COUNTERFEIT NGK Laser Iridium Spark Plugs MODEL IZFR6K11

[@ChavezDIY]

***UPDATE - THIS INFORMATION ONLY APPLIES TO THIS MODEL, OTHER MODELS MAY VARY. CHECK VIDEO DESCRIPTION FOR CORRECTIONS AND MORE INFO***

[@Asian_Connection]

This is a really great video. think it one of the best on youtube. You should do another update. The new FAKES are so much better almost undetectable now. I compared my OEM precovid plugs with news OEM plugs, the new OEM from the factory looks like it was made in a garage. I think the dealers inventory might have some fakes mixed into it now. Given the parts shortage issue.

[@dougrognlie8009]

I bought some NGK plugs a month ago. Haven't installed them yet & just saw your video last night. Checked this morning & was relieved to discover I'm good. My plugs fit your description of the real plugs perfectly. Thank you for your vigilance, Miguel. It's way too easy to be taken in by a well disguised fraud. And I'm sure I wouldn't even have considered fake plugs were a thing, even when my engine started to perform poorly. Wow!

[@ChavezDIY]

Glad I could help! Take care of that car man =)

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Well, if ya STOP buying ANY auto parts from ebay or amazon to begin with, and ONLY buy from reputable parts dealers both online or a brick & mortar business, ya won't have to worry & wonder if you bought fakes. By the way, ya can't use this single video of a single spark plug type to determine if your plugs "are real or not" because many NGK plugs that ARE REAL use the cardboard protectors over the threads. If everyone would STOP buying garbage off ebay & amazon, the crooks would give up on making such garbage because they can't sell it. But far too many people are so obsessed with "saving a few bucks" and/or "finding the best deal". Regardless of price, if any auto part doesn't come from a well known reputable dealer, I'm not buying it. But as long as people insist on "getting the best deal from ebay or amazon", the crooks will continue selling them fake garbage that can damage their engine or vehicle.

[@Allenw154]

Note, the cardboard tube does not necessarily mean fake. I got real ones from OReillys with cardboard, instead of plastic. Also, some production is Japan, so it's not a reliable indicator. The rest of the comparisons work fine.

[@ChavezDIY]

That's correct. I noted this in the video description and in the pinned comment.

[@miscthings2559]

Mine is assembled in Thailand, also comes with cardboard cover.

[@transfixleo]

Not so fast. In the early '80's while working as a mechanic at a Buick dealership, we had a run of bad carburetor fuel filters. Turns out they had been bought from some other source then GM. We were replacing them for some time after that. Remember, that was at a genuine new car dealership as opposed to a parts store,,,,

[@basavarajkv7091]

In India also we get original fitted with cardboard, & also the Name JAPAN is not engraved, this is because nowadays all are manufactured in Haryana, INDIA.

[@ChavezDIY]

***The information in this video is specific to the NGK Iridium Plugs model IZFR6K11. Other real model numbers may have real plugs that use a cardboard protector and may say ///JAPAN/// on the plug. If those two details are the only difference on other model numbers, they're likely real. FYI -NGK manufactures in Japan, US, and Thailand. Some models come with plastic covers and other models come with cardboard covers. Main places you should be worried about fakes is Ebay and Amazon 3rd party sellers. ***

[@ybrik5937]

I bought my NGK plugs (honda packaging) last 2019 from Honda dealership, they were 30cad each. Then just today, I decided to buy for my other honda on Part Source, but before I headed there, I came across your video. So this time it had NGK box and it's 20cad each. All of your description for genuine plugs checks out on what I have. But for the Honda, I still have it's Honda packaging but the sleeves/thread protector it came with was brown cardboard. I could have checked the plugs during that time if I knew there were fakes. But I think I still have genuine plugs as this is from Honda.

[@keithwollaver2307]

I also noticed that my NGK 93135 (DILKR7A11) plugs bought from CARID online do not share the same physical differences as the same known non-fake plugs. Mine do not say anything about USA on the plug, comes with brown cardboard thread protection not clear plastic and several other inconsistencies. I am going to call NGK to get the final word. I paid more than the fakes for these so soon I will know for sure.

[@ChavezDIY]

@@keithwollaver2307 Other model numbers may have some minor differences. Call NGK and they'll be able to confirm if they are real.

[@ybrik5937]

@@keithwollaver2307 I'd be interested to know if the brown cardboard thread protectors also came with genuine NGK plugs.

[@keithwollaver2307]

@@ybrik5937 I read comments from Miguel Chavez DIY that said yes, some come with the cardboard cylinder protectors. I am calling NGK on Monday to see if mine are real. Maybe you missed his comment in this thread?

[@billycarpenter4740]

It appears I received and installed a set of these FAKE NGK plugs from ebay . I had installed them and the car ran rougher than the old NGK's that had about 130,000 miles on them. I chased "mistakes" on my part before I re-installed our old plugs back in. I thought "maybe" I had received "seconds" quality NGK's . Nope, I got fakes . Thanks to Chavez for this video.

[@ChavezDIY]

Damn, that sucks. I wouldn't buy anymore plugs from Ebay.

[@billycarpenter4740]

@@ChavezDIY I agree, next time Autozone for parts for sure. FYI, her original owner 2004 Honda Accord is at 396,000 miles on the original drivetrain. This was probably the 3rd time I've changed plugs in it. Her car looks and runs like a 5 year old car .

[@Nick-ud9hf]

This happened to me a few years ago. I was replacing the original NGK 7658 Iridium plugs that came with my Suzuki Grand Vitara when it was new. The car had 115,000 miles at the time. I bought six of the same plugs from Amazon and didn’t notice anything different or fake about them. Big mistake. After only 15,000 miles on the Amazon NGK plugs, my ignition coils started failing, one right after the other, resulting in a check engine light and misfire codes. The coils were brand new OEM units that I installed the same time I installed the Amazon NGK plugs. Coils usually fail due to sparkplugs with a gap that is too wide. This forces the coils to consistently produce a higher voltage for the spark to jump the wide gap, resulting in overheating of the transistors inside the coil or damage to the secondary coil winding. When I removed the Amazon NGK plugs to check them, it was obvious. The center electrode was completely gone after only 15,000 miles. This left a gap that was huge, at least four times what it should have been. This is what was causing my coils to fail. In comparison, my original plugs with over 115,000 miles had hardly any wear at all. Then I purchased another set of NGK plugs from Rock Auto. So far, it’s been about 30,000 miles on those. I checked them at 10,000, 20,000 and just recently at 30,000 miles and there was no wear. It’s obvious the plugs I had bought from Amazon were fake. The fake Amazon plugs cost me three expensive coils that I had to replace.

[@ChavezDIY]

Damn, that sucks! No doubt those were counterfeit plugs that damaged your coils. Coils are expensive too! When my coils were going out after 10 yrs I was surprised how much they cost, I bought them from Auto Zone because I needed them right away.

[@damiena9711]

count yourself lucky. cheap plugs can shatter and drop ceramic or chunks of steel right into your combustion chamber and its game over for that engine.

[@fubartotale3389]

The resistance rating of those fake plugs are way out of spec and vary wildly between individual plugs.

[@anonymousinc.7318]

Yeah, Sixity Auto is selling a set that appear to be these fake ones.

[@maskanatomica5241]

Why aren't auto pros suing Amazon? I'm a girl, just wondering? 😮

[@Mafiota10]

I got 40% discount on my NGK spark plugs and was not confident that they were real ones because of the big discount I even asked the seller the reason for the big discount. I checked them with you now and i'm pretty sure they match the real ones and are in fact REAL, Thanks a lot! I also checked the resistance and it matches!

[@ChavezDIY]

Awesome! Congrats on getting a discount! =)

[@anthonyramsumair4815]

Excellent video. The level of detail is exceptional and the presentation is concise and very comprehensive.✔✔ Full marks to you - 100%

[@ChavezDIY]

I'm glad it was helpful! =)

[@observenotify8604]

Please find out who is making the fake duplicate Spark plugs, and put them fine of 1 billion dollars and lifetime Jail without any bail.

[@ChavezDIY]

I agree with your sentiment.

[@atillaozturk7075]

Will do mate😂😅👍

[@You-qb9wn]

China is the land of fake of everything

[@videomaniac108]

There is little question of who is doing this counterfeit manufacturing, Chinese companies. It is a big industry in China, making cheap counterfeit parts for high-demand auto parts. There is a big illicit market there for replacement auto HID bulbs, typically the good ones made by OSRAM and Philips. There is also a big business there in China in supplying sub standard steel to the construction market, with fake certifications of strength and treatment. This has been going on for over 20 years.

[@You-qb9wn]

@@videomaniac108 china is the worst country in copying and stealing others patents unfortunately

[@timtullock5440]

I just bought a set of AUTOLITE iridium plugs from Amazon that turned out to be fake. I installed them and when the engine was cold it ran well. But as soon as it heated up the car started missing so bad I barely made it back home. I finally figured out it was the plugs after checking my coils. Then I went to Napa and bought a different set. I installed those and the car ran great.

[@ChavezDIY]

Take good care of your car! =)

[@094340]

Thanks for the vid, I was holding my breath because I just bought a set of 4 for my 2009 Accord, but I got them off Amazon. Luckily, they passed the test.

[@ChavezDIY]

Awesome! If you are ever in doubt, you can call NGK and give them the numbers stamped on the plug and they'll check for you =)

[@philc.9280]

I just happened to see a couple of these videos comparing fake to real NGK's. I've already installed probably the fake ones as they seemed pretty cheap on eBay. The car runs totally fine for now and I actually contacted the eBay seller. He promptly responded by saying he's sold hundreds of sets without any complaints so far. I guess according to your video I'll be changing them soon. At least the hyundai elantra is real easy to work on.

[@ChavezDIY]

What details of the plug or box do you see that make it a fake plug? Check the video description for additional information that I couldn't add to the video.

[@philc.9280]

@@ChavezDIY probably the price. They were four plugs for $16 I believe

[@ChavezDIY]

@@philc.9280 yup. That's barely enough for one genuine plug. They'll still work but they're not using iridium so they won't last. Some people say they get 8k to 10k miles with the fakes. Iridium lasts up to 110k mi. As the gap wears out on the fakes you'll get poor mpg and maybe a cylinder misfire.

[@LykeArgy]

update? @@philc.9280

[@philc.9280]

@@ChavezDIY It's been a year with the fake plugs and the car still seems to run perfectly fine with good gas mileage. I wonder what material is used on the tip. Just a follow up with my previous message.

[@2kostasd]

BEST video I've seen on fake comparison - thanks! I just received a set of fakes from eBay, and that's what caused me to search online when I noticed inconsistencies in the finishes. Never realized they were making FAKE SPARK PLUGS!!!

[@ChavezDIY]

You're welcome! Be careful with counterfeit stuff out there on eBay.

[@aamirahmedkhan7190]

Excellent video and you had cover all the details

[@ChavezDIY]

Thank you! =)

[@rlccar8518]

As a graphic designer, I applaud your attention to packaging detail. 😄

[@ChavezDIY]

Wow, thank you! =)

[@ПетроВенгель]

The significant differences between fake spark plugs (in my case, this is DENSO SC20HR11 IRIDIUM) from the original are as follows. The central electrode did not have a laser-welded iridium washer/cylinder, and the side electrode had a stamped imitation of a "welded" resistance welding disk. These differences between the fake spark plugs and the genue spark plugs can only be seen using a binocular microscope.

[@ChavezDIY]

Thanks for sharing these details on your specific spark plugs. You're right about needing to get really close up in order to notice the differences.

[@matthewvader8651]

Wish I had seen this before I bought a set for my 2011 Tacoma. I put them in six months ago and less than 15k miles I had a miss fire. I thought I had a bad coil because of that. I have used only these plugs on my Tacoma since they were OEM. The real ones last over 100k miles. I replaced all the coils and still had the problem. I pulled out the plugs and all the tips were gone. Definitely learned my lesson and will only go to the parts store from now on.

[@ChavezDIY]

Sorry to hear about your 15k spark plugs with blown tips, they were definitely counterfeit plugs. I was amazed that hundreds of these have already been sold on eBay.

[@costantineyoussif6679]

Same exact thing happened to me after 14,000mi my denso plugs start miss firing cylinder 1 &6 I bought them off eBay from “supposedly Lexus authorized dealer” when I pulled them out the tip was fouled and covered with carbon, i went to Lexus dealer and buy set of 6 and have peace of mind they’re definitely original and not fake lesson learned 🙌🏼

[@grumpycarlsworld]

You were fortunate to get that far. Put a set in my Neon and it was missing and hesitating by 5,000 miles. Same scenario, electrodes were burned down to the insulators.

[@richardsmith4187]

Excellent video on the NGK fake vs real spark plugs !! You really hit it out of the park on this one with all the detailed comparison of each plug. I'm getting ready to replace my plugs in a few months and started to look online and the prices varied quite a bit with Ebay and Amazon usually having much cheaper prices. This should be a BIG red flag as quality real NGK iridium plugs are not cheap. I found some performance shops online and a set of 4 was near $ 79.00 which I suspect were real NGK plugs. I'm going to check with my dealership and see if they carry NGK, if not I will probably order from a performance shop or other retailer I can trust. Thanks again for the great video, you should continue doing videos on car part comparisons as there is lots of Chinese junk being sold online.

[@ChavezDIY]

Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it! I do plan to make more videos on counterfeit stuff in the future.

[@richardsmith4187]

@@ChavezDIY Awesome, you do a great job !!

[@hjholmes]

Thank you so much for this video. I didn't even know there was counterfeit spark plugs. This video helped ease my mind that the NGK's I bought are real. Thanks, bro! Good looking out!

[@ChavezDIY]

You are welcome! =)

[@jfro5867]

Great work, shows how’s devious they are, cutting it open was the killer blow. Busted.

[@ChavezDIY]

Yes, they are devious, the untrained eye can't tell the difference between a fake and a real plug. I never knew until this year that people sell counterfeit OEM parts for Toyota and Honda online too.

[@Sean4real901]

I purchased a 6 pack of NGK 6994 from Amazon in 2018 around $60. I suspected they were fake and even contacted NGK and I asked if the Lot number was legit -F8YE. They said it was a Taiwan manufacturing location and they were in fact fake. The plugs have Japan engraved on them instead of USA from local auto part stores inventory. I cut them open as you did and I did see a copper core and they look identical to a real plug. Do you think I got lucky with real Japan NGK manufactured plugs?

[@MrHugemoth]

A Chinese motorcycle I bought years ago came with a fake NGK plug. The resistor disintegrated causing the center electrode to recede into the ceramic insulator. The bike didn't run well with a .1" gap!

[@ChavezDIY]

Yikes, that's terrible. That gap is very important.

[@higemini]

Yes, FAKE NGK spark plugs are being sold out there. I wanted to change my old spark plugs with new ones. My vehicle's owner's manual stated what kind of spark plugs I needed. In May 2024, I purchased six (6) NGK Laser Iridium spark plugs on eBay. I didn't immediately replace the spark plugs mainly because I didn't know how to. After watching this video, I purchased six (6) NGK Laser Iridium Premium spark plugs from my local O'Reilly's Auto Parts store. I compared the eBay ones to the O'Reilly's ones. I was surprised to discover the differences of the eBay FAKES and the ones from O'Reilly's. Everything stated in this video was TRUE in my own comparison. I was no longer confident in my eBay purchase and so received a full refund. I finally replaced my ols spark plugs with the new one from O'Reilly's. Even though my eBay purchase saved me money at first, I'm sure it would cost me more money and headache on potential car repairs in the future as a result of this FAKE spark plugs installation. Thank you very much for the excellent, informative video!!!

[@ChavezDIY]

You're welcome! and congrats dodging engine problems with the fakes.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Since then boxes have gotten better can't go by that, also NGK themselves change the box from time to tiem and depending on where sourced for local manufacture so you can get 2 genuine boxes that are not the same.

[@PedroMartinez-nv7mz]

A very good explanation, thanks.

[@ChavezDIY]

Glad it was helpful! =)

[@xxshiftlockxx]

Check the resistance between the tip of the electrode, and the top of the terminal. If it's a 5,000 ohm resistor plug, the tolerance range is 3,500-7,000 or 3.5-7.0 kOhm

[@ChavezDIY]

I have heard that from other people but when I tested my fakes the resistance checks were "good". It's not a reliable way to check if they're fakes. Check the video description for more information.

[@xxshiftlockxx]

@@ChavezDIY This was one of the things given to me directly by NGK when I reached out to their customer support. I also sent them a bunch of up close pics of the boxes as well as the plug from multiple angles.

[@nimbusnation9584]

Phenomenal work brother on behalf of all motor vehicles owners and soon to be motor vehicle owners we thank you for your in depth investigation.

[@ChavezDIY]

You're welcome brother! =)

[@dis750frontdesk5]

Awesome job, thank you so much for the side by side comparison and explaining what to look for. I also got burned with an EBAY seller when I bout NGK Laser Iridium for my 2007 G35.

[@ChavezDIY]

Glad it was helpful! It sucks getting screwed with fakes. That's why I try to leave honest feedback on amazon and eBay when I can. I love the body styling on the G35, its a beautiful car =)

[@Charlymorfin]

Thanks to this video, the ones I got from Amazon are authentic, I bought a set of 4 IZFR6K-11S for 47.84 including Tax, it had everything correct on the video, only difference were that they came with carboard protectors and it said Assembled in Thailand, the code on the spark plug was clear and started with "U22*", the seller was AUTOPARTSAAA

[@ChavezDIY]

Glad to hear your spark plugs checked out as good. I also bought from that seller on Amazon and received legit ones. It's unfortunate that amazon doesn't let you mention the seller in a review. I tried to give AUTOPARTSAAA a shout out in my review and it was denied, haha. The material used for the cover can change and is not consistent. I suppose that goes along with manufacturing location because right now we still have disruptions in the supply chain and production of products. NGK's Thailand plant generally manufactures for the asian market but I can see that if we have issues making them here in the US they'll need to make them elsewhere.

[@marcasswellbmd6922]

I have been wondering about these too.. I have NGK's for my Juke, and they make 2 different ones for my car.. I can use the all Iridium, which are a $100 for 4 spark plugs, or the cheaper set is still like $70 bucks tho.. My boxes look nothing like yours.. I always order mine from 2J racing in Atlanta and never thought about it. I have bought from them one time from AutoZone and spent like $120 with tax. In a pinch. I will be doing a plug change in September.. I am going to play with the boost a little and take her to the track just to see what the car can do.. I have used phone apps to get an Idea of my 0-60 and 1/4 miles times.. I have pulled off a couple 14's but mostly low 15's.. Look it's a Juke, it is what it is.. They aren't quarter Mile Car's at all.. Even when turned up over 400 wheel they don't do good number's at the track.. Seems like they would make great Rally cars because they are fast as hell from like 15 to 80 miles an hour. Once you get over 90 they turn back into regular 4 cylinder's. Thats what it feels like to me.. Don't get wrong, I am on a Tune making around 250 WT and I have a lot of fun with my Juke, they are nice sleeper's when turn up.. Warning though high maintenance cars, CVT's and Direct injection. They do have front wheel only Manuals, But when turned up to much they become sit and spins. It's a real catch 22 because the CVT's can't handle more than 250WT and once you go over 280 WT with out AWD, the car will pull you off the road and spin wheels the whole quarter miles.. Its sad..

[@ChavezDIY]

The use of iridium on the plug just makes the plug last longer than the other metals. Iridium can take more heat so they will last you about 120k miles. The three main metals used for the center electrode are nickel, platinum, and iridium. They should all really perform about the same, but they won't last the same. Nickel plugs will last about 30k mi, Platinum plugs can last about 60k mi, and Iridum plugs last about 120k mi.

[@seandang950]

Awesome.. your content is very helpful. The comparisons so details and informative.

[@ChavezDIY]

Glad it was helpful! There's a lot of details in making these plugs. After making this video I have more appreciation for NGK's manufacturing quality.

[@scottsluggosrule4670]

Tested my new ones.. all 4-7 … good to go TX

[@ChavezDIY]

Awesome! 👍🏻😎

[@Edwin-E]

very informative video from packaging to the actual product. Well done!

[@ChavezDIY]

Glad it was helpful! =)

[@nastysoda9212]

Bought 4 for my impreza from Rock auto, 1 was counterfit, sent them all back and will NEVER buy from rock auto again.

[@ChavezDIY]

That's weird! How did you know that one of the plugs was fake?

[@jimnguyen1267]

No one can tell the fake unless we try them on, but why did we order and sell them in USA?

[@ChavezDIY]

The people that make the fakes do a really good job. If you wanted to be sure, you can cut one open and look for the copper in the core of the spark plug, but then you'll have to buy 1 replacement at your local store.

[@KathrynLiz1]

MMM... my last set of NGK Iridiums for my bike came via Amazon some 10 years ago, and they were Kosha. I got a set for my car a while back from a local dealer and they were the real deal too... both worked out around $14NZ each.... You get what you pay for. I went to Amazon for the first set as the local price here was $48 each, an obvious gouge, but the second set just 3 years ago from the local outlet was reasonable.

[@ChavezDIY]

Yes, you get what you pay for. A reputable seller will not be selling fakes. Ebay is getting better, but its on the buyers to report the fakes.

[@sdjnwhyNZ]

NGK has a big factory in Shanghai. It costs about 700 cny (98.94 usd) to buy 4 DILKAR6A11 plugs straight out of the factory. No way this thing will get down below 20 usd per plug since it's duration is over 100,000 kms (I have those in my QR20DE engine for more than 7 years)

[@ChavezDIY]

Good point! =)

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Other reviewers have found differences in ground electrode that are opposite to this video so don't go by that alone.

[@dougschmidt5132]

did you confront the seller ? Does Amazon vette their sellers ?

[@ChavezDIY]

The seller was from Ebay. I reported the seller to Ebay but Ebay does not follow with you on any action or what happens after the report is made.

[@sapte62]

I bought 9 of those Iridium plugs over time from Amazon and used them in my car and motorcycle. All were done before the usual lifespan of a regular plug. And yes, I remember them having bad machining, at the time I thought that they just don't make them as they used to anymore. Bought Denso from another online parts shop and never looked back

[@ChavezDIY]

Its so wrong for people to sell fake spark plugs. The CarCareNut has a video on fake Toyota parts, that's where I got the idea to look out for fakes. I also found fake Honda sensors being sold on eBay.

[@ganuv]

Regarding the cardboard cover is not always true some original ones come with the cardboard covers too.

[@ChavezDIY]

Correct. It all depends on the model number of the plugs. With this specific model number in the video, they should not come with cardboard covers. Other models do come with cardboard covers, but I don't have a list of those that do.

[@MosunmolaOlatunde]

We needs more clarity between the real and the fake

[@ChavezDIY]

Check the video description for more information. If you are in doubt, call NGK and give them the lot number stamped on the side of your plugs and they will tell if they are real or fake.

[@stevenscott8653]

The listing does not say that they are NGK

[@ChavezDIY]

Good point. In the screenshot, the title of the listing doesn't say NGK. They did a great job of making fake NGK plugs, which is scary.

[@lechen5540]

some one says that one of the best ways to tell is to measure the resistance, more consistent with the real ones. Thanks.

[@ChavezDIY]

I checked resistance. Two fakes from the same box were gave me readings of 5.1 and 6.0 Ohms. Three Real ones from the same box gave a reading of 4.3, 4.7, 4.1 Ohms. One Real one from a different box but identical model number gave me a reading of 6.0 Ohms. So I'm guessing as long as you're testing the plugs from the same box the real ones should get more consistent readings? It's not a practical test as its a lil challenging to get the leads to get a reading. You have to rub and try different areas of a very small space and it takes multiple tries just to get one reading. My engine has 4 plugs, I can't imagine testing 6 or 8 plugs, that's a lot of work. Just look for the white powder on the porcelain area and put the box under a light and see if its translucent.

[@EIRK2046Y]

Measure resistance between top of spark plug and center electrode - it must be between 4,5 - 5 kOhm. Use multimeter. This help.

[@ChavezDIY]

Actually the range is wider. I tested the resistance recently. Both the fakes and the real ones were in the 4k -6k range. The difference is that the ohms from the real ones were closer (4.1, 4.5, 4.7) as long as they're from the same box. A real plug from a different box (same model) showed 6.0. The fake plugs from the same box were farther apart (4.1 and 6.0).

[@EIRK2046Y]

@@ChavezDIY O.K Thank you.

[@grumpycarlsworld]

Quite sure I got caught out. Cheap(ish) NGK Iridium plugs for my Chrysler Neon. After a mere 8,000km (5,000 miles) the car was hesitant and missing occasionally. I pulled the plugs to find the centre electrodes completely burned down to the insulator. 99.9% sure they were fakes now.

[@ChavezDIY]

Yikes! Definitely sounds like you had fakes, there's no way legit iridium plugs will blow out in 5k miles. There was no Iridium in those plugs.

[@dcomputers]

Those fake plugs will mess up the engine. Just the washer would damage the head while screwing in.

[@ruslanantonov7544]

It's even weirder that there are fakes when the real thing isn't expensive.

[@ChavezDIY]

I agree. All the work and effort that goes into this makes me wonder about the profit margins for the counterfeiters. I guess if you are going to make fake plugs due to easy access to a spark plug plant, then Iridum plugs make a good target.

[@Grenadieros]

Thank you sir for all the informations, you would have helped a lot of people with this video.

[@ChavezDIY]

I'm glad it was helpful! There's so much fake merchandise out there, be careful.

[@enekaken]

Got fake NGK ones from Amazon. It blew apart during a road trip within a year.

[@ChavezDIY]

Damn, that sucks! I reported the eBay seller but I don't know what's become of that report. If I get fakes from Amazon I'm reporting the seller.

[@willsrestorations]

Never buy ignition parts especially spark plugs from Amazon unless they are shipped and sold by Amazon.

[@joanespik]

Thanks!!

[@ChavezDIY]

No problem! =) check the video description for more information.

[@eduardoben7106]

Excelente trabajo saludos desde Argentina

[@ChavezDIY]

Gracias! Saludos!

[@infoman8]

Great job pointing out the differences!

[@ChavezDIY]

Thanks! =)

[@larrylong7032]

tks so much guy

[@ChavezDIY]

You're welcome!

[@jumpinjojo]

Also, if you check the resistance of the real plugs vs the fakes, you’ll find a huge difference.

[@ChavezDIY]

Thanks for the tip! Ill check it out.

[@k24in31]

So that's crazy man, thank you for the info!

[@ChavezDIY]

Yeah, its crazy what people will do for money. I plan to buy some from amazon and see what I find. I also found some counterfeit OEM Honda parts on eBay (a couple of sensors). There's another guy on youtube, The Car Care Nut, that made a video about counterfeit OEM Toyota parts too.

[@shlomihazan6997]

The important thing is the residents if it not more than 7 kohm in cars that the oil consumption is high this plugs is enough

[@ChavezDIY]

These fakes actually did well on the resistance check. It may have worked with fakes in the past but I guess they're getting better at making fakes. Check the video description for more information on the resistance check I did.

[@THISISYOURFAULTBRO]

heads up just bought a set on amazon and it HAD the clear cover but turned to crap after just a week of use. don't be cheap pay the extra 20 dollars boys

[@ChavezDIY]

Damn that sucks! Don't forget to leave a review on Amazon!

[@THISISYOURFAULTBRO]

@@ChavezDIY for sure good idea, they caused rough idle poor shifting and the whole time i never thought FAKEE PLUGS. I was happy had found an incredibly cheap deal on amazon. However, did notice the box they came in was recycled cardboard and the mini "welds" where the spark happens looked sloppy. plug was also a little too shiny way too CHROME. hard to tell but this video really helped

[@dmo848]

No way. This sucks now I'm nervous

[@82_KID]

Question. If the ones from EBay DO turn out to be fake, they were kind of a lower price... What do I then do? (They are coming this week I ordered them today. Never even thought about this.)

[@ChavezDIY]

If you want confirmation that they're real, call NGK and give them the LOT number that's on the side of the plug on the metal. If they're fake, tell the seller you want to return them.

[@Gedrico]

Please where can I get the real NGK splugs to buy in Ghana

[@ChavezDIY]

I don't know. Contact NGK and see if they can tell you where you can buy in Ghana. Here is their website with online stores that sell NGK plugs. Check the websites and see if they deliver to your location ngksparkplugs.com/en/about-us/where-to-buy

[@Jodyrides]

i’ve seen on the Internet it on a fake, NGK, spark plug, you can get the washer off easy. But on the real NGK spark plugs, you cannot get the washer off easy at all.. to be safe, I do not buy NGK spark plugs from anyone on eBay. I buy my spark plugs at advance auto. They stock them, or they will have them later today or tomorrow…

[@josevilla3709]

I got ngks from advanced, they have the paper protector. Are they fake?

[@ChavezDIY]

No. NGK uses both cardboard and plastic protectors on plugs. Check the video description for more information.

[@eugeniozanda7230]

Well done mate...! 👍😉

[@ChavezDIY]

Thanks 👍 =)

[@OutlawEntertainmentlmc]

Mine , I got today, has a little of each one you described

[@ChavezDIY]

If you have a different model number than the ones in the video you might notice a couple of things are different.

[@fixitman2174]

The resistance on fake plugs will always be well out over 7K (max specified by NGK). They have to be in order for the poorly made fakes to work for even a short time. Visual identification is useless because NGK has changed their production process and packaging considerably over the years. Based on the resistances in your update, you were comparing early and late versions of real NGK plugs.

[@ChavezDIY]

The resistance on the fakes that I have all measured under the 7K. Unfortunately the resistance check doesn't always work out.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Check the serial number with NGK that's the best way. ( or if no batch number then def fake)

[@ChavezDIY]

Calling NGK and giving them the LOT number is the best way to confirm.

[@48perkins]

Are the Rock Auto Parts NGK Iridum IX spark plugs real.Bought them a while back for my 85 Nissan 720.Mine have 2 types,intake and exhaust plugs.I was just looking at there parts and they had 4 of each left and had them marked down low. I just put them in today.12/25/2021.The plugs I took out are stock copper Ngk plugs.They are still good.

[@ChavezDIY]

It's likely they're real, Rock Auto sells legit stuff.

[@luciorodriguez720]

As much i trust my local auto parts store, when i buy plugs, i double check they are genuine, cause there's bad people that ordered from amazon knowing they are getting the fake and the they go to their local auto parts store buy the real and then days later they go back and returned the plugs, but they swap the good ones and return the fake, cause they can go out and make money selling them for the original cost, trust me i know cause i knew someone that did that sh...ttt, but for those that love amazon for cheaper prices, well they also getting cheaper products and Bezos loves those shoppers.

[@ChavezDIY]

That's a good point. I need to start checking my plugs when I buy from my local auto parts store. I have no respect for people that scam others.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Darker printing on insulator does seem to be a consistent indicator of a fake.

[@ChavezDIY]

Thanks for that observation.

[@thestarkster82]

I just bought a 4 pack from O'Reillys but they came with a cardboard cover on them🤷‍♂️

[@ChavezDIY]

As long as everything else checks out good, I wouldn't worry about the cardboard covers.

[@mrblanche]

Did you notice the bar code is not the same on the fake box?

[@ChavezDIY]

I don't remember if I did notice it or not notice it when I made the video.

[@mrblanche]

@@ChavezDIY it's one digit off.

[@ChavezDIY]

@@mrblanche good eye 👍🏼

[@greggf6689]

Actually 2 digits off - there’s a 3 on the outside of the bar code. The first six digits are the manufacturer number, the last six, the product number.

[@kimchee94112]

Purchased a car part from Amazon advertised as genuine OEM but was fake. I wrote a bad review regarding the product and vendor but Amazon blocked my post. Seems like they rather protect the vendors than unsuspecting buyers. This was not my the first time getting fake products from Amazon. The other issue I have with Amazon is warranties denied from manufactures when purchased from unauthorized sellers. Pretty sure Amazon didn't do much checking on the sellers.

[@ChavezDIY]

The same thing happened to me. Amazon doesn't want the seller being mentioned in the product review. Amazon has separate places to review products and another place to review the seller. The concern about fakes from the seller should be in the seller review which comes via email afterwards from amazon. If you want a warranty from a product make sure Amazon is the listed seller. 3rd party sellers may not be an authorized seller. I too have learned that when shopping on Amazon you have to check the "Sold by" and "Shipped by" information.

[@tobymagnus4527]

So where can we be assured of getting an original one?

[@ChavezDIY]

Places to buy legitimate plugs: Auto Zone, Napa, Pep Boys, O'Reilly, Advanced Auto Parts, Parts Authority, Summit Racing, Parts Geek, Parts Plus, Rock Auto. If you buy from an Amazon third party seller, ensure they have good reviews at least a thousand reviews. Known good Amazon 3rd party seller: AUTOPARTSAAA

[@octavioganoy6360]

I am a ngk laser iridium user before but now I stop buying and using it...because of that fake product.. its very hard to identify the fake and orig. specially in online shopping. You want to buy expensive one because of its durability but what if you buy a fake one and it can damage your engine..? OMG...I used brisk now it is not durable but atleast I know the surely lifespan and surely not fake.

[@ChavezDIY]

As long as you buy them from big retailer like AutoZone, Pep Boys, Oreilly etc or a reputable online retailer like AdvancedAuto or partsgeek. they should be originals. If you spend a few minutes observing them, you'll figure out how to spot the fake. At first my reaction was frustration, but once I noticed the details its easy to spot the fakes. I hate people sell counterfeit shit, haha.

[@tjet455]

I'm wondering if an NKG plug that was made in Japan vs a USA made one would have similar differences. For example, I have 2 Seiko watches. 1 was made in Japan, and the other in Malaysia. They have differences, but they are both real Seiko watches,

[@ChavezDIY]

The plugs made in Japan will say JAPAN on them and the ones made in the US will say Assembled in USA with Japanese parts. On this specific model of Iridium plugs, they are made in the US. There are difference in manufacturing depending on the model number. I want to cover more model numbers. I would only be concerned if you buy from an amazon third party seller or an eBay seller.

[@Val_tini.]

Mine is half fake and half real… Assembled in Thailand??

[@ChavezDIY]

They're likely real. Check the video description. NGK manufactures in Thailand, US, and Japan. During the pandemic I noticed they were manufacturing in Thailand for the US market.

[@bae896]

ugh the warning label on mine is white, not orange. purchased jan 2017 $5 per on amazon.

[@ChavezDIY]

Check for other details as well.

[@bae896]

i did contact ngk, all but one were counterfeit. thanks for the vid, never imagined this.

[@armandtech4386]

I think this are all original, the one is manufactured in japan and the other one is manufactured in usa from japan also. Same materials but not the same manufacturer. That is why the one is made in japan and the other one is from usa.

[@ChavezDIY]

No, they're not all original. The printed manufacturing location is only one detail of many details that I cover in the video. This specific model of plugs used to say "made in Japan" years ago, but then NGK started assembling them in the US with parts from Japan. More recently due to the pandemic some were made in Thailand. I know this about this specific model because I have been buying these plugs for my Acura TSX that I have owned for 14 years. When the OEM changes something in manufacturing, the fakes continue to be printed with the older manufacturing labels, then it becomes easier to spot the fakes. Same with original Honda parts...the fakes sold on eBay continue to print old labels and do not update their products to the current manufacturing labels/designs. That's only one strike against the fakes among the many other strikes against the fakes. If you needed 100% proof, watch the part of the video where I cut them open and that's all you need to see.

[@denvernuggets007]

I ordered mine thru NAPA auto parts! They are legit but thanks for the video. 👍👍👍

[@ChavezDIY]

No problem 👍

[@bobbymoss6160]

I bought 4 individual Laser Iridium NGK for my Mazda 3 directly from Amazon. These are assembled in Thailand with paper cylinder protecting the electrode. When you buy from Amazon, just be care with too good to be true deals and buying from 3rd party vendor.

[@ChavezDIY]

Awesome! Since the coronavirus pandemic started I noticed that NGK's Thailand plant was making plugs for US market. I wonder if that was due to supply chain issues and lock downs. Yes, NGK uses cardboard covers on some plugs and plastic covers on others. I always try to buy direct from amazon instead of a 3rd party seller.

[@middlesiderrider]

So your plugs say anything around the ring other than "NGK" and the plug number? I bought a cheap NGK plug off Amazon for a Yamaha scooter. Was having a ton of problems tuning and starting the thing. Checked the spark and it looked kinda weak and wasn't sparking at the end of the ground strap, it was sparking about an eighth inch back from the tip. I tried the old NGK plug that had "Japan" stamped on it, and the spark looked better. Scooter runs better too (although not perfect yet, it's an old two stroke). I was surprised to see my plug box says made in Thailand. Wondering if my plug is fake. But even if it's not, it's defective

[@SevenSixTwo2012]

Very informative and detailed video, thank you! 👍

[@ChavezDIY]

You're welcome! 👍🏻🙏🏻

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

You can't go by stated manufacturing location , NGK make plugs all over , just becsue oyu are in USA doesn't mean you won't find genuine EU or Japan made NGK plugs. Ditto else where

[@ChavezDIY]

Check the video description for more information.

[@alp3781]

First thing to do, check resistance with a voltmeter. They should all be almost at the same KM range. Using fake plugs can really damage an engine. No joke. Not worth it. Best place, Auto Parts places, well know one and OEM sites.

[@milolll]

Check the resistence, real is 3-7K ohm, fake is much higher or lower.

[@ChavezDIY]

I tested the resistance recently. Both the fakes and the real ones were in the 4k -6k range. So that's not a good way to tell. The difference is that the ohms from the real ones from the same box all were closer (4.1, 4.5, 4.7). Real ones from two different boxes (same model) were farther apart. The fakes were also farther apart from the same box (4.1 and 6.0).

[@FavourDivine-gs4yn]

How can I get the plug sir

[@ChavezDIY]

I have a link to authorized sellers in the video description. Any major auto parts will have them like Napa, AutoZone, OReily, Pep Boys.

[@lisab3396]

👍👍

[@terryhill4100]

who sells the fake ones

[@ChavezDIY]

The fakes ones I bought were from eBay. If you want a list of authorized sellers, there's a link in the video description.

[@costantineyoussif6679]

So orally’s pretty much selling fake plugs as well , after I ordered 6 of NGK I compared all of them to see if they’re pre gapped then I notice on of them were super shine than the rest of them and it says on the plug “Japan” vs the rest says “NGK” for me that was big O NO return them immediately 😤

[@ChavezDIY]

I doubt they are knowingly selling fakes. There is the possibility that someone bought plugs from them, swapped them with fakes, and returned the fakes to them. Their staff are not trained in checking for fakes so they probably put it back on the shelf and resell it. One time I bought toilet flush valve from Home Depot and didn't bother to check it at the store. Brought it home and found that someone put a used one in the box. Someone probably bought the new valve, put the used one in the box and returned it back to the store, scumbags! LOL!

[@costantineyoussif6679]

@@ChavezDIY make sense 👍🏼

[@tahtahony]

Thank you for the great topic 👍

[@ChavezDIY]

My pleasure sir! =)

[@wsandy-qr8gs]

Dude, the ones you bought online, the "fake" ones are just old. The box is the old style ngk box. If you had bought ngk, 15 years ago from oreillys, it would look like your "fake" ngk box

[@ChavezDIY]

No, the fakes got you brother, haha. You see, when I first bought these plugs from Auto Zone about ten years ago they did say "Made In Japan" on the box and on the plug itself. But the manufacturing from NGK changed over time and they now say what I mentioned in the video (Made in USA with Japanese parts). Even more recently during the pandemic, they started making them in Thailand. I find that counterfeiters don't keep up with the updated manufacturing and continue to print the "old" style. But that's only one single detail of many other details that I cover in the video. There is no way that NGK would manufacture an Iridium plug without any Iridium and without any Copper in the core. This is the very reason why counterfeiting is successful, because it works and it fools people.

[@florenbaron7111]

Can someone please provide a link to the genuine spark plugs for my 2014 Ford Mustang V6 3.7? Thank you.

[@ChavezDIY]

Check the video description for more information.

[@abelincoln2562]

10.25% sales tax. What state are you in?

[@ChavezDIY]

I live in California. But the tax rate varies by cities because some cities add a higher tax rate. This specific Auto Zone has a high tax rate due to the city where it is located. Some people drive out to the Auto Zone in the neighboring because the tax rate is lower.

[@tichaonaenerstnyakuhwa7204]

So do the original plugs generates electricity as illustrated in free electricity vedios on youtube

[@ChavezDIY]

The spark plugs don't generate electricity, they have an electrical current that passes through them and the gap at the tip allows a spark to form which detonates the mixture of air and fuel in the cylinder.

[@jubrejiwal418]

how to buy the real

[@ChavezDIY]

There is a list of authorized NGK sellers in the video description.

[@greg-lb3lr]

Nice one 👍

[@ChavezDIY]

Thanks ✌️

[@oringken]

bought a set of ngk from ebay and they did not last 6 thousand miles my last set of ngk had over 125 thousand miles on them and they were still working great in my 2005 honda accord

[@ChavezDIY]

Its the platinum, iridium, and copper that makes the real plugs last long. Sounds like the eBay plugs you bought were counterfeit.

[@oringken]

@@ChavezDIY I wish I would have kept them but I through them in the trash when I bought the new ones the old ones were most likely counterfeits as the tips were gone and they had less then 6 thousand miles on them

[@Jeff_Seely]

I'm sorry man. There's no integrity to be found here and it happens much more often than most think. I'm commend you for blowing the whistle and raising awareness but man I'm so sorry you got had here. I'd be as pissed as I think you are and maybe do something similar to what you did. I'll just stick with AutoZone, Rock, and Napa for stuff like this. You also gotta watch the coils too. If they'll get you on the plugs, they'll get you on coils, perhaps even worse quality comparisons. Thanks again...

[@ChavezDIY]

I was disappointed when I found out about these fakes, but then I found even more videos on counterfeit OEM parts being sold on Ebay, that's crazy. I agree, I will be sticking with AutoZone or authorized NGK sellers, there's a link to the authorized sellers in the video description.

[@giorgimamardashvili.]

where to buy originals?

[@ChavezDIY]

Your local major auto parts store like AutoZone, O'Reilly, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc.

[@giorgimamardashvili.]

@@ChavezDIY I meant online gusers

[@ChavezDIY]

@@giorgimamardashvili. Oh ok. There are trusted ones online like Advanced Auto Parts, Partsgeek, RockAuto, 1A Auto. I would even buy from Amazon, but make sure the "sold by" says "Amazon" and of course you can check them and if they're fakes you can return them. I used G.P.S. as a third party seller on Amazon and they were legit and they also had a really high number of reviews 23k with 100% positive rate.

[@fubartotale3389]

Thise,are usually about $20 a pop, so $14 for four should have been a red flag my dude.

[@ChavezDIY]

Yes, it was a red flag. I bought them knowing that they were likely fake. I would not have been able to make this video and show ppl the fakes without buying them.

[@bFORCe2003]

Im sure NGK plugs are also made in Japan.

[@ChavezDIY]

Yes of course. These details don't apply to all NGK models (as mentioned in pinned comment and video description).

[@dougrognlie8009]

Thanks!

[@ChavezDIY]

Thank you for the support brother! =)