I wasn’t aware of the fake NGK spark plugs until I saw a random video on UTube pertaining to that subject. Your video is the only one I have seen that details how to check the resistance with a multimeter. This to me was the determining factor for authentication of the spark plugs as the only thing I had to compare them to was the old ones that I took out of the engine that had 134,500 miles on them. I chose the safe and most expensive route by buying the spark plugs from my local Auto Zone.
I have had troubles with spark plugs in motorized bike engines. I never thought to measure the resistor impedance. Your answer provides the the consistency values I was missing. Thanks for clearing up this mystery and giving me some way to prevent future errors.
Wow thanks for sharing. Over the years I seen so many bad spark right out the box and I’ve realized most customers have been buying them from Canada tire, i didn’t think about fake plugs I just thought bad storage or bad quality control
Great video! I never realized they were making fake spark plugs until I received a set from eBay. Right away, I could see the finishing/machining was "off", and that's why looked online to see if indeed they were being knocked off. Can't believe it, but I received some FAKE PLUGS!! Glad I didn't install them!!
Great video. Thank you. Among most of helpful videos teaching how to identify fake spark plugs, yours was the first one showing to use a multimeter to help this identification. Congrats.
You are actually altering the resistance reading by holding both probes with your fingers, in essence sending some of the signal through your body, which is a very good conductor.
I run a 1950s British motorbike with magneto ignition. That requires spark plugs without the resistor. A while back, I broke one of the two spark plugs, so I bought a pair of new ones (NGK BP6ES, from memory) from a local car parts shop. The engine had a persistent stutter, until I refitted the surviving old one and a B6ES cadged from a fellow rider. The stutter instantly disappeared.
I bought a set of these fake plugs. They sent me the wrong plugs and they didnt even receive them back, instead they refunded the money. I was gonig to sell them since I have bo need for them and thanks to your video Im putting them in the recycle bin as scrap. Thank you very much
Very helpful....WOW. I just ordered a set from Walmart. Clearly says OEM NGK part. I will check them too. I hear some horror stories of fake plugs installed on Goldwing and the damage.
Bought some fake ones off of Amazon as well. Installed them on my pathfinder and after a few months read an article about fakes. Ended up inspecting them and sure enough they were fakes. Gaps increase by 50% only after a few thousand miles. Complained to Amazon and they denied my review to be published. Next time I will only buy plugs from a local shop. Good thing I caught this. Thanks for a great video!
There are actually many differences between the packages. However, you have to know how a real one looks like. Measuring the resistance is a good option also.
Year's ago I had the ground electrode seperate from the NGK Iridium spark plug in my 13B , destroyed the motor. I wish I had known about this back then. Thank you Sir.
Thank you for all the information. Now I think I bought the fake spark plugs online because only $12 for 4 Iridium Spark Plugs that doesn't seen right price.
Wonderful video. I always test spark plugs resistance with a multimeter at my local parts store. Too risky to buy them online. Those fake plugs can ruin your coils too = expensive mistake
Thanks. I will be trying the resistance trick today on the Ruthenium NGKs I just bought. Never thought about testing plugs before for being counterfit. Props to you, sorry you had to go through that.
Thanks for this video, You've saved a lot of engines, need to name and shame all that are conserned. Its really sad that the world has come to this, people manufacturing supplying them, and selling them should all be held accountable, they need to understand that Oneday they will need a pacemaker to keep them alive and they will wonder if pacemaker is going to be genuine or a counterfeit.
Both companies actually don’t want you to tell them the parts you bought are counterfeits. At some point they will probably ban your account because they view you as a snitch or whistle blower. Such is the greed inflicted world we live in 🎉
Very true. Buying parts from Chinazon and FleaBay is a costly mistake. Packages look the exact same with (in my case) correct markings from Jaguar and International, but those parts only last thousands of miles instead of tens of thousands (Jag) and well over a quarter million miles (International) respectively. If you value your vehicle, buy quality parts even when they cost a bucket full of cash.
NGK is certainly the most used spark plug brand in Brazil. In 2022, a large gang was discovered that counterfeited spark plugs made in China and packaged them in Brazil. The counterfeit was so similar to the genuine spark plugs that NGK participated in the investigative process to determine whether or not the spark plugs were manufactured by NGK. The most visible differences were in the printing brand as well as the threads tolerance. The material that was noticeably very inferior was the central electrode. Therefore, only after a good period of use did the buyer notice that the spark plug was being consumed much more quickly. Counterfeit iridium spark plugs were not found. The gang only counterfeited the lowest-cost spark plugs.
Another problem with those plugs is the heat range is different. That can cause major problems as well. I believe I got a fake set of NGKs for my Kia online. I remember the ink being way darker then the original plugs I took out.
It's pretty easy to spot the fake one: it's using the wrong font on the package. Pay attention to the eleven at the end of the model name on both. Left uses a custom font, right uses Arial.
Oh wow. I'm gonna go check iridium plugs I bought now. I generally only buy platinum. And now I'm thinking. Funny how the platinums I bought are more expensive then the iridium plugs. Maybe we should present such fraud to the Federal Trade Commission? Thank you for this education.
Thank you. This is very interesting and timely. A month ago I ordered two sets of 4 NGK Iridium plugs from Autozone online for about $30 per box, but they are still unable to fulfill the order, I keep getting a Being Processed response. While these were not immediately required at the time I ordered them, just planning the next timing update on my V8 engine, but this delay I am having may be related to this issue of a batch of fakes that they are dealing with. Now I can check my old set and the new set with confidence in how to better spot a fake of this brand.
Thank you and I have had NKG plugs fail in my bike with less than 200 miles on them and yes I ordered that set of four from Amazon and they were like $10 or so cheaper compared to other sellers but I purchased replacements from a shop in this town where my bike broke down and what a time I had trying to figure out what the heck happened and what was going on but the only thing I did to my bike was service it and change the plugs before a trip we had planned so it was by luck I thought just maybe I broke a plug or something so we set out to find a place to get a set and try it and it was the plugs but they were not broke/cracked or anything but I was quite upset with NKG but your video just changed that bc I have always used NKG plugs in all my bikes and equipment and I vowed to never buy them again but I will return back to NKG plugs but will check and test my NKG’s before using them bc NKG has always been the very best prior to that day and I have had no success on finding a good replacement plug that compared to NKG and auto lite plugs are by far the worst I have ever used so thank you for posting this video
Interesting. 0:25 - spark pic on front of box has 3 diagonal artifacts, genuine only 2. When measuring resistances, always keep your fingers OFF the probe tips, as your fingers are also conductive at this level of resistance. (Try squeezing the probes between the fingers of each hand, you will get a reading on the meter) There is no free lunch!😉
I would clip one meter lead to the top of the spark plug so I don't have to touch it, then carefully press the other lead to the center electrode without putting a finger on it.
The way he did it should not cause any problems with the resistance reading because his hand only touched the cable/coil connector. The other probe of the multimeter was only touching the center electrode. The resistance from his finger to the center electrode will be very high since he did not touch the center electrode. Doing the measurement this way will not affect a nominal reading of 5k ohms. Many experienced electronics people commonly hold one end of the resistor between two fingers to quickly test the resistance of a low value resistor. Just make sure you don't touch the lead on the other end with any part of your body or any other surface. This will work fine for resistances of a few MOhms and below since the surface resistance of a resistor is easily in the 10's of MOhms or even higher.
OK. Good info. I appreciate your putting this info out. I keep reading stories and seeing videos about fake/bad parts being bought "online". BUT nobody says WHERE online they got the parts. If you are trying to help, CALL THEM OUT! Name the sites and the sellers. It doesn't do much good to put out information about bad parts along with how to tell if the parts someone already bought are bad. Tell us where the parts came from so we can avoid buying from that seller/store in the first place! I buy most of my parts online but I buy from a national parts supplier so I tend to trust them. But again, If someone bought a proven fake part from them, I'd want to know about it.
I'm waiting for a set of cheap NGK plugs that I ordered on eBay. Guess what the 1st think I'm going to do when they arrive. This is the 1st video I've seen that gives a definitive way to test for fake ones. Simply, consistent resistance. Thanks
Just checked a couple NGK spark plugs purchased at Advance Auto. For riding mower. Sharp YELLOW triangles on BOX...cost was ONLY $5 each...although up from $2.49 per receipt 2 years ago. Great info in video.
Sound advice. I had exactly the same experience with some NGK spark plugs in a kawasaki zx12r motorcycle, I fell for the cheaper plugs option which started to misfire after only 2000 miles. After which I went to a reputable dealer and paid the higher price, I've had no trouble since. Many thanks Mike UK
Among the most useful videos I've seen today. The Resistance test is very helpful and can be done by anyone. Even with a cheap multimeter (mine from 2016 cost USD5). Thank You!
Just installed some NGK spark plugs last week, bought them from Amazon. I can’t believe even something as common as a spark plug is being knocked-off! Thankfully I took a photo of it (otherwise I would need to uninstall them), and I was able to compare mine to your video - and it’s genuine 😮💨
No source is safe from trickery! From Chinese watches to cars...I bought my last plugs online (amazon) so who knows what I have, they're installed now...and were a PITA. Under my gas tank on my bike...guess I'll have to check them. Thanks for this great and informative video. Well done, no BS or fluff 🙂
Thanks for this video. It's hard for those of us who grew up before this era of fakes and scams. I have been scammed before, not because I was trying to save money but because I didn't really know what a fair price was for what I was buying. There were so many fakes online that finding out what the real item SHOULD cost was very difficult.
How crazy that the manufacturer of the fakes spent a fortune creating the dies and machinery to make the fakes, and print the fake markings, but didn't spend 5 cents to install the correct resistor.
Probably does has the correct resistor but there are a few internal contacts that are probably garbage on the counterfeits. Which is probably why they all had way high resistance none of them were low
I had the same problem. I chased a misfire for months before I realized it was the spark plugs I had just replaced. It’s definitely worth the money to buy from a reputable source.
They likely acquired old equipment , or are making fake ones during a 4th shift in a spark plug factory. If they make $1 each and sell a million around the world every year... Worth it. They could be plain plugs sold as iridium that last 30k miles. Real iridium are good for 100k minimum. Mine have 220k. They were clean with good resistance at 180k, so I just gapped them, put them back in. I just had 2 coils fail, so it's time to replace the plugs. But where do I buy them? Looks like I need to buy from an auto parts store, not Amazon or eBay. Peace of mind of running the real deal is worth the price. And I'll never replace them again in this car.
Thank you for the resistance trick. I bought some from Amazon and expected them to be fake. I didn’t even put them in my car. Went to rockauto to buy another set. Let’s hope they are real as I’m replacing them today
Waoo dude, thanks for the knowledge and huge info 👍. Where did you buy those fake NGK from ? I mean which website from ? Thanks a million for the video dude
Just checked my Denso resistor plugs, all were the same except for one a little higher at 5.9k ohm. Using cheap meter leads it was hard to get a accurate reading, pressing hard and using fluke leads measurement was spot on each time.
Great video. I would not hold something I am measuring in my hands as they are conductors too and can mess up the readings. When measuring make sure your body's resistance isn't interfering with your measurement. I am installing some NKG's in my Toyota today. I am going to measure mine. Hopefully Rock Auto sold me the good stuff!
@@Spiritof_76 If you take two resistors one valued at 3kohms and another at 100kohms, wire them in parallel what reading will you get as your final result?
Thank you for posting this! Getting ready to put fresh NGK plugs in mu 2008 5.7 Tundra. Love NGK! Honestly not surprised there are fakes out there. Goes to show how good NGK is if people are going through the trouble of making fakes.
if you're measuring higher resistances (like the fake ngks), you shall not touch the probes with ur hands, as you're basically parallel connecting yourself to the measured object, and lowering the number
Thanks for the info. Most parts today are fake unless you get them from the Agents .You will never know for sure. Fakes are getting harder and harder to spot .
Thanks for the way to test for fakes. My Denso 3444 spark plugs that were purchased years ago in 2014 measured 4.08 kohms and 4.67 kohms using my auto-ranging multimeter. I only measured two of the spark plugs as I didn't want to damage the tip.
Avoid touching the both probe pins with both of your fingers, as it could lower the ohm reading, due to human body resistance in parallel with the plug. At most, only touch the probe pins with only one finger. That's electrics.
Your body resistance is not in the kohm range. Holding the probe with your finger has no effect on the measurement. You can try it with a regular 5k resistor.
No ,your wrong , 0.480 meg is 480k ohm, i havent come across any multimeter, that measures 480 meg in my 40 + years, as a qualified electronics engineer. Only specialist lab equipment, costing big bucks.
This explains why I've had two sets of plugs fail. I believe the shorted out and were causing my coil to arc across the positive and negative to the body of my coil. The coil was extremely hot to touch. Ill have to check my replacements. I had to do a sparkplug swap in a parking lot because my engine stopped running. Also my RPM tac has been jumping around sporadically.
Thanks a lot l. You r a really good mechanics! Spark plugs use electricity, so the smartest way to test it is checking resistance. No wonder why the fake one blows up so fast. It runs a lot hotter bcoz of much higher resistance l
Wow... You saved my bacon....i thought i was getting a great deal online but ended up with counterfeit goods....i'll be returning these plugs first thing in the morning.
I recently bought a pack of x4 SK16R11 DENSO spark plugs. Seems really original but resistance values are: 4Kohms for one, 5K for 2 , and zéro Kohm for the last ! What à shame, directly in trash. I bought those for 45$. Thanks a lot for these information.
Great video and it needs to be seen more, hit that like button. Just a tip, when using a multimeter don't touch both leads with your fingers. Your body has resistance and voltage.
Thanks a lot! Very useful. I bought fake Denso iridium spark plugs from ebay, like 5 years ago. They couldn't last even 50K miles and their electrode was completely gone. Regardless that iridium spark plugs are rated for about 100K miles.
@ 1:50 they are actually not the same number 19 VS 09 at start of second set. Also last tiny digit 3 VS 6. That caught my eye as the fake ones have the exact same barcode number on the single, as the 4-Pack. Usually things have a similar but slightly different number for a single, so if you bought just one it would scan as one. The genuine ones have a slightly different number. Not sure if I missed it, where did the fake ones come from? I think Rock Auto is basically safe, but you never know.
I've had problems with the last two sets of ngk plugs in my Jetski. One had the ceramic broke right at the electrode and just this year the ceramic cracked where it meets the metal body causing it to destroy the plug boot. Limped home on that one. I just bought a new set online, going to try your test before using them.
Take your coils voltage output and divide it by your resistance reading. That gives intensity. If you have resistor plug wires the should read less than 5k ohms per foot end to end. It does make a difference when chasing a misfire and the gap needs to be set and any update spec employed. I fixed a few using these facts. Corrected them instead of throwing parts at it, and getting cheap prices. That's huge for the whole equation.
Yep I had had similar issues, car was misfiring like crazy could figure not out even bought new coils, until I went back and look at the order and did a good search and bingo they were fake like my million dollars bank account.
Thanks for the video. 128400 on a 2010 Honda. I decided to change plugs and coil. Purchased NGK from local, small town Minnesota, USA NAPA. I took one spark plug back, as it had burrs on the thread of the plug, and didn't go into the engine smoothly. They did switch plugs, no charge. However, I also replaced the coils with NGK, and the car stutter after start up, cold engine idle at a stop light, leaving work. Now I'm concerned, did I buy fake?
I had no idea until today that this was a problem. I had an NGK plug fail causing a misfire on a Honda Accord. I had installed 4 plugs from Amazon a couple years ago so I assumed they were not the problem. After testing the coils, injectors, and doing a compression test, I figured it had to be a plug. So I did a little research. After seeing this video and a few others, I learned mine were fake. I guess I got lucky they lasted 2 years. So I said screw it, I went to Honda and bought directly from them. Yeah they were expensive, but peace of mind is priceless.
Had 2500 miles on some NGK Iridium plugs purchased on Ebay in Hyundai packaging with official looking holographic tape. 2 days ago my 1.6l Kia direct injected 4 cyl. dropped cylinder 3 and was nearly undriveable without bucking like mad. Had to wind it up and hold it in a lower gear to get it home. I'll cut to the chase. Replaced the #3 plug with the original plug that had 82K miles on it and ran like a charm (or as well as it runs at it's best). Quite a scam. I didn't just come in on the last turnip truck when it comes to automobile repair and parts. Looked great, but have poor performance and pitiful longevity. I am trying the newer design Ruthenium plugs now. Time will tell. Thanks for confirming these bogus plugs.
I'm concerned that I purchased mine from Amazon. 6 months later, I had an ignition misfire. I only replaced the old ignition & sparkplug that was at fault, and the problem went away. As soon as I get a chance, I will check all sparkplug. Thank you for this video.
Thank you my master…!! I checked my stock (NGK_91924 *4). They has short serial on their side of nut, and their resistance value were during 5.19 to 5.68 kΩ. Your video made my holiday to happily!!
Thanks for heads up! Iridium plugs do cost a wad. Ive heard though that they hold.up better in aircraft such as Lockheed Electra 10 E special and so on. If I could afford a vehicle and the plugs the iridium plugs would definatly be considered for longevity and reliability. Mind you that Irridium plugs are extremely expensive and I ve only heard one pilot recomend them. Copper may be a better electrode as far as conductivity if one is willing to changes plugs frequently. If I were flying around the world in an radial engined plane I would do some research and seriously consider iridium coated plugs. Iridium was used for many years as a fountain pen tip material so iridium is nothing new. The only advantage is durability and fewer plug changes between tune ups. The less you fuss with plugs the better once you've got them dialed in as far as gapping, reach and heat range. I'm not an expert so don't rely on only my opinion I'm just a car enthusiast. Anyone considering iridium plugs should first consult a bona-fide automobile mechanic. All this just my opinion. Don't bet your life on them though because iridium is a bit of a fad. Use at own risk!
I've watched a lot of videos about fake NGK plugs. You are the first person who actually provides a scientific way to tell the difference.
Yeah I never thought to get out a multimeter and test resistance. That is fantastic to know. I’ll put a link to this video from mine. The higher resistance might explain why the plugs were burning out my coils.
Wonder if this would work on densos
@@LAactorit does, I just tested mine. All 4 in the range of 5kΩ to 5.05kΩ.
Measuring the resistance is the best way to differentiate the real and fake plugs, an educating video and clarified.
Yeah my spark plug boxes had the website
Although the resistance of the fake ones was all over the show, it's just a matter of time when they also get this into control making it even more difficult to spot.
I hate these counterfeiters
Wow, I had no idea that about fake NGK plugs. My plugs arrived today. I watched this video and ran to the shop for my VOM. 4.57 to 4.73 k. Thanks for helping us all out.
Thank you ! I'm from Chile and I've just bought the same spark plugs here . Got my multimeter and ran the same tests and they were fake indeed!!!! Owe you a big one !!! I've just saved my engine from a potential torn up. You Rock!
When measuring resistance don’t touch both leads. Your body creates a parallel path and it will bias your readings. Often it won’t matter but a good practice for when it does.
YOU SAVED ME !!! Came across your video and decided to watch it and scrutinize the NGK’s that I bought on eBay that I was about to install in my BMW 330 CI and to my surprise they are indeed fakes! Went and got a real set from my local auto parts store, cost a little bit more, but they have all the hallmarks of genuine NGK‘s! I can’t thank you enough for this very helpful video. Thank you.
Yep, the spark plugs are fake forsure on eBay. There $29 for a set of 6 haha. I was like nope
I also got a fake set off ebay and called NGK with #s to confirm they were fake. Wrote the ebay company and they refunded me so fast no hesitation 😂
I’m replacing my c63 eBay bought plugs just in case. Ordered from Fcp euro.
I was curious about the internal resistor, since I'd never heard about that. Found a really good pic. on the NGK site, which labeled it as a "glass resistor". That helps explain what a veteran mechanic told me, "When you drop a spark plug, always drop it twice". The second time is when you drop it into the garbage can, because it might have an internal or hairline ceramic fracture that will result in premature failure.
That's really interesting, thanks!
The "R" in the number indicates it's a resistor plug. (Eliminates radio static; same as plug cables)
What about shipping? They sometimes treat them roughly
Very good video, and excellent consumer protection/Public Service!
I thought I was saving $ buying sets of 4 NGK iridium plugs on Amazon for ~ $25
My dealer pulled my plugs while diagnosing my cars running issues.
I didn’t have time to order cheap ones, didn’t want to pay dealer markup, so picked up a set at a local parts place.
Car definitely ran better with the locally sourced set.
Started to think that cheap plugs on Amazon were likely knock offs, and you confirmed it!
Thanks 🙏
Did not know this was a thing!! I just installed new NGK Iridium plugs in my motorcycle, gonna run the test when I get home!!! Thank you!!!!
How'd that go, mate?
@@ivanvarela3215 He's stranded somwhere along the road, with his fake spark plugs failing 😛
I recently bought a high mileage Camry as a project car for my channel. From over 10 years in the automotive aftermarket I knew there were counterfeit parts; but I had no idea how prolific the counterfeit Toyota parts were. Luckily for me, the Toyota dealer was not even $10 more for me than AutoZone with my commercial account for all the plugs and filters for my car. I'm really glad that people are bringing attention to this problem.
I just checked mine from AutoZone and they're all good. Well known auto parts stores are probably going to be very careful about getting the real ones. Of course thieves anywhere in the supply chain could swap them out for fakes. Even Toyota could fall victim.
Good idea to check the resistance, never even thought of doing that.
I learned from my own mistake a couple of years ago. Around half price you'd pay elsewhere, set of 4 NGK Iridium from Ebay. 6,000km, the car went back to running rough, hesitating as before installing the new plugs. This made me assume something else was failing. After new coil, leads and some messing around with no improvement, I pulled the 'new' plugs out, and found the center electrodes burnt down to almost nothing. A set of confirmed genuine plugs later, and I've so far had 30,000km of trouble free driving.
I also noted from watching this video the color on LASER IRIDIUM , the box on the left in the beginning letters is lightly purple whereas the box on the right is darker purple and the M with the box on the left looks to have a purple hue to it and the box on the right has more of a gold look . The S on the left is half blue the one on the right barely has blue as well as the second i in iridium . The box on the right the colors also look much bolder .
I'm a graphic arts guy so those are the kinds of things that I was picking out. But I'd probably have to have a legit package to refer to. Generally the fake was using enlarged, fattened images that took up more of the surface of every side of the carton. The plug's top terminal looked chubby. The type faces were larger and bolder on just about everything. The UPS code takes up almost the full available height.
The glaring difference was the diagram on how far to turn the plug. They added an extra "2/3" pie next to the "1/2" pie of the real ones. (Maybe their fake engineers insisted on that being included for driving safety )
I always wonder why they don't go to the trouble of taking another hour in fake design scrutiny to get those things correct. But that's in the nature of counterfeiters going for every penny of profit they can squeeze out of their victims.
MUCH THANKS TO @dial2fast FOR THIS SEGMENT.
we live in a world where i have to worry about fake spark plugs? wtf bro
CHINA! Thank r politicians for selling us out is what it boils down too.
Remember, CHINA NUMBER ONE!
Exactly my thoughts while loading this video!
China.....
It's true.
Excellent information. Thank you for bringing it to our attention !
fake champions out there,
You very Welcome dear !
This vid is SO GOOD that it should be listed under the official NGK channel!
Finally, someone with a good guide that is actually helpful.
Can you do this with Denso?
th-cam.com/video/nvcJFkf_XJ0/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for putting out this video. I wasn’t aware of the fake NGK spark plugs until I saw a random video on UTube pertaining to that subject. Your video is the only one I have seen that details how to check the resistance with a multimeter. This to me was the determining factor for authentication of the spark plugs as the only thing I had to compare them to was the old ones that I took out of the engine that had 134,500 miles on them. I chose the safe and most expensive route by buying the spark plugs from my local Auto Zone.
@Kayla Mayla - don’t know, but by having a receipt of purchase, the situation would have been rectified
No guarantee but I buy all my parts thru Rock Auto and have never had any problems with any of the parts. However, I don't go for the cheapest parts.
I was about to buy some ngk from ebay for cheap knew it was too good to be true. Thank you
I have had troubles with spark plugs in motorized bike engines. I never thought to measure the resistor impedance. Your answer provides the the consistency values I was missing. Thanks for clearing up this mystery and giving me some way to prevent future errors.
Wow thanks for sharing. Over the years I seen so many bad spark right out the box and I’ve realized most customers have been buying them from Canada tire, i didn’t think about fake plugs I just thought bad storage or bad quality control
Great video! I never realized they were making fake spark plugs until I received a set from eBay. Right away, I could see the finishing/machining was "off", and that's why looked online to see if indeed they were being knocked off. Can't believe it, but I received some FAKE PLUGS!! Glad I didn't install them!!
Great video. Thank you. Among most of helpful videos teaching how to identify fake spark plugs, yours was the first one showing to use a multimeter to help this identification. Congrats.
You are actually altering the resistance reading by holding both probes with your fingers, in essence sending some of the signal through your body, which is a very good conductor.
I run a 1950s British motorbike with magneto ignition. That requires spark plugs without the resistor. A while back, I broke one of the two spark plugs, so I bought a pair of new ones (NGK BP6ES, from memory) from a local car parts shop. The engine had a persistent stutter, until I refitted the surviving old one and a B6ES cadged from a fellow rider. The stutter instantly disappeared.
I'd be testing and looking up the original then. 👀
I bought a set of these fake plugs. They sent me the wrong plugs and they didnt even receive them back, instead they refunded the money. I was gonig to sell them since I have bo need for them and thanks to your video Im putting them in the recycle bin as scrap. Thank you very much
Very helpful....WOW. I just ordered a set from Walmart. Clearly says OEM NGK part. I will check them too. I hear some horror stories of fake plugs installed on Goldwing and the damage.
Bought some fake ones off of Amazon as well. Installed them on my pathfinder and after a few months read an article about fakes. Ended up inspecting them and sure enough they were fakes. Gaps increase by 50% only after a few thousand miles. Complained to Amazon and they denied my review to be published. Next time I will only buy plugs from a local shop. Good thing I caught this. Thanks for a great video!
Thanks for the info. I never realized you could test the resistance of the spark plug.
Most are 5000 ohms. Motorcycle spark plug caps have resistors also. Another 5000 ohms too, so 10k total.
Really useful. I too faced the same problem and I put back the old spark plugs until I found the genuine ones
Thank you so much! I never even knew about fake plugs! What an eye opener!
There are actually many differences between the packages. However, you have to know how a real one looks like.
Measuring the resistance is a good option also.
Year's ago I had the ground electrode seperate from the NGK Iridium spark plug in my 13B , destroyed the motor. I wish I had known about this back then. Thank you Sir.
13B? I hope you didn't have an RX7 GSLSE? That would be sad to hear if the motor got destroyed from fake spark plugs..
Thank you for all the information. Now I think I bought the fake spark plugs online because only $12 for 4 Iridium Spark Plugs that doesn't seen right price.
Wonderful video. I always test spark plugs resistance with a multimeter at my local parts store. Too risky to buy them online.
Those fake plugs can ruin your coils too = expensive mistake
I agree they can damage your ignition coil packs.
Thanks. I will be trying the resistance trick today on the Ruthenium NGKs I just bought. Never thought about testing plugs before for being counterfit. Props to you, sorry you had to go through that.
I will be testing mine this weekend when my multimeter arrives (stood on old one an demolished it). Thank you for this information.
Thanks for this video, You've saved a lot of engines, need to name and shame all that are conserned.
Its really sad that the world has come to this, people manufacturing supplying them, and selling them should all be held accountable, they need to understand that
Oneday they will need a pacemaker to keep them alive and they will wonder if pacemaker is going to be genuine or a counterfeit.
Amazon doesn't mind selling fake parts, be careful. eBay doesn't mind selling fake parts.
Which one does!
Correct
Ebay and amazon have same
Sellers,same person or company in quite a few cases
Rockauto minds. I never experienced or heard of any counterfeit parts coming from Rockauto.
Both companies actually don’t want you to tell them the parts you bought are counterfeits. At some point they will probably ban your account because they view you as a snitch or whistle blower. Such is the greed inflicted world we live in 🎉
Very true. Buying parts from Chinazon and FleaBay is a costly mistake. Packages look the exact same with (in my case) correct markings from Jaguar and International, but those parts only last thousands of miles instead of tens of thousands (Jag) and well over a quarter million miles (International) respectively. If you value your vehicle, buy quality parts even when they cost a bucket full of cash.
NGK is certainly the most used spark plug brand in Brazil. In 2022, a large gang was discovered that counterfeited spark plugs made in China and packaged them in Brazil. The counterfeit was so similar to the genuine spark plugs that NGK participated in the investigative process to determine whether or not the spark plugs were manufactured by NGK. The most visible differences were in the printing brand as well as the threads tolerance. The material that was noticeably very inferior was the central electrode. Therefore, only after a good period of use did the buyer notice that the spark plug was being consumed much more quickly. Counterfeit iridium spark plugs were not found. The gang only counterfeited the lowest-cost spark plugs.
Another problem with those plugs is the heat range is different. That can cause major problems as well. I believe I got a fake set of NGKs for my Kia online. I remember the ink being way darker then the original plugs I took out.
Very educative video. Kindly do a video to enlighten us on real and fake NPR piston rings
It's pretty easy to spot the fake one: it's using the wrong font on the package. Pay attention to the eleven at the end of the model name on both. Left uses a custom font, right uses Arial.
It was only a matter of time before this happened, but WOW. Thats crazy. Thanks for sharing this information. I'm sharing this for sure.
Would you mind sharing which fake website you ordered from so we can avoid it?
Oh wow. I'm gonna go check iridium plugs I bought now. I generally only buy platinum. And now I'm thinking. Funny how the platinums I bought are more expensive then the iridium plugs. Maybe we should present such fraud to the Federal Trade Commission? Thank you for this education.
Thank you. This is very interesting and timely. A month ago I ordered two sets of 4 NGK Iridium plugs from Autozone online for about $30 per box, but they are still unable to fulfill the order, I keep getting a Being Processed response. While these were not immediately required at the time I ordered them, just planning the next timing update on my V8 engine, but this delay I am having may be related to this issue of a batch of fakes that they are dealing with. Now I can check my old set and the new set with confidence in how to better spot a fake of this brand.
Thank you and I have had NKG plugs fail in my bike with less than 200 miles on them and yes I ordered that set of four from Amazon and they were like $10 or so cheaper compared to other sellers but I purchased replacements from a shop in this town where my bike broke down and what a time I had trying to figure out what the heck happened and what was going on but the only thing I did to my bike was service it and change the plugs before a trip we had planned so it was by luck I thought just maybe I broke a plug or something so we set out to find a place to get a set and try it and it was the plugs but they were not broke/cracked or anything but I was quite upset with NKG but your video just changed that bc I have always used NKG plugs in all my bikes and equipment and I vowed to never buy them again but I will return back to NKG plugs but will check and test my NKG’s before using them bc NKG has always been the very best prior to that day and I have had no success on finding a good replacement plug that compared to NKG and auto lite plugs are by far the worst I have ever used so thank you for posting this video
Yes, NGK plugs are the best 👍
Interesting. 0:25 - spark pic on front of box has 3 diagonal artifacts, genuine only 2. When measuring resistances, always keep your fingers OFF the probe tips, as your fingers are also conductive at this level of resistance. (Try squeezing the probes between the fingers of each hand, you will get a reading on the meter) There is no free lunch!😉
I would clip one meter lead to the top of the spark plug so I don't have to touch it, then carefully press the other lead to the center electrode without putting a finger on it.
will not matter if you have fake hands.. LOL
The way he did it should not cause any problems with the resistance reading because his hand only touched the cable/coil connector. The other probe of the multimeter was only touching the center electrode. The resistance from his finger to the center electrode will be very high since he did not touch the center electrode. Doing the measurement this way will not affect a nominal reading of 5k ohms. Many experienced electronics people commonly hold one end of the resistor between two fingers to quickly test the resistance of a low value resistor. Just make sure you don't touch the lead on the other end with any part of your body or any other surface. This will work fine for resistances of a few MOhms and below since the surface resistance of a resistor is easily in the 10's of MOhms or even higher.
@@mrstanskaggs1put a fake latex glove on
OK. Good info. I appreciate your putting this info out. I keep reading stories and seeing videos about fake/bad parts being bought "online". BUT nobody says WHERE online they got the parts. If you are trying to help, CALL THEM OUT! Name the sites and the sellers. It doesn't do much good to put out information about bad parts along with how to tell if the parts someone already bought are bad. Tell us where the parts came from so we can avoid buying from that seller/store in the first place! I buy most of my parts online but I buy from a national parts supplier so I tend to trust them. But again, If someone bought a proven fake part from them, I'd want to know about it.
I'm waiting for a set of cheap NGK plugs that I ordered on eBay. Guess what the 1st think I'm going to do when they arrive. This is the 1st video I've seen that gives a definitive way to test for fake ones. Simply, consistent resistance. Thanks
If they were from partsbetter they're junk .
Just checked a couple NGK spark plugs purchased at Advance Auto.
For riding mower.
Sharp YELLOW triangles on BOX...cost was ONLY $5 each...although up from $2.49 per receipt 2 years ago.
Great info in video.
Sound advice.
I had exactly the same experience with some NGK spark plugs in a kawasaki zx12r motorcycle, I fell for the cheaper plugs option which started to misfire after only 2000 miles. After which I went to a reputable dealer and paid the higher price, I've had no trouble since. Many thanks Mike UK
Dang, the threads on those things! Looks like you could drop the oil pan and look directly at the end of the plug and check the gap! 😂
The resistance check is by far the best way to spot fake ones. Thx.
Check out my comment.
Among the most useful videos I've seen today. The Resistance test is very helpful and can be done by anyone. Even with a cheap multimeter (mine from 2016 cost USD5). Thank You!
Just installed some NGK spark plugs last week, bought them from Amazon. I can’t believe even something as common as a spark plug is being knocked-off! Thankfully I took a photo of it (otherwise I would need to uninstall them), and I was able to compare mine to your video - and it’s genuine 😮💨
No source is safe from trickery! From Chinese watches to cars...I bought my last plugs online (amazon) so who knows what I have, they're installed now...and were a PITA. Under my gas tank on my bike...guess I'll have to check them. Thanks for this great and informative video. Well done, no BS or fluff 🙂
Thanks for this video. It's hard for those of us who grew up before this era of fakes and scams. I have been scammed before, not because I was trying to save money but because I didn't really know what a fair price was for what I was buying. There were so many fakes online that finding out what the real item SHOULD cost was very difficult.
How crazy that the manufacturer of the fakes spent a fortune creating the dies and machinery to make the fakes, and print the fake markings, but didn't spend 5 cents to install the correct resistor.
Probably does has the correct resistor but there are a few internal contacts that are probably garbage on the counterfeits. Which is probably why they all had way high resistance none of them were low
@@connelly6375 Worse the readings weren't even steady showing capacitance issues.
I had the same problem. I chased a misfire for months before I realized it was the spark plugs I had just replaced. It’s definitely worth the money to buy from a reputable source.
They likely acquired old equipment , or are making fake ones during a 4th shift in a spark plug factory. If they make $1 each and sell a million around the world every year... Worth it. They could be plain plugs sold as iridium that last 30k miles. Real iridium are good for 100k minimum. Mine have 220k. They were clean with good resistance at 180k, so I just gapped them, put them back in. I just had 2 coils fail, so it's time to replace the plugs. But where do I buy them?
Looks like I need to buy from an auto parts store, not Amazon or eBay.
Peace of mind of running the real deal is worth the price. And I'll never replace them again in this car.
The difference in resistance values is not due to resistance. This is because the materials used are different.
Thank you for the resistance trick.
I bought some from Amazon and expected them to be fake. I didn’t even put them in my car. Went to rockauto to buy another set. Let’s hope they are real as I’m replacing them today
Waoo dude, thanks for the knowledge and huge info 👍.
Where did you buy those fake NGK from ? I mean which website from ?
Thanks a million for the video dude
Just checked my Denso resistor plugs, all were the same except for one a little higher at 5.9k ohm. Using cheap meter leads it was hard to get a accurate reading, pressing hard and using fluke leads measurement was spot on each time.
Great video. I would not hold something I am measuring in my hands as they are conductors too and can mess up the readings. When measuring make sure your body's resistance isn't interfering with your measurement. I am installing some NKG's in my Toyota today. I am going to measure mine. Hopefully Rock Auto sold me the good stuff!
Hi. What was the reading and how has the car behaved since then?
How is your body going to stop the flow of electrons from travelling on a metal path?
@@Spiritof_76 It wouldn't stop it. Your body is a conductor so it could effect the impedance measurement.
@@76S30Electricity takes the shortest, most conductive path. It isn't going to throw off those readings.
@@Spiritof_76 If you take two resistors one valued at 3kohms and another at 100kohms, wire them in parallel what reading will you get as your final result?
Checked my NGK iridium IX from RockAuto $5.94 each. Checked authentic. The lasers are listed for $8.64 each.
Just tested my last 3 Denso's bought from Amazon. They seem to have all tested within range. Thanks for that info!
Thank you for posting this! Getting ready to put fresh NGK plugs in mu 2008 5.7 Tundra. Love NGK! Honestly not surprised there are fakes out there. Goes to show how good NGK is if people are going through the trouble of making fakes.
if you're measuring higher resistances (like the fake ngks), you shall not touch the probes with ur hands, as you're basically parallel connecting yourself to the measured object, and lowering the number
500k is basically dry skin. So there's no resistance within the plug. That would destroy a coil quickly!
nein
Thanks for the info. Most parts today are fake unless you get them from the Agents .You will never know for sure. Fakes are getting harder and harder to spot .
Awesome this was exactly what i was looking for. Thank you so much! The part of the resistance check is a killer check!
Thanks for the way to test for fakes. My Denso 3444 spark plugs that were purchased years ago in 2014 measured 4.08 kohms and 4.67 kohms using my auto-ranging multimeter. I only measured two of the spark plugs as I didn't want to damage the tip.
Oh. And my Denso 3444 spark plugs were purchased online from RockAuto in 2014. I was skeptical as they were $8 each back then.
4.3k +/- 10% would probably cover that. Not enough variation to matter.
Excellent, checking with your multimeter.
Before buying any spark plugs, please check with the multimeter and LED.
Avoid touching the both probe pins with both of your fingers, as it could lower the ohm reading, due to human body resistance in parallel with the plug. At most, only touch the probe pins with only one finger. That's electrics.
Your body resistance is not in the kohm range. Holding the probe with your finger has no effect on the measurement. You can try it with a regular 5k resistor.
@@dial2fast yup.. It's neglible..
Resistance in parallel is always lower than in series. If you touch the probe it wouldn't matter because the metal is more conducive than skin
Also, touching the bottom electeode throws it off!
@@dial2fast as a gen tech I'll say it throws off your readings ,it's just a good idea to not do it.
where did you get the fake ones from? that would be the most important information so that nobody else has that problem
When you tested the resistance of the second fake one you said it was 480k, it was actually 480 meg! ie open circuit
👍
No ,your wrong , 0.480 meg is 480k ohm, i havent come across any multimeter, that measures 480 meg in my 40 + years, as a qualified electronics engineer. Only specialist lab equipment, costing big bucks.
@@enoz.j3506 Yes your quite correct, my mistake ( damn decimal point )!
Thank you for this video! You have done a great service to the DIY community.
Good grief. Fake sparkplugs. What is the world coming to.😲
This explains why I've had two sets of plugs fail. I believe the shorted out and were causing my coil to arc across the positive and negative to the body of my coil. The coil was extremely hot to touch. Ill have to check my replacements. I had to do a sparkplug swap in a parking lot because my engine stopped running. Also my RPM tac has been jumping around sporadically.
Thanks a lot l. You r a really good mechanics! Spark plugs use electricity, so the smartest way to test it is checking resistance. No wonder why the fake one blows up so fast. It runs a lot hotter bcoz of much higher resistance l
Wow... You saved my bacon....i thought i was getting a great deal online but ended up with counterfeit goods....i'll be returning these plugs first thing in the morning.
Great vid . I've had a fake plug b4. What reading should you get from a plug with no resistor. I get no reading at all . Blank screen , no bleep. ?
The appearance of the Ir electrode tips are different, too. THANKS!! Would you consider looking at Denso fakes?
I recently bought a pack of x4 SK16R11 DENSO spark plugs. Seems really original but resistance values are: 4Kohms for one, 5K for 2 , and zéro Kohm for the last ! What à shame, directly in trash. I bought those for 45$. Thanks a lot for these information.
Great video and it needs to be seen more, hit that like button.
Just a tip, when using a multimeter don't touch both leads with your fingers. Your body has resistance and voltage.
Thanks a lot! Very useful.
I bought fake Denso iridium spark plugs from ebay, like 5 years ago. They couldn't last even 50K miles and their electrode was completely gone. Regardless that iridium spark plugs are rated for about 100K miles.
@ 1:50 they are actually not the same number 19 VS 09 at start of second set. Also last tiny digit 3 VS 6.
That caught my eye as the fake ones have the exact same barcode number on the single, as the 4-Pack. Usually things have a similar but slightly different number for a single, so if you bought just one it would scan as one. The genuine ones have a slightly different number.
Not sure if I missed it, where did the fake ones come from? I think Rock Auto is basically safe, but you never know.
christ, i didn't realise they stoop so low to produce fake spark plugs. just bought a set this week, gunno test em befor i fit em. nice vid. thanks.
Test the resistance and cross reference with the iridium tech spec and also the weight
thank you for the great information does that applies to denso and Bosch sparkplugs ?
I've had problems with the last two sets of ngk plugs in my Jetski.
One had the ceramic broke right at the electrode and just this year the ceramic cracked where it meets the metal body causing it to destroy the plug boot.
Limped home on that one.
I just bought a new set online, going to try your test before using them.
The crush washer is also loose on the fake plugs.
Take your coils voltage output and divide it by your resistance reading.
That gives intensity.
If you have resistor plug wires the should read less than 5k ohms per foot end to end.
It does make a difference when chasing a misfire and the gap needs to be set and any update spec employed.
I fixed a few using these facts.
Corrected them instead of throwing parts at it, and getting cheap prices.
That's huge for the whole equation.
Could you take another look at both sets of plugs if you still have them and see if the real ones have a concave tip relative to the fake ones?
Yep I had had similar issues, car was misfiring like crazy could figure not out even bought new coils, until I went back and look at the order and did a good search and bingo they were fake like my million dollars bank account.
Thanks for the video. 128400 on a 2010 Honda. I decided to change plugs and coil. Purchased NGK from local, small town Minnesota, USA NAPA. I took one spark plug back, as it had burrs on the thread of the plug, and didn't go into the engine smoothly. They did switch plugs, no charge. However, I also replaced the coils with NGK, and the car stutter after start up, cold engine idle at a stop light, leaving work. Now I'm concerned, did I buy fake?
I had no idea until today that this was a problem. I had an NGK plug fail causing a misfire on a Honda Accord. I had installed 4 plugs from Amazon a couple years ago so I assumed they were not the problem.
After testing the coils, injectors, and doing a compression test, I figured it had to be a plug. So I did a little research.
After seeing this video and a few others, I learned mine were fake. I guess I got lucky they lasted 2 years. So I said screw it, I went to Honda and bought directly from them. Yeah they were expensive, but peace of mind is priceless.
Had 2500 miles on some NGK Iridium plugs purchased on Ebay in Hyundai packaging with official looking holographic tape. 2 days ago my 1.6l Kia direct injected 4 cyl. dropped cylinder 3 and was nearly undriveable without bucking like mad. Had to wind it up and hold it in a lower gear to get it home. I'll cut to the chase. Replaced the #3 plug with the original plug that had 82K miles on it and ran like a charm (or as well as it runs at it's best). Quite a scam. I didn't just come in on the last turnip truck when it comes to automobile repair and parts. Looked great, but have poor performance and pitiful longevity. I am trying the newer design Ruthenium plugs now. Time will tell. Thanks for confirming these bogus plugs.
I'm concerned that I purchased mine from Amazon. 6 months later, I had an ignition misfire. I only replaced the old ignition & sparkplug that was at fault, and the problem went away. As soon as I get a chance, I will check all sparkplug. Thank you for this video.
Maybe it's a different spark plug that has failed, and not the one you replaced.
does NGK have specs for the resistance measurement to go by? Could a real plug be defective and yeilds a wonky impedence value?
Thank you my master…!!
I checked my stock (NGK_91924 *4). They has short serial on their side of nut, and their resistance value were during 5.19 to 5.68 kΩ.
Your video made my holiday to happily!!
Thanks for heads up! Iridium plugs do cost a wad. Ive heard though that they hold.up better in aircraft such as Lockheed Electra 10 E special and so on. If I could afford a vehicle and the plugs the iridium plugs would definatly be considered for longevity and reliability. Mind you that Irridium plugs are extremely expensive and I ve only heard one pilot recomend them. Copper may be a better electrode as far as conductivity if one is willing to changes plugs frequently. If I were flying around the world in an radial engined plane I would do some research and seriously consider iridium coated plugs. Iridium was used for many years as a fountain pen tip material so iridium is nothing new. The only advantage is durability and fewer plug changes between tune ups. The less you fuss with plugs the better once you've got them dialed in as far as gapping, reach and heat range. I'm not an expert so don't rely on only my opinion I'm just a car enthusiast. Anyone considering iridium plugs should first consult a bona-fide automobile mechanic. All this just my opinion. Don't bet your life on them though because iridium is a bit of a fad. Use at own risk!
Iridium ix plugs are 13 to 15 bucks each in my area, most expensive part to my tune ups but I get 2 years out of a set in a daily driver