Real vs fake denso plugs w/pics

Hey guys! I've been meaning to post this for awhile. Been working 91hr weeks on nights during this turnaround.

I posted a thread when I bought $20 ebay denso spark plugs. After posting it and doing more research, I decided to pick up some genuine Denso plugs from the dealership. I'll post pictures of the real and fake plugs so that someone can tell if their plug is genuine or not.
Now I did put about 500 miles on the truck or so with no issues with the fake plugs. I just wanted to post this to help someone in the future.

Real box on top. Fake on bottom


Real box on top. Fake on bottom

Real plug on left. Fake on right. Notice the clarity of the letters on the genuine plug when you zoom in.


Genuine plug. see how nice and blue the tip is?


Fake plug. See how the tip isnt blue?

 

Common issue with cheap eBay parts. ALOT of it is fake. I ordered some “oem” fuel injectors for 60 bucks. Pulled them out of the packaging and knew they were fake. Damn good looking copy, but they were very bad. Engine ran like absolute garbage with them in.
Swapped them out with actual oem used ones and when I had pulled the eBay ones out the caps were melting already and that’s just engine running for 1 hour.

 

Thanks. I'll have to check the denso ones I bought from advance Auto and see if they look similar

 

Sshhh. Don’t bad mouth the Chinese.......they’re listening.....
Seriusly though, thanks for the heads up,

 

I went through this when buying NGK plugs for my Subaru, the Chinese fake the NGK plugs also. You're best off buying your plugs from a reputable auto parts company like AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advanced Auto ect., it will be more expensive than eBay or Amazon but at least you know you are getting the real thing and considering how often you replace plugs it's not worth cheaping out on hoping to get authentic ones. If it seems too good to be true it probably is.

 

Damn scary. I put denso coils on my son's Corolla and daughters camry. Now I hope they were denso.. fm

 

I bought my plugs from advanced auto, comes in two 4-packs, for eight plugs. One box was slightly different from the other just as you noted; the font, etc. it just means they were manufactured in different places, not real vs. fake. Somebody would had to have invested 10’s of millions of dollars into a fake spark plug factory, along with a fake Toyota box company...not likely with this sort of product.

 

This was my factory denso coil. It's the only picture I have

 

I could see the box being a non issue, but the plug is clearly fake. I just wanted to post all the details

 

Do you understand the technology that goes into a working spark plug? Not something that’s really “fakeable”.

 

Denso had a page on their website about how to identify fake plugs from real plugs, I'll see if I can link it for you. If a Chinese company is already making spark plugs, it wouldn't be hard to make a denso knock off. They make knock off everything these days, phones, etc.

Edit: here is an official video from denso
https://youtu.be/VsXFIb6e0gA

 

I get making a $50 knock off phone from a $600 OEM phone, but what’s the point in making fake spark plugs that cost $5 for an OEM version?

 

There is money to be made somewhere from it. It probably costs them pennies to make, because steel and ceramic is cheap, and we're talking Chinese steel and ceramic. Production of anything in china is super cheap. I'm sure if they weren't making money there wouldn't be counterfeits.

 

It's a real thing. NGK has a page on their own website about it http://www.ngk-sparkplugs.jp/english/techinfo/fake/index.html I couldn't believe it myself when I was shopping for plugs for my Subaru. NGK 93482 was the plug type and they are $15 a piece from a reputable place. Then you go on eBay and see them for a fraction of that which set off an alarm in my head and that's what made me start googling about fake plugs. Unfortunately the Chinese will counterfeit just about anything these days and you have to be careful.

 

I hear ya, in this day and age anything is possible. But, there should be pretty drastic differences between knock-offs vs. real ones, nothing looks the same about those 2 plugs in your NGK link. Nothing against the OP, I truly believes he has the right intentions, but I don’t see enough (any) variation between the two other than minor font differences, which can easily be explained by two different factories printing technique as these plugs are made all over the world.

 

Some of the fakes are very well done
https://youtu.be/Lr9J3eQk-kE.
Here is a plug that retails for $15 a piece https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/ngk-laser-iridium-spark-plug-silzkar7b11-93482/11000162-p. Now go to eBay and search the same plug and you will see them for sale for half the price, https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/273811791456 because they are fakes but look authentic to anyone who has no clue that they are counterfeiting spark plugs now. The plugs do actually work. There is not a whole lot of technology that goes into a basic plug, it's just a copper core that conducts electricity to be able to make a spark, the high cost goes into the precious metals put on the tips of the plugs. The plugs they are faking are not your typical nickel plated plugs which are inexpensive, they are faking Platinum and Iridium plugs which for a V8 with 8 plugs which will cost you North of $100, now imagine people with Dodges who have 16 plugs. People are going to see the cheaper price and be drawn to it without researching. The plugs will work but are not going to last as long and are obviously going to have a much higher rate of failure, something I would not want to take the risk of to save a few bucks on something you replace so infrequently.

 

Plenty of cheap Chinese knock off plugs out there. A Chinese iridium won't come anywhere near lasting 130K miles like the real deal. You get what you pay for.

 

Any problems with Rock Auto stuff?
bc

 

I’ll keep saying it: there should be a sticky thread on this site for buyer feedback. If it was housed in one forum, it could be easily searchable.

Thanks OP- your post and pics will make us all more cautious. I never even considered that someone would produce counterfeit spark plugs.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I got these on eBay at least 6 months ago. My plugs were fine so I didn't replace them. Guess I'm hosed.

 

Just be happy you didn't replace them! Those tips definitely look fake. When you do replace them compare the tips to the ones in your truck.

 

I just ordered them from AdvanceAuto through Walmart.com (had a coupon) for 8 bucks each. Worth the peace of mind.

I'll definitely compare them.

 

Thanx for info.

 

I’ll have to admit, the more information that I see, the more likely you may be right about these. I am curious about your seller, we’re they a reputable dealership or more like “Tony’s auto parts”?

 

The $20 plugs were from ebay, and the real ones i bought were from an actual Toyota dealership. I think I got them down to $11 a plug without hassle, you can find them online for around $9 but I wasnt too concerned with saving $16 overall.

 

I think a short block whose like $10,000 can't remember if that whose rebuilt and installed or not. Hope I never have to now!

 

Thanks for the information, will definitely be keeping an eye on any new plugs that I buy.

 

Plugs just came. They are not Toyota OEM. They are Denso. They look like the real oem.

 

I was in China and bought a carton of fake Japanese cigarettes. You'd be surprised. The Jap cigs cost $2 a pack back then vs $1 for Chinese.