93SCMax

Greetings,
For those DIYers, I recently purchased some Toyota OEM spark plugs (90919-01249) for a great price. 6 pcs shipped were about $42. Most sites (like RockAuto) have them for $16 a piece. The Lexus dealer is even more, so these are less then half price to most places I checked. I was skeptical at first, thinking these might be manufactured in China, but the seller assured me they were Genuine OEM and manufactured in Japan. They arrived today and each plug has JAPAN stamped on the metal. I'm thrilled. Will install them in the near future.

In case you are interested, here is a link to the Ebay site that I purchased them from: http://www.ebay.com/itm/232131764610

Happy savings!

ibidu1

iTrader: (1)

Snap some detailed pictures of them, theres actually a ton of fake spark plugs in the market. Im needing some plugs soon!

93SCMax

Here ya go. Images aren't the best but should do. I assumed they may be Chinese knock-offs but they look like the real deal to me.

Mr4btTahoe

Quick way to tell is most knock-offs have a glossy finish to the top contact where as legit Denso plugs are a dull gray.

I just bought a set through rockauto because when I looked at that listing, I noticed the top tip of the plugs were shiny. Not worth the risk to save ~$20. Fake plug failure could do some serious damage well beyond just causing a misfire.

Take a picture of the top contact point. I'm curious if they look the same as the ones I just received...

Mr4btTahoe

Here are a couple pics of the ones I just received....

Dull gray top contact...


Thread/electrode protector is full length...


From the looks of the pictures you posted, the plugs you received look to have a blackish shiny top contact which is a sign they are fake. Did yours have the protective sleeve? Most fakes do have them, but they are a good bit shorter.
http://www.globaldenso.com/en/produc...a/pdf/P043.pdf

Contact the seller... get your money back... buy legit parts from a reputable dealer. I paid ~ $10 a plug plus shipping minus 5% discount. I think my total was $62 from rockauto. Part number Denso 3473 is the correct plug.

I was strongly debating on buying from that same listing... now I'm glad I didn't.

aristo1987

Chinese knocks off work the exact same...no performance lost or damage to the motor....i know this forna fact.

Can you backup your claims on Chinese denso knocks off? I would really really be interested to see. Thank you


TV

93SCMax

Thanks Mr4btTahoe for your input and pics. I'm not convinced that these are fakes or knock-offs, although it is possible. The tip is a dull grey (multi colored). None of the lettering can be scratched off. The sleeve is long, but looks a little shorter that yours. Threads look fine.
Most manufacturers (European at least) have the manufacturing plant code stamped somewhere on the product. These spark plugs have CZ20 on one of the wrench flats. Can you share what is on your plugs?

I certainly don't want to steer anyone wrong and suggest they buy fakes or knock-offs. I've worked in multiple Automotive OEM manufacturing plants as an Engineering Manager/Engineer for over 28 years, and these looked pretty good to me. Rockauto is 50% more expensive than these, so if these are Denso, they are a great price. I did make an initial mistake since I was comparing these with the Rockauto NGK injector price (over $95 for 6 pcs) or a dealer.

Thanks again. Can't wait to hear if you have a manufacturing code on your plugs.

Mr4btTahoe

What claims did I make that are not covered by the link I posted directly from Denso? Yes a cheap knockoff plug can fail.. the electrode can melt (note I said can...) Which will drop into the cylinder. I personally don't think $20 in savings is worth the risk.. but to each their own.

If you are going to purposely run fake plugs... Why not just buy some cheap name brand copper plugs and change them more often?

Here...

I wonder where the broken bits of porcelain ended up... Thankfully it wasn't a ground strap.

Mr4btTahoe

I'll have to check the number.

Is it just the picture or is the grounding strap passed the protector slightly meaning it could be damaged if dropped? That was another thing I had read about knock off plugs. The legitimate plugs come with covers that protect the threads and straps fully. I think I also compared the box to one listed by a Lexus dealer and the label showing the part number was printed differently. Same number but the font was different and in a different spot.

I still have those saved in my favorites as they did certainly look like a good deal... But after seeing and reading about the minor discrepancies, I skipped them just to be on the safe side.

I suppose the only real way to know would be to contact Denso

If they do turn out to be legit, they are a good deal for sure.

EDIT

No batch code or what have you stamped on mine. The wrench flats are just glass smooth. I can't find any info about any batch code location/etc.. and all the pictures I'm seeing, I don't see any with batch codes stamped on them.

93SCMax

Sleeve is past the bottom of the plug, so they can't be damaged if dropped...but slightly shorter than the Rockautos. It's funny, when I worked for Robert Bosch LLC, we also had some "differences" with our protective sleeves. It really depends what's called out on the print (specification), and plastic protective sleeves always had some wide specs since the real focus was on the OEM component being shipped.
Still would like a manufacturing code...it would clear things up and make all of us feel good about whether we should purchase these from this source.

If you can't provide a code from your plugs, I'll wait until I replace mine and check the originals coming out of the car, although plugs can be manufactured in multiple plants in multiple countries. Just trying to avoid the Chinese knock-offs!

Mr4btTahoe

Oddly... NGK plugs are supposed to have a batch code there... but I cant find anything saying there should be a number there on the Denso plugs.

http://trinituner.com/v4/forums/viewtopic.php?t=611237

93SCMax

I just watched the youtube video, and my plugs look nothing like those. The video plugs are obviously of lower quality and not OEM.

93SCMax

My experience is that all reputable Automotive OEM's stamp a plant code on their products for traceability. With Bosch, we did plant code and manufacturing date (as well as part number and customer's part number. When parts are returned for warranty, or if there is a quality defect, the OEM (manufacturer) needs to know where and when it was produced. Big $ are involved if you don't have traceability (when a product defect may start and finish).

Are you sure the one's from Rockauto are legit since they lack any code? Both NGK and Denso are top notch Japanese OEM's so I'm surprised your Denso parts don't have any codes.

Mr4btTahoe

Here you go... Here is a comparison from ones directly from the lexus dealer and ones from ebay...

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...ml#post9720795

Check post #32

Post #8 has a plug in it with the same "batch code" as yours.. but they were purchased last year.

I sent a message to Denso asking about their batch codes and their locations. If they respond, I'll post up what they say. I would think they would have some form of code on them yes.

93SCMax

Good find. I need to read thru the whole post to see what they concluded. Thanks.