Topic: whats going on with NGK?

[disco]

I recently purchased a a set of four NGK DR8ES-L spark plugs from DSS in UK & installed them into my CB750 K6. All good for a while, then a week later bike is running lousy. No1 exhaust is cold....no fire in the cylinder...wtf? Pulled the plug & sure enough cannot get it to produce a spark. Had an old cylinder head lying around with some old plugs still it. Pilfer on of those plugs & we're firing on four cylinders again....happy days! Now another couple of weeks go by & no fire in 3? Same deal, tried jiggling the lead etc no matter what I do I cannot get it to produce a spark. Finally I install another old plug & we're back on 4 cylinders. Has anyone else had problems with NGK plugs of late? I'm a little pi$$ed off with the poor quality. Think I'll go for a different brand next time.

[dave500]

are you running resistor caps with those resistor plugs?

[disco]

Hi Dave,
The bike has been restored & is totally stock standard. I have not replaced the spark plug caps as the bike has approx 50,000 km on it. They are whatever Honda supplied as standard. The old plugs that I used are the exact same type anyway....DR8ES-L or whatever & at the moment work fine with the plugs & leads. I'm just wondering whether anyone else had had problems with NGK lately? Maybe i just got a dud set? Only ask because dont buy another set only to have same problem. Always use Nippon Denso in my boat with no hassles...might see if they have an alternative.

[ekpent]

One of a ton of threads about fake NGK plugs. Not that you got any from DDS but jeesh what won't they counterfeit nowadays      http://www.slideshare.net/athangal/distinguishing-fake-ngk-spark-plug

[Hondawggie]

Had a similar experience not too long ago, bought 3 new NGK plugs for my 1974 Kaw triple, the last thing I suspected was a bad plug so I spent time troubleshooting elsewhere, when I finally got suspicious and started checking my new plugs, I was p'o'd to find one of the new plugs was dead.   I'm surprised but maybe NGK is outsourcing their mfg to China.   NGK needs to pick up their game, I thought I had an isolated case, now reading this thread I'm not so sure.  Next time it's the first thing I'm checking. 

[flybox1]

I made the switch to Denso X24ES-U's

[dave500]

use new resistor caps with non resistor plugs.

[Greggo]

One of a ton of threads about fake NGK plugs. Not that you got any from DDS but jeesh what won't they counterfeit nowadays      http://www.slideshare.net/athangal/distinguishing-fake-ngk-spark-plug

WOW!  I have both real ones and fake ones...I never would have known...and the D7EA's that have been failing in my 500/4 were all fakes




It seems that the yellow is pretty much the same on both, but I can tell by the missing symbols, and paler shade of red on the striping....this is NOT cool

[seanbarney41]

Uh oh...I think I got some fake Split Fires in my bike .  I can tell because I don't notice any horsepower gain.

[disco]

Flybox, thanks for the info on Denso's. I'll give those a shot.
Dave, i dont think caps are the issue. The older NGK plugs work fine and they are the exact same  identical part....just manufactured a few years back.

[oldbob]

The ones I recently got from BikeBandit appear to be the genuine article.

Bob

[dave500]

youd expect dss to get ngk plugs direct?

[disco]

"youd expect dss to get ngk plugs direct?"

Dunno about direct.... but yes you'd have to think at minimum from a reputable source. Looking at the plugs that have been replaced I don't think they are fake, based on the info that ekpent posted up. I can see a four digit identifier on the hex. I'm just saying they're not as good as they used to be. 2 failures in less than a month......that's not what I would expect from NGK. I'm off to the Auto parts store to see if they have the DENSO X24ES-U's & will give them a whirl.

[Duke McDukiedook]

I made the switch to Denso X24ES-U's

Much better plug than the NGK.

[dave500]

those densos are non resistor,try ngk without resistor,i use either ngk or denso,i think they are equal.