Fake NGK Spark Plugs

[Gone in 60]

Hi all, this isn't directly related to the CB1100, but I figured I'd put it out there for everyone's benefit.

Honda typically uses NGK for OEM spark plugs, including the CB1100. I had replaced the plugs on the family Honda CRV 25k miles ago with OEM replacements, purchased on Amazon. Recently, the car has had an intermittent stumble. In the process of eliminating possible causes, I pulled the spark plugs to look at them, and the electrodes were melted.

Clearly I got a set of knock-offs. Just a word of warning for anyone looking to buy new plugs. Stick with the dealer!

 

[Rocky_imp]

Hi all, this isn't directly related to the CB1100, but I figured I'd put it out there for everyone's benefit.

Honda typically uses NGK for OEM spark plugs, including the CB1100. I had replaced the plugs on the family Honda CRV 25k miles ago with OEM replacements, purchased on Amazon. Recently, the car has had an intermittent stumble. In the process of eliminating possible causes, I pulled the spark plugs to look at them, and the electrodes were melted.

Clearly I got a set of knock-offs. Just a word of warning for anyone looking to buy new plugs. Stick with the dealer!

Wise words

 

[Gone in 60]

... of course, checking my Amazon purchase history to figure out where I got the fake plugs, I saw my purchase of NGKs for the Bonneville around the same time.
Ugh, better take a look at those too!

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Thanks for the warning Gin60.

 

[Gone in 60]

Here's a comparison.

 

[Lord Popgun]

Thats a big difference. That pic makes it easy to see.

 

[the Ferret]

same exact number printed on top? LMAR8A-9S (the S is particularly important)

 

[Lord Popgun]

The S is for the washer, correct? But look at the electrodes. They are not the same. Way different.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Gin60: I am not understanding - why does the top plug look spent? Are you just comparing thread pitch and ceramic electrode insulation length? Everything else is hard to compare.

Even the ceramic insulation is tricky to compare in the photo image because the lower image is slightly twisted toward the viewer.

 

[Stichill]

Gin60: I am not understanding - why does the top plug look spent? Are you just comparing thread pitch and ceramic electrode insulation length? Everything else is hard to compare.

Even the ceramic insulation is tricky to compare in the photo image because the lower image is slightly twisted toward the viewer.

The center electrode is clearly not the correct alloy, e.g. platinum, iridium. etc. It was just some ordinary metal (copper, brass, steel) machined to look like a fine-tipped, high-performance alloy, so it burned away and opened the spark gap.

This larger gap would greatly stress the ignition coil(s).

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

The change in the electrode is understood, but a spent plug is being compared to a supposedly new plug (whether authentic or otherwise). So I guess my question is: Is it unexpected to have a decently used (and authentic) iridium electrode wear completely down like that?

 

[Stichill]

Absolutely unexpected. I've changed them after 50,000 miles in cars and they looked perfectly fine when removed. Same for my CBR250R at 12k miles and 24k miles. Truth be told, they weren't worn and didn't need to be changed, but in all cases I'd already purchased the new plugs and just put 'em in anyway.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

That is bad.

If the "knock offs" were attractively priced, then I reckon now we understand: There was no iridium.

After all, iridium is as of this writing $6000 US per oz.

 

[Stichill]

The key to understanding much of human behavior: follow the money.

 

[pekingduck]

More than half of ALL online sales in the US goes through Amazon. I don't know how they can be expected to police all merchandise that goes through them. However, we are able to do some due-diligence. Each seller's name, address, and online store is listed with the item, and with Google maps you can get some idea.

I looked at a couple cheap spark plug sellers, found one that was a P.O box in Torrance, one a residential flat in the UK, a couple that were in industrial zones in the US.

Let the buyer beware.

 

[Gone in 60]

I should have clarified a bit. The photo shows a new plug I just purchased, compared to one of the knock-offs after just 25k miles. Out of the box (a good copy of an OEM Honda box, apparently), it looked just like the new one. Printed with the same part number in the same color, etc. To the question of iridium electrode wear, the original plugs looked like a slightly brown version of the new ones when they were removed at 100k miles with no visible electrode wear.

I guess I should have figured that four iridium plugs for twenty five bucks was too good to be true.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

It was a useful share Gin60. It steered me to do some follow-up and sure enough, it and many other products (duh :-/) are an issue with large scale online merchants.

 

[the Ferret]

I went back and found a pic of the plugs that came out of my CB, these had 25,000 miles on them