# Faulty spark plugs **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 11, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886 "2024-05-11T22:59:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/1 "2024-05-11T22:59:13Z")
Has anyone here ever actually purchased what turned out to be faulty counterfeit spark plugs? I’ve heard the claim this is happening, but never purchased any counterfeit plugs myself. Wondering how prevalent this problem is? If you have got some faulty spark plugs, what was wrong w/them? Did they appear any different from the name brand version? Was there a difference in how the fake brand name was painted on the plug? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/2 "2024-05-11T23:12:55Z")
So far so good here… but I don’t buy spark plugs from ebay and amazon where they are having the issue… The Ford Connect guy posted something about getting some from RockAuto IIRC, but the thread/post was probably deleted by him… lol ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/3 "2024-05-11T23:16:20Z")
> [@davesmopar](#): > > The Ford Connect guy posted something about getting some from RockAuto IIRC Maybe that’s @LostnTransit . LIT, have you been victim of of some fake spark plugs lately? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/4 "2024-05-11T23:20:08Z")
I only buy plugs for my small engines not my cars. I buy them from Napa, Briggs or champions from the farm store and once from jacks. Taryl cautioned that the gold ones seemed to be crap but the silver are ok. Didn’t know why. Have some of both. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/5 "2024-05-11T23:21:22Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > Maybe that’s @LostnTransit . LIT, have you been victim of of some fake spark plugs lately? There ya go sir… > [@EGR Valve Replacement](https://community.cartalk.com/t/egr-valve-replacement/194599/28): > > You’re not going to believe this. But I’m busy getting ready to have the new set of spark plugs and the TRQ coil packs installed this Fri… a thought came to mind and I’m glad it did. Seems there is a rash of counterfeit plugs going around and NGK just happens to the one targeted. After doing so research and video watching on others whom have had this same issues, we’ve concluded that we’re 90% sure these new plugs purchased from rockauto are counterfeit. I sent word to rockauto and they claim t… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/6 "2024-05-11T23:24:47Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I only buy plugs for my small engines not my cars The plugs for my garden-equipment small engines seem to last for years and years. I don’t think I’ve ever replaced the one in my lawnmower, circa 1992. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/7 "2024-05-12T00:05:31Z")
I replace plugs every season that the equipment is used. I didn’t replace the snow blower plug this year because only put ten hours on it. If I use the chain saws much, they get new plug, air filter, and gas filter. When you need your stuff is no time to try to deal with. Operating problems. Yeah and I stock a supply. Ask the folks down south if they are happy they serviced their saws. A few years ago my bil was heading out to his uncles funeral but a tree had blown down blocking his driveway. ---
**Author:** ![jdmere](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jdmere/32/3002_2.png) [@jdmere](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jdmere)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/8 "2024-05-12T05:29:37Z")
I had a bad experience with a supposed NGK ignition coil from Rock Auto. Completely faulty from the minute it was installed. Replaced it with the old unit and everything was fine. ---
**Author:** ![Hugemoth\_144444](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee7513/32.png) [@Hugemoth\_144444](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hugemoth_144444)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 11:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/9 "2024-05-12T11:06:30Z")
In 2007 I bought a new Chinese Lifan motorcycle that came equipped with an NGK plug. One day when riding out in Hells Canyon I noticed the engine wouldn’t idle but still ran OK at higher RPM. I pulled the spark plug and there was no center electrode! I cut the plug open and found the resistor had turned to powder, allowing the center electrode to receed into the ceramic center. I believe it was a fake NGK plug. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/10 "2024-05-12T19:28:34Z")
> [@Hugemoth\_144444](#): > > I believe it was a fake NGK plug. Did you compare the appearance of the brand lettering as painted on the plug’s ceramic? Did it look sort of like a dot-matrix printer was used? ---
**Author:** ![Hugemoth\_144444](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee7513/32.png) [@Hugemoth\_144444](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hugemoth_144444)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/11 "2024-05-12T20:20:06Z")
No, didn’t make a close comparison between the two. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/12 "2024-05-12T20:31:29Z")
Google turned up this link, seems helpful info > **[Counterfeit spark plugs: The ignition villains that could ruin your engine!](https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/)** > > NGK SPARK PLUG advises on how to beat the counterfeiters. Fake spark plugs can do serious damage to cars and businesses. ---
**Author:** ![LostnTransit](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lostntransit/32/35072_2.png) [@LostnTransit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LostnTransit)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/13 "2024-05-13T00:03:42Z")
George, yes Not once but twice I was sent counterfeit plugs by a rockauto third party… ---
**Author:** ![Beancounter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/59ef9b/32.png) [@Beancounter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beancounter)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/14 "2024-05-13T00:28:46Z")
The surest defense against counterfeit plugs or any other purchase are 1. Buy from someone you know. 2. Avoid “Unbelievable Deals” because they often are. 3. And when " A price is to good to be true", it probably is! Not to say that there aren’t occasional “great deals” on the internet but your 30 year old local parts supplier has a much better interest in your customer satisfaction than some random source in China. ---
**Author:** ![auto-owner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/50afbb/32.png) [@auto-owner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/auto-owner)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/15 "2024-05-13T03:06:38Z")
I had almost forgotten about spark plugs. People still manage to wear those things out? Mine have seemed to be lifetime items for decades now. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/16 "2024-05-13T14:40:10Z")
> [@auto-owner](#): > > Mine have seemed to be lifetime items for decades now. Sure - if you only put 5k miles a year on your vehicle. You change plugs by MILES, not years. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/faulty-spark-plugs/194886/17 "2024-05-13T15:29:41Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > Sure - if you only put 5k miles a year on your vehicle. Usually keep vehicles for 15+ years and average 12-15k per year. I can’t recall changing a set of plugs… wait…I did have a single ignition coil fail on my first Trailblazer back in 2005ish and replaced the plugs at the same time because I was in there…they looked fine BTW. Otherwise, none.