The time has come for the next maintenance of the car and on the list of recommended replacements, in addition to oil, is the replacement of spark plugs. Knowing firsthand about the fake world in our spare parts market, we studied the manufacturer’s website, read auto forums and reviews on spark plugs and came to a disappointing conclusion and wrote an article on how to avoid running into a fake when choosing Denso spark plugs. There are such a huge number of fakes for these spark plugs that from time to time there was a desire to look for another manufacturer of spark plugs for your car, but we found ways to buy the original.
First, we will describe the most common distinctive features. They are only suitable for bad fakes that are still found in stores. But most fake candles are of excellent quality in appearance. Visually, using old methods of identifying counterfeits, it is practically impossible to determine where the original is and where the counterfeit is.
Package
Denso spark plugs can be sold both in their own packaging and under other automotive brands. They are purchased by many auto industry leaders for repackaging. Therefore, you should not be surprised if Denso spark plugs are sold in packages under a brand, for example, Lexus, Toyota or BMW.
There are no common distinctive features for the packaging of Denso branded candles. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to detail. List of points on how to distinguish original Denso spark plugs:
- exclusively high-quality cardboard or plastic for packaging;
- complete absence of printing defects;
- uniform font;
- no spelling errors.
It is recommended to pay special attention to the correct spelling of the Denso brand. The Chinese government has recently been fighting counterfeit products. Therefore, scammers resort to tricks by signing their candles with the Denzo, Demso, Denco or Dennso brands.
Packaging
Contact pin
It is recommended to start inspecting the spark plug from the tip. First of all, you should look at the color of the contact pin. It should not be too shiny or too dark. Any traces of rust are unacceptable.
Tip color
Terminal Inspection
Fake Denso spark plugs often have tips with traces of machining. Upon inspection, you may notice nicks, burrs and other defects. Branded candles have the correct tip without flaws.
Comparison of contact pins
The end of the tip of the Denso branded spark plug has a depression. The fake one comes with a completely flat contact pin.
Tip with hollow
Smooth surface
Comparison of ends
The contact pin of the original has a small edging in the form of a skirt. Monitoring its presence is a good way to distinguish a fake.
Tip with edging
Contact terminal without skirt
Thread
Fake candles have poor quality threads. This is due to the fact that metal parts are manufactured on conventional machines. Branded candles are produced using precision equipment, so they have no defects, except for manufacturing defects.
In original Denso spark plugs, the counter electrode is laser welded. There may be metal deposits and small irregularities. This is considered a production norm!
Opposite the central electrode, that is, on the mating part, there is a “receiving” coin.
The insulator has a perfectly even shape, is painted white and uniform.
Inscriptions on the body
There is a popular myth among car owners about how to distinguish fake Denso spark plugs by the inscription on the body. They claim that on the original consumables the brand name is written in dots. A Denso official has cleared up this misconception.
The Denso concern has many factories. The execution of the inscription is not standardized. Therefore, the original candle may come with the name Denso, which is printed either in dots or in solid text. Moreover, it depends not only on the plant, but also on the specific conveyor line on which the candles were made.
All things being equal, it is still better to give preference to candles on which the inscription is made in dots. Such consumables are more difficult to counterfeit. At the same time, on branded candles, the inscription Denso is written in dots, but the brand of the candle is applied in solid text.
Denso dots
Marking
Still, there is a way to distinguish the original by the inscriptions applied. In fakes they have blurred contours. Paint smudges are noticeable. You can check the quality of the inscription using a magnifying glass.
Checking the inscription
Iridium TT series consumables are counterfeited in large quantities. Therefore, it is important to be extra vigilant when purchasing them. When purchasing, for example, a Denso K20TT spark plug, it is recommended to check the TT inscription. For most branded consumables, this is done in dots.
Spark plug Denso K20TT
TT dots
It is important to check the quality of the inscription. The original has a protective heat-resistant varnish on top of the paint. Therefore, it will not be possible to scrape it off. On fakes, the inscription is torn off by light impact with a sharp or hard object. Therefore, scraping off the paint is a good way to distinguish original Denso spark plugs from fake ones.
Dye
There is an engraved inscription on the metal of the original candles. Fraudsters cannot afford high-precision equipment. Therefore, they cannot afford high-quality inscriptions on metal. The signature on the replicas looks like it was scratched out.
Lettering on metal
Denso products
Denso is also a Japanese manufacturer of components for automobile engines. The company is one of the world's best manufacturers of car accessories. If you carefully study all the features of their products, you will be able to personally find the answer to the question of which spark plugs are better in the NGK or Denso debate. Let's start with the fact that the engineers of this Japanese company used a rather original idea. To produce spark plugs, they began using alumina powders to create an insulator. It first goes through a highly efficient cleaning cycle. Thanks to this approach, Denso has developed a unique high-strength insulator with excellent thermal conductivity.
Also, major changes were made to the design of the central electrode. It has become more complex. It is based on a copper alloy with the addition of chromium-nickel components. Most electrodes are made with a U-shaped notch. Using this method, it was possible to obtain additional space for the formation of a spark and further ignition of the air-fuel mixture. In Denso products, insulators can have 5 ribs, which help avoid unnecessary sparking. It follows from this that the voltage loss is reduced. Such an innovation made it possible to improve the quality of the insulating layer by approximately 20 - 25%! Additionally, the developers managed to improve performance characteristics. Candles do their job well even in high humidity conditions.
The ribs have special roundings. With their help, it was possible to positively influence the strength of insulators. Engineers came up with special sealing gaskets, for the manufacture of which they used glass and copper. This measure helped to increase the insulation characteristics of the central electrodes of the spark plugs and make heat dissipation more efficient. The center electrode has a unique design based on copper cord and a dual chromium-nickel alloy. Iridium alloys, which are used to make central electrodes, are a real source of pride for the Japanese company. The iridium used in Denso will significantly change the concept of reliability and durability of modern spark plugs.
Iridium spark plugs offered by the Japanese manufacturer are aimed at the latest engine models from leading companies. The resource of such elements is over 100 thousand kilometers.
Sealing ring
Inspecting the O-ring is another way to distinguish fake Denso spark plugs. First of all, you need to pay attention to the quality of the metal. The presence of inclusions, shells, rust and other defects is unacceptable. In replicas, the O-ring often has incorrect geometry.
With the original consumable, the ring cannot be removed by hand. For a copy, dismantling it is not difficult. Therefore, if the O-ring has come off the thread, then this is an obvious fake.
Lost o-ring
Central and side electrodes
Fake and original Denso spark plugs are easily distinguishable by their electrodes. With a branded consumable, everything must be precisely centered. In replicas, the side electrode is often installed crookedly or has a bevel. The alignment of fakes is far from ideal.
Electrode Inspection
Skew
Original spark plugs have an additional solder on the side electrode. It serves to receive sparks and extend the service life of the consumable. The fakes don't have that kind of coin.
Additional soldering
Lack of a nickel
Denso iridium spark plugs have a very thin central electrode. Its diameter is 0.4 mm. Therefore, checking its thickness is a reliable way to distinguish original Denso spark plugs from fake ones. It is convenient to use a caliper for this. If the diameter is more than 0.4 mm, then these are fake iridium spark plugs.
Measuring diameter with a caliper
Vernier calipers are not always at hand. Therefore, you can check the thickness of the central electrode indirectly. To do this you will need a 0.4 mm drill. It must be compared with an electrode. If it is fake, the difference in diameters will be visible to the naked eye.
Comparison with 0.4 mm drill
Diameter match
This is important to remember
There are several points by which you can identify fake Denso spark plugs.
If you remember and take this into account, you will be able to avoid buying counterfeit products.
- The side electrodes on fake Denso spark plugs are often installed crookedly and also have a bevel on the edge. Take a closer look. This is a common sign;
- In the original, carving is usually done using the rolling method. This allows you to create an almost perfect surface. In counterfeit threads, there are chips, cracks, and all of them together;
- The insulator on genuine parts always comes with a smooth surface. The surface of the copies is rough to the touch. And one moment. On the insulator body on two diametrically opposite sides you can see and also feel with your fingers a longitudinal protrusion. This is a result of the mold mating curve. All due to the use of artisanal methods and low-level equipment;
- The side electrode is always soldered with high quality. No complaints. Counterfeits are bad at this;
- A prerequisite is the alignment of the central and side electrodes. If they are not coaxial, then this is a fake part;
- On fakes, the contact pins often have a shiny surface. The original is matte. It is also easy to unscrew the output manually on a copy. It is impossible to do this with a real candle;
- On top of the terminal of real candles there is a small depression. The copies did not take this into account;
- Counterfeit parts have unclear markings. Printed on low quality equipment. Easy to scrape off. Or it may disappear under the influence of high temperature. For originals, heat-resistant varnish is used to cover the inscriptions. It is also resistant to mechanical stress;
- Fraudsters sometimes forget to treat the central electrode. It cannot be sanded, which is why it has a pronounced surface with roughness. This applies to the end of the electrode as well as the body of the element. They haven't been centered yet.
All these tips will help you avoid the troubles that come with installing counterfeit spark plugs.
Important points
When purchasing consumables, it is recommended to compare several candles in a batch with each other. They must have the same appearance. Fakes often differ from each other. For example, some candles are shiny, and some are matte. Consumables should not be different if they are from the same batch.
There should be no debris in the packaging. If there is powder on the surface of the candle, then it is fake.
If you have doubts about the authenticity of spark plugs, it is recommended to check the availability of documents confirming their legal sale. Dishonest sellers will refuse to provide a certificate because they do not have one.
It is better to buy an original spark plug
Summarizing this article, we can conclude that, as a rule, a fake spark plug can be seen immediately by its overall poor quality of workmanship, since artisanal production methods do not allow achieving factory precision and clarity of the shape of the spark plug.
The Auto-Candles online store cooperates only with trusted suppliers; from us you can buy only original auto-candles from Bosch, Denso and NGK at an adequate price. There are all necessary quality certificates. The products meet safety requirements and are certified for use in the Russian Federation. We will deliver your purchase throughout Russia.
How to identify a fake after installation on a car
After installing spark plugs on a car, it is important to monitor all changes. Counterfeits are not capable of providing stable sparking. Therefore, the fuel will not burn completely. Because of this, black soot forms on the electrodes. Fake candles will lead to:
- increased gasoline consumption;
- making it more difficult to start the engine;
- misfires and engine misfires;
- drop in engine power;
- deterioration of dynamics;
- reducing maximum speed;
- difficulty when driving uphill.
Fake ones are not able to effectively dissipate heat. This leads to overheating of the side and central electrodes. As a result, they may become damaged, such as melting. Therefore, after a short run, the fake will reveal itself by the presence of destroyed electrodes.
Consequences of using fake candles
The use of counterfeits causes the following problems:
- increased fuel consumption;
- reduction in engine power;
- melting of the side electrode.
Designations
Some scammers in the production of candles do not bother with their correct labeling. Therefore, it is recommended to check the designations of the purchased candle with its characteristics.
Denso spark plug barcode check
ATTENTION! The correct barcode is not a 100% guarantee of the originality of Denso candles. At the same time, an incorrect barcode is a clear sign of counterfeit.
To check candles for authenticity, enter numbers in the field and click the “Check” button. If the barcode is correct, then it is recommended to also check the country of origin.
Enter 13 digit barcode:
Important! This service checks the relevance and correctness of the applied barcode, but does not guarantee that the entered code is not taken from another product and that the Denso candles being checked are not counterfeit.
