Spark plugs — counterfeits and authenticity

Tags: #spark-plugs · #torch

Part of the spark-plug series — overview: Spark plugs — options, prices, reliability.

Counterfeit / reliability warning — real-world failure case. One owner bought TORCH QH6RIU11 iridium and AMD AMD.PL116 plugs from Ozon and AliExpress; all failed (burned out) within 1,000 km¹². The resulting rich fuel mixture caused hard starting (required clutch-assisted starts, which the owner notes risked damaging the transmission) and led to a cascade of paid diagnostics: 4,000 RUB for a diagnostic scan, 7,000 RUB for a valve clearance adjustment, and 3,000 RUB for an EGR cleaning (RU market, November 2024)³⁴. Switching to spark plugs bought from a local/official shop resolved the problem completely⁵⁶. Community takeaway: prefer buying from an official dealership over online marketplaces, since defective counterfeit batches of Chinese-made plugs are a recurring issue online⁷⁸.

NGK 3811 counterfeits — burned electrodes at 15,000 km. Counterfeit NGK 3811 plugs are flagged as a specific risk: one owner's set had burned electrodes with a 2.5mm gap after only 15,000 km. Cheap/counterfeit plugs in general are linked to poor fuel economy and, in the worst case, piston/valve burnout and shortened engine life; genuine plugs should show a proper solder/metal overlay (напайка) on the electrode. Denso TV16TT was reported as a reliable alternative after this NGK 3811 failure^{9101112131415}.

Genuine vs. counterfeit — burned electrodes despite a correct-looking plug. One owner's plug set (make debated in-thread as Denso or NGK) showed a burned electrode after a video/photo comparison was shared¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸. A separate owner reports a set that visually looked correct — proper braze, even electrodes, matching gaps — but burned out after only 14,000 km, underscoring that counterfeits can be visually hard to distinguish from genuine plugs¹⁹. Another member notes that calorific (heat) number mismatches specifically cause incorrect operation if the wrong plug is selected, independent of counterfeiting²⁰.

Extended electrode-type discussion — RTIP vs. RIU, iridium core vs. platinum pad, and OEM-supplier uncertainty. A long thread examines close-up photos of installed plugs to determine authenticity and type. Consensus points: (1) RTIP-suffix plugs have an iridium core plus a platinum braze/pad on the ground electrode; RIU-suffix plugs have an iridium core without the platinum pad, and use a U-shaped side electrode where a braze pad would not normally be visible anyway — so "no visible braze" is not itself proof of a fake if the plug is a RIU-type²¹²²²³. (2) One owner's photographed "genuine" reference plug does show both iridium core and platinum pad with a 1.1mm gap and full part markings²⁴²⁵. (3) Several long-time members state they have never actually seen genuine factory RTIP plugs sold at official dealers — dealers reportedly fit the non-braze analog instead, casting some doubt on how common true OEM RTIP units are in the retail supply chain, though this is recollection rather than documented proof²⁶²⁷. (4) General sentiment: modern iridium-core plugs "these days" are broadly similar in quality regardless of visible braze, and the factory manual does not prohibit using non-platinum-pad plugs²⁸²⁹³⁰.

Counterfeit AliExpress plugs caused misfiring — verify authenticity before installing. A cautionary report: one owner (Сергей) ordered Torch QH6RTIP-13 plugs from an "official store" listing on AliExpress; one of the plugs arrived defective, causing engine misfiring and triggering error codes, and he had to revert to his original plugs. Lesson: verify plug authenticity carefully before installation, consistent with the broader counterfeit/authenticity concerns already documented on this card³¹.

Related pages

• Spark plugs — factory spec and gap disputes
• Spark plugs — options, prices, reliability
• Spark plugs — Torch, Miles and Ford cross-refs
• Spark plugs — NGK, Denso and budget options
• Torch spark plugs — codes, listings, gap rules

Sources

This page is compiled from 31 community messages. Every fact carries a numbered reference to its original author and message.

Last updated: 2026-10-29