Junk NGK plugs?

[bobodu]

In all my years I do not recall ever getting a bad NGK plug out of the box. Been cutting up a 1981 Yamaha 650 Maxim to make a bobber. She needed a lot of carb work. Rebuilt them and installed plugs and she ran good for a couple short rides then started backfiring and losing power. I pulled the carbs and used a clear tube to set the float levels. Now it would barely start. Thought I would try something. Hand choked each carb...wet-wet-DIED-wet. Hmmm ....Swapped plugs. wet-wet-wet-died !!! BAD PLUG !!! Off to the store for one plug......same GD THING!!! Went to a different store for a full set. Runs like a striped a$$ed ape now. So I must have found a bum run of NGK plugs. Here's a picture....https://imgur.com/a/ySotXS6

[bgsengine]

Yeah . they can happen every once in a while.. but so far, have not had a single "bad out of the box" NGK in over 10 years of using them now..

Also, keep in mind that NGK is heavily counterfeited by some chinese factories, I discovered once when someone returned a supposedly bad plug,but it didn't look quite right.. Did a little digging and identified it as a counterfeit,and not one we ever sold them - They (the buyer) just bought a new plug from me then put their "bad" fake NGK back in the package and returned it as new defective.
So it was a lesson learned to take a close look at any unknown NGK Plug I ever come across.. Even the counterfeit packaging looks very similar.. but there's some telltale differences , a little time on Google should bring up several examples.... So, I also recommend to people to make very sure if they are buying NGK, make sure they are getting them from reliable sources that can document their supply chain... if they seem to be too cheap, they probably ARE. (Wal-mart can sell em at rock bottom a few pennies above distributor cost, in some areas, at some times, cheaper than some dealers can get them for, even then I've seen "NGK" listed some places for less than that.. so probably counterfeits.)

[creia]

About 9 years ago we got a few bad (new) CHAMPION plugs, so we made the switch to NGK right then and have not had a dud since in any of our small engines and motorcycles. I also started to take note of what plugs that the local small engine and motorcycle shops were shop using for their service and repairs= NGK I can only assume that there is a very good reason for this- reliability.
Michael

[bobodu]

I bought these at Advanced Auto.

[hanz63]

Real nice looking scooter ya got there. Turning out nice. On topic, I have to say that I like the Denso plugs best whether in OPE or my vehicles. On the plugs you gap, they seem to be right on where as the NGK plugs, I have to fiddle with. (It's a hard life, I know) Actually I can say the same about the Briggs shop packs strangely enough. All three and very rarely have a be back due to a plug.

[bobodu]

Hooked them up to my Fairbanks test mag...the spark is erratic from all over the porcelain.... if at all. And they are not counterfeits. What day ...like Monday/Friday ....do you avoid in Japan?