Hi Tim Surprised that no one commented on the made in Japan detail. I wonder if the plugs are manufactured by NGK. I use NGK iridium plugs in my KDX 220 R dirt bike. They look very similar to the Delco plug in overall design. I still have the original plugs in my car a 2008 RL with 60,000 KM (40,000 miles.) & she runs very nice with no plug issues what so ever. I have thought about replacing them as they are going on 14 years but I still believe in "if she ain't broke don't fix it" analogy. Really liked you video as it brings out the importance of using original GM parts. People seem to forget that major manufactured spend billions of dollars developing their vehicles but still go with joe speed racer parts made by some fellow in a old garage with no testing equipment but the seat of his pants! Keep up the good work Tim we appreciate it.. Ron PS: Another subject area you may consider is tire replacement. I replaced my Goodyear's with a set of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's & have been very happy with the results. I think this would open up a lot of conversation.
It is my understanding that NGK manufactures the plugs for ACDelco ... and surprise surprise the NGK plugs are also counterfeited. It seems every Avenue to leverage tooling outside of the OEM leads to some form of copying and usurping of the brand identity (fake) The biggest issue for me was chasing a performance issue and finding the problem being related to me being Duped into believing if it says ACDelco it must be real. I love the point about tires and that may be a great one to do as well.
As freakin if??? Who would have thought someone would fake a spark plug ... I looked online but I'm glad I bought from an auto parts store now .... great video Tim.
I know it seems like a waste for such an inexpensive part but my guess is they produce them for around $1 and sell them to us and make a decent profit.
Love that shirt, great tips as always Tim. I will definitely keep my eye out on these many discrepancies next time I buy plugs. With what you've pointed out, it will make it alot easier to spot a fake. Your attention to detail is pretty amazing. Its infuriating all the stuff China copies and sells it as authentic or OEM, especially car parts that have the potential to do harm to our vehicles. Thanks again Tim.
i love seeing real vs fake parts especially since counterfeits are soooo good these days its hard to know whats real and the slight differences help educates. even reputable places like summit jegs walmart other big box guys have received fake parts before
This was very informative! Going to check mine tomorrow the ones I got from eBay! Thanks so much for going through this! Love it! Keep up the good work!
Great information. I think when the plug electrode while laying flat the electrode faces upright is the best and easiest way to ID them. Thanks for the great information. Just bought from AMAZON and they where all correct.
I bought a pack of eight AC Delco professional iridium spark plugs from eBay as well they were almost $40 the part number is 41-993 and this is for my '96 Chevy Silverado 1500 350. I did not install because I believe they are also counterfeit. The hexagon part that has a production number on it etched in it it's supposed to be on every OEM AC Delco plug and mine clearly do not have any etching whatsoever on the hexagon. That was my first giveaway right there, Plus even though you're not supposed to regap them but occasionally with OEM a radium plugs you may have one that may be slightly off and you can adjust just slightly but they are supposed to be gapped pretty close if not exactly to your manufacturers recommendations for your particular vehicle. Long story short, the spark plug gap on mine were all over the place so that also led me to believe that these are not OEM ACDelco plugs but in fact are replicas/copies. Like he said this is a damn shame that companies have to do this on spark plugs. Something as simple as spark plugs they are going to spend tons and tons of dollars to make these replicas just to make money. I have bought some Bosch double iridium OEM spark plugs for my wife's car off of eBay and turns out they are in fact actual OEM plugs and the gapping on them was exactly what was calling for on my wife's vehicle and they were all consistent. Hers were $39 and some change but mine were almost 40 dollars. I also thought that was kind of strange that my spark plugs for eight of them and being iridium supposedly cost just as much as hers and she only has four spark plugs. People please be aware if you don't already know there are a lot of companies besides AC Delco making fakes they are making fake NGKs fake denso and who knows what else. The Chinese or Japanese people can make really good parts but they will cost a pretty penny for those high quality Japanese parts.
If you can get the brass buttons on the top to get even better performance, just unscrew them and put them on, at least for the normal plugs, not so much for hi end long life type, but still it would be interesting to see iridium plugs fitted with brass ends off the normal plugs etc. :)
Outstanding, you did great job , i need to purchase new oem plugs and I think this video will certainly help me with my purchase. Really despise the counterfeit efforts of the fakers! I'm know this happens to other respected brands as well....
Well there are several suppliers like RPM and DDM and ZZP that can provide the components … I think only RPM in Phoenix AZ installs the components onsite. Look up Martin Scott. If you just want a Tune as an upgrade another great option is Jason Aho … owner of the fastest Kappa Solstice!
Great investigative work. Another reason to support your local business. Also, fake items don't necessarily have to say it's coming from China. They can stock fake Chinese products at local warehouses here in the US
WOW! I am going to start really looking at the things I buy on Ebay now. Thanks, will probably buy from GM now. I bought toyota iridiums from ebay. 15k miles later had misfiring. I pulled the plugs and 1 plug the electrode had a piece chipped off. I never thought they might be fake..... WOW!
from what I've read on forums they're not fakes just Ac Delco China made for the China GM market cause it was so expensive to export Ac Delco Usa made parts to China , which makes sense an Usa made Acdelco plug iridium plug cost around $10 each for a China customer that plug would be $15 -$20 ea but now China customer gets a whole set for $40
They are actually confirmed fakes by the Anti counterfeiting task Force. Very common unless you buy through the structured supply chain and avoid Amazon or EBay.
Hi Tim, From 1977 to 1989, I worked at Motorola Inc. in their Automotive Division in Schaumburg, IL. The business unit was later renamed to Automotive And Industrial Electronics Group (AIEG). Motorola AIEG was an OEM supplier for various electronic engine components for the Ford Motor Company. The parts were made to the same specifications, and were tested and approved by Ford for installation on brand new Ford vehicles on their assembly line. When comparing Ford's Motorcraft parts to Motorola AIEG parts, there were subtile differences. Both had the Ford name imprinted into the module when applicable. At a glance, they were identical. There was no reference to Motorola, only a production code to trace back to the place and date of manufactured origin. In the case with TFI ignition modules, if you cracked open the module, you would see big visual internal differences. I recall back in the day, the Ford Motorcraft TFI ignition modules developed an issue after some time of normal use, when the vehicle warmed up to operating temperature, the engine would die. Once the engine cooled off, the engine would restart. The Motorola AIEG made version was internally soldered rather than ultrasonically welded, so suddenly Ford was buying TFI ignition modules from Motorola like crazy to fulfill their production needs. This gave them time to research the root cause of their module failures and implement the fix. Once Ford recalibrated their ultrasonic welding machine, things went back to normal. There was an issued safty recall to replace every Motorcraft made TFI module made prior to a certain time period. I believe you are seeing the same type of visual variation with AC Delco spark plugs. The fake plugs you refer to, may be true ACDelco from an outsourced manufacture for OEM marketing. It happens a lot in the automobile industry. Your experience on the poor performance of the plugs indicates that particular OEM supplier has an issue with their plugs. So your video has value in how to identify which original ACDelco plugs to avoid. Often, OEM suppliers (like Motorola AIEG) make the same module for aftermarket sales. They change the color of the plastic, change numbering, remove the OEM (Ford) name, sometimes cheapen up a few things to increase profit margin, and then make more money supplying parts to 3rd party auto part manufacture suppliers like Duralast for example. But that is different than what your video has revealed. I believe they are true ACDelco spark plugs made by an outsourced OEM manufacture.
Ron you make some great points … in this case I reached out to Anti Counterfeiting Task Force and verified they were indeed counterfeit. Missing platinum and poorly copied AC Delco packaging as well. Your point are still valid for non us market manufactured components but pricing at $2 a plug is a dead giveaway that it is potentially too good to be true.
Ac Delco I just got from Amazon don’t have a production number engraved? Doesn’t have the round sleeve either. Going to Autozone and maybe dealer. Sending these back.
Just be cautious ... the fake ones ran for about a week and started to fail quickly. Did not show a misfire as it actually had the coil fire but poor spark.
I would need to go look again but anything you buy outside of the distribution chain … like on Amazon or EBay is quite likely a high counterfeit potential. Buyer beware!
Ernesto ... truthfully the first counterfeit set I purchased was $30.50 and I just thought it was a great deal. This set I suspected they were counterfeit but did not know until they arrived. Price is definitely a consideration as you always get what you pay for. The telling point was that my local Autozone was cheaper than the online retailer. I am in communication with the Anti Counterfeiting task force and they are very interested regardless of the price I paid. Your point is very pertinent and PRICE is usually the primary red flag.
The problem are that most ACDELCO products are made in mexico or elsewhere not in the USA as it used to be, + check the plugs as a lot of aftermarket copies will be in OE ACDELCO packaging ,but plugs are copies cheers :) Also noticed massive differences in pricing for various OE ACD plugs some sell them for $45.00 AU each and others sell them for $15.00 AU dollars each for the 41.110 plugs Iridium Plugs for the GM V8 LS3 or L77 engines etc. cheers :)🚗✔👌👍😊So be careful people do your research and check pricing also other plugs are just as good like NGK, but again fakes are out there?
Tim, I have noticed that you have invested in an HP tuners MPV2. Have you been able to tune your engine to your liking as of yet? Your previous tune, were you not content with the results?
Terry I utilized the support provided by RPM and they helped but I originally had a defect in the big wheel turbo and much of the tuning time had me chasing a variable boost issue due to a failing wastegate shaft which allowed the wastegate to sometimes cover the whole opening and sometimes not causing a huge boost leak. Once that was corrected I was able to start tuning again and I wanted to understand the “How” I spent some time on my own and then enlisted a fellow named Jason Aho who is extremely knowledgeable and patient. I have learned a lot from him. The tune on the car now managed a 13.3 and a 5.1 0-60 time. Trap speed ranged from 107-109 mph. This is severely traction limited and during the tuning the trans was getting super hot. I decided to upgrade the trans cooler before any more tuning and just finished that. Now it will be back to tuning and I suspect we will get it down into the 12.9 range in the 1/4 at 109-110 mph.
Tim, Thanks for the Feedback. I have had Martin and his brother tune my Solstice with the Big Wheel turbo and the larger Intercooler. I have noticed that the Clutch now intermittently slips, which I have never noted before. I kinda always thought that if it slips, it wouldn't be and intermediate thing. This led me to thinking possible the Limited slip differential clutch was being compromised by the Old Stock Fluid. With that in mine I changed not only the Rear end oil but also the Manual Transmission oil. I drained both and added Red Line 58304 (75W90) Limited Slip Synthetic Gear Oil for the Rear end and Red Line (50305) Manual Transmission (MT) 90W Gear Oil for the Transmission. However, the slipping still was and intermittent thing. I'm kinda thinking of allowing a GM dealer replace my clutch and pressure plate with either a New or purchasing a heavy duty clutch and pressure Plate from DDM works and having GM furnish the Labor which I don't think they would accomplish because of the Liability spectrum. You mentioned Jason as helping you with your tune. I also have purchased the HP Tuners MPV2 with the course. Are there any courses online that you or your friend Jason would recommend to visit? Sorry for being so Long Winded! Sounds like you have your SKY dialed in!
Terry I do not have my car fully dialed in yet as when the trans started getting too hot I wanted to resolve that. The joys of adding power! The initial tune was about pulling timing and as we pulled timing to tune on 91 octane fuel the car started to feel very sluggish down low and frankly I wanted it more lively. I knew there was more to add and also wanted to learn. Goat Rope Garage is a great option for HP Tuners … Jason has been exceptionally helpful and I would Re come see him to anyone looking for a patient and knowledgeable tuner. I was not unhappy with Martin but simply wanted a different perspective. I really focused on making the car remain as stock looking as possible with some strong performance upgrades and I have a little bit more to go.
I also wish to keep the Solstice as stock looking as possible. I have subscribed to HP's beginners courses, however, the appear to take a while to digest. I have checked out Goat Rope Garage videos and the are more in layman's terms for me to understand. Your videos have been instrumental on assisting my improvements on the car. Please keep up the Great work in your videos. Does Jason do Long distance tuning? Now that I have an understanding of data logging with tuners, I can send Jason a File for him to Critique, Kinda looking for the Guidance in the correct direction without damaging the engine.
You are not supposed to gap iridium as it is VERY fragile but when tuning a boosted car chasing misfires requires very specific gaps and even a .002” difference can result in a high boost misfire.
Que pena, me acado de dar cuenta que me vendieron unas copias de bujías ACdelco 41-109 POR Aliexpress y tienen el mismo numero de serie C52E y las mismas diferencias en el electrodo, la caja el botón las letras y todo es falso.... gracias por tu publicación, acabo de encargar otras a AMAZON.
@@350tiger What a shame, I just realized that they sold me some copies of ACDELCO 41-109 spark plugs on aliexpress and they have the same serial number C52E and the same differences in the electrode, the box, the button, the letters and everything is false. Thanks for your post, I just ordered others from AMAZON.
Yes I agree but one of the plugs wound up in my car despite buying them from a direct source ... it seems somehow the inventory was polluted with a counterfeit version.
It's so sad that GM makes so much rubbish parts never heard of this before have to put Grease I've had 10 other cars never had to put Greece around never misfire why don't they do the bloody plastic proper stuff
Who's to say that our auto parts stores now days could be getting their plugs online, ebay, china ect... they get other parts from china! Just saying.😢
Thanks for the video. How can I tell if I have a counterfeit spark plug if I don't have a guaranteed OEM plug & box to compare it to? Counterfeit goods is one of many serious problems buying things from China creates. The culture of the East is much different than the culture of the West, and one of the significant differences is honesty. This is the most pronounced with products produced in Communist China. I'm not sure of the exact origin of this behavior (perhaps Mao's reign of terror contributed), but the average citizen of the PRC has a very loose relationship with the truth. I could write a short book on this topic, but I'll avoid that here. Let me know if you'd like to know more.
I would carefully compare your plugs to the images in the video. As for the mentality of eastern cultures, that is not something I am positioned to comment on.
@@350tiger Thank you for the response. I have gone deeply down this rabbit hole. I have spoken directly with manufacturers and suppliers alike, taken macro photographs of various plugs, and consulted with auto fans, along with the aforementioned manufacturers and suppliers. The net is: BUYER BEWARE. There are counterfeits out there. Some manufacturers care more than others. ACDelco isn't particularly concerned, but Denso & NGK are. Retailers are utterly unconcerned. They DO NOT care about the quality of the plugs they sell, only the profit margins of those plugs. The biggest problem with counterfeit plugs is performance. They don't work as well as OEM, causing misfires. These misfires require further analysis to remedy the problem, and in the meantime can damage the car's engine. Misfires are serious, thus counterfeits are serious, seriously bad. Regarding the culture of the counterfeiters: this is cultural, sociological fact, and there is no impact I can have directly, but it is important for consumers to understand the rampant problem of counterfeiting, and that peoples in different places DO NOT behave similarly. I have travelled the globe, and I can attest to this from first-hand experience. Certain cultures believe lying is an artform, and they can lie to their advantage, it shows they deserve the fruits of their deceit, and will thus lie consistently, constantly, and overtly, both in writing and orally. This is not a race problem, it is a cultural difference that clashes with the norms held by western nations. This clash is OBVIOUS to me, less so to many. When I explain and demonstrate the cultural differences, people are more able and willing to understand the problem, although there are those who refuse to learn things, refuse to update their knowledge base, and will dogmatically hold opinions they deem correct, regardless of how wrong they are. That ain't me. I am a learning machine. I don't think it is possible to know too much, and self-educate, test existing beliefs vigorously and constantly. Cheers.
Check your resistance values on your plugs against OE specs. Do ignition coils the same way. Great video great info. Thanks
Another great video Tim! ACD has been pretty adamant about going after counterfeit parts. Good info!!
I am doing everything I can to help them !
Hi Tim
Surprised that no one commented on the made in Japan detail.
I wonder if the plugs are manufactured by NGK.
I use NGK iridium plugs in my KDX 220 R dirt bike.
They look very similar to the Delco plug in overall design.
I still have the original plugs in my car a 2008 RL with 60,000 KM (40,000 miles.)
& she runs very nice with no plug issues what so ever.
I have thought about replacing them as they are going on 14 years but I still believe in "if she ain't broke don't fix it" analogy.
Really liked you video as it brings out the importance of using original GM parts.
People seem to forget that major manufactured spend billions of dollars developing their vehicles but still go with joe speed racer parts made by some fellow in a old garage with no testing equipment but the seat of his pants!
Keep up the good work Tim we appreciate it..
Ron
PS: Another subject area you may consider is tire replacement.
I replaced my Goodyear's with a set of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's & have been very happy with the results.
I think this would open up a lot of conversation.
It is my understanding that NGK manufactures the plugs for ACDelco ... and surprise surprise the NGK plugs are also counterfeited. It seems every Avenue to leverage tooling outside of the OEM leads to some form of copying and usurping of the brand identity (fake) The biggest issue for me was chasing a performance issue and finding the problem being related to me being Duped into believing if it says ACDelco it must be real.
I love the point about tires and that may be a great one to do as well.
As freakin if??? Who would have thought someone would fake a spark plug ... I looked online but I'm glad I bought from an auto parts store now .... great video Tim.
I know it seems like a waste for such an inexpensive part but my guess is they produce them for around $1 and sell them to us and make a decent profit.
Good video!.. You forgot to mentioned :) if you check the botton of the plug...they should have a letter or 3 dots... (the real one)
I was unaware of that
Thank you very much for helping me avoid making a big mistake.
That was the goal of the video!
Love that shirt, great tips as always Tim. I will definitely keep my eye out on these many discrepancies next time I buy plugs. With what you've pointed out, it will make it alot easier to spot a fake. Your attention to detail is pretty amazing. Its infuriating all the stuff China copies and sells it as authentic or OEM, especially car parts that have the potential to do harm to our vehicles. Thanks again Tim.
Hi Herb! I love my shirt and thank you again for sending it 😊
i love seeing real vs fake parts especially since counterfeits are soooo good these days its hard to know whats real and the slight differences help educates. even reputable places like summit jegs walmart other big box guys have received fake parts before
It is infuriating that they can be so easily passed off.
Glad to see the new post!
This was very informative! Going to check mine tomorrow the ones I got from eBay! Thanks so much for going through this! Love it! Keep up the good work!
Thank you ... reach out again if you wound up with fakes ... do not run them the issues are not worth it.
@@350tiger most definitely!
Great information. I think when the plug electrode while laying flat the electrode faces upright is the best and easiest way to ID them. Thanks for the great information. Just bought from AMAZON and they where all correct.
Awesome !
PHENOMENAL JOB!!!! THANK YOU!! Send this to AC Delco also
I bought a pack of eight AC Delco professional iridium spark plugs from eBay as well they were almost $40 the part number is 41-993 and this is for my '96 Chevy Silverado 1500 350. I did not install because I believe they are also counterfeit. The hexagon part that has a production number on it etched in it it's supposed to be on every OEM AC Delco plug and mine clearly do not have any etching whatsoever on the hexagon. That was my first giveaway right there, Plus even though you're not supposed to regap them but occasionally with OEM a radium plugs you may have one that may be slightly off and you can adjust just slightly but they are supposed to be gapped pretty close if not exactly to your manufacturers recommendations for your particular vehicle. Long story short, the spark plug gap on mine were all over the place so that also led me to believe that these are not OEM ACDelco plugs but in fact are replicas/copies. Like he said this is a damn shame that companies have to do this on spark plugs. Something as simple as spark plugs they are going to spend tons and tons of dollars to make these replicas just to make money. I have bought some Bosch double iridium OEM spark plugs for my wife's car off of eBay and turns out they are in fact actual OEM plugs and the gapping on them was exactly what was calling for on my wife's vehicle and they were all consistent. Hers were $39 and some change but mine were almost 40 dollars. I also thought that was kind of strange that my spark plugs for eight of them and being iridium supposedly cost just as much as hers and she only has four spark plugs. People please be aware if you don't already know there are a lot of companies besides AC Delco making fakes they are making fake NGKs fake denso and who knows what else. The Chinese or Japanese people can make really good parts but they will cost a pretty penny for those high quality Japanese parts.
The best news is to find this out before rather than after chasing a tuning issue for a year like I did only to find out.
If you can get the brass buttons on the top to get even better performance, just unscrew them and put them on, at least for the normal plugs, not so much for hi end long life type, but still it would be interesting to see iridium plugs fitted with brass ends off the normal plugs etc. :)
Outstanding, you did great job , i need to purchase new oem plugs and I think this video will certainly help me with my purchase. Really despise the counterfeit efforts of the fakers! I'm know this happens to other respected brands as well....
You can test spark plugs with a multimeter that along with physical appearance of the plug and it’s packaging
Who does this? You're very thorough. Love to see the depth and attention to detail.
Well there are several suppliers like RPM and DDM and ZZP that can provide the components … I think only RPM in Phoenix AZ installs the components onsite. Look up Martin Scott. If you just want a Tune as an upgrade another great option is Jason Aho … owner of the fastest Kappa Solstice!
Great investigative work. Another reason to support your local business. Also, fake items don't necessarily have to say it's coming from China. They can stock fake Chinese products at local warehouses here in the US
thank you! great info, been there with counterfeit plugs. Video supergood info!!!
Thank you !!
WOW! I am going to start really looking at the things I buy on Ebay now. Thanks, will probably buy from GM now. I bought toyota iridiums from ebay. 15k miles later had misfiring. I pulled the plugs and 1 plug the electrode had a piece chipped off. I never thought they might be fake..... WOW!
Sounds like You have first hand experience with the counterfeit issue!!
from what I've read on forums they're not fakes just Ac Delco China made for the China GM market cause it was so expensive to export Ac Delco Usa made parts to China , which makes sense an Usa made Acdelco plug iridium plug cost around $10 each for a China customer that plug would be $15 -$20 ea but now China customer gets a whole set for $40
They are actually confirmed fakes by the Anti counterfeiting task Force. Very common unless you buy through the structured supply chain and avoid Amazon or EBay.
Thank you sir , I’m returning my fake eBay plugs and wire set .
Glad you caught it !
Keep em coming Tim
Fantastic video Buddy 👍Thank you…
Hi Tim, From 1977 to 1989, I worked at Motorola Inc. in their Automotive Division in Schaumburg, IL. The business unit was later renamed to Automotive And Industrial Electronics Group (AIEG). Motorola AIEG was an OEM supplier for various electronic engine components for the Ford Motor Company. The parts were made to the same specifications, and were tested and approved by Ford for installation on brand new Ford vehicles on their assembly line. When comparing Ford's Motorcraft parts to Motorola AIEG parts, there were subtile differences. Both had the Ford name imprinted into the module when applicable. At a glance, they were identical. There was no reference to Motorola, only a production code to trace back to the place and date of manufactured origin.
In the case with TFI ignition modules, if you cracked open the module, you would see big visual internal differences. I recall back in the day, the Ford Motorcraft TFI ignition modules developed an issue after some time of normal use, when the vehicle warmed up to operating temperature, the engine would die. Once the engine cooled off, the engine would restart. The Motorola AIEG made version was internally soldered rather than ultrasonically welded, so suddenly Ford was buying TFI ignition modules from Motorola like crazy to fulfill their production needs. This gave them time to research the root cause of their module failures and implement the fix. Once Ford recalibrated their ultrasonic welding machine, things went back to normal. There was an issued safty recall to replace every Motorcraft made TFI module made prior to a certain time period.
I believe you are seeing the same type of visual variation with AC Delco spark plugs. The fake plugs you refer to, may be true ACDelco from an outsourced manufacture for OEM marketing. It happens a lot in the automobile industry. Your experience on the poor performance of the plugs indicates that particular OEM supplier has an issue with their plugs. So your video has value in how to identify which original ACDelco plugs to avoid.
Often, OEM suppliers (like Motorola AIEG) make the same module for aftermarket sales. They change the color of the plastic, change numbering, remove the OEM (Ford) name, sometimes cheapen up a few things to increase profit margin, and then make more money supplying parts to 3rd party auto part manufacture suppliers like Duralast for example. But that is different than what your video has revealed. I believe they are true ACDelco spark plugs made by an outsourced OEM manufacture.
Ron you make some great points … in this case I reached out to Anti Counterfeiting Task Force and verified they were indeed counterfeit. Missing platinum and poorly copied AC Delco packaging as well. Your point are still valid for non us market manufactured components but pricing at $2 a plug is a dead giveaway that it is potentially too good to be true.
Well, I cannot argue with that. In your particular case, they must be counterfeit.
Ac Delco I just got from Amazon don’t have a production number engraved? Doesn’t have the round sleeve either. Going to Autozone and maybe dealer. Sending these back.
Just be cautious ... the fake ones ran for about a week and started to fail quickly. Did not show a misfire as it actually had the coil fire but poor spark.
I would love any feedback!
What’s the copyright date on the real boxes. You only showed fake box counterfeit date ?
I would need to go look again but anything you buy outside of the distribution chain … like on Amazon or EBay is quite likely a high counterfeit potential. Buyer beware!
I'm thinking the price should also be a red flag. $40 vs $14 should make you take a second look at the quality of the cheaper product.
Ernesto ... truthfully the first counterfeit set I purchased was $30.50 and I just thought it was a great deal. This set I suspected they were counterfeit but did not know until they arrived. Price is definitely a consideration as you always get what you pay for. The telling point was that my local Autozone was cheaper than the online retailer. I am in communication with the Anti Counterfeiting task force and they are very interested regardless of the price I paid. Your point is very pertinent and PRICE is usually the primary red flag.
I seem to have noticed the ceramic body was actually thicker as well.
I never noticed that but it is entirely possible
The problem are that most ACDELCO products are made in mexico or elsewhere not in the USA as it used to be, + check the plugs as a lot of aftermarket copies will be in OE ACDELCO packaging ,but plugs are copies cheers :) Also noticed massive differences in pricing for various OE ACD plugs some sell them for $45.00 AU each and others sell them for $15.00 AU dollars each for the 41.110 plugs Iridium Plugs for the GM V8 LS3 or L77 engines etc. cheers :)🚗✔👌👍😊So be careful people do your research and check pricing also other plugs are just as good like NGK, but again fakes are out there?
What about the "z" at the end of the plug? My OEM ones had it, but the plugs from Carquest doesn't
Mine had a Y or a T on the tip but I left that out of the description
Thanks Tim!
Tim,
I have noticed that you have invested in an HP tuners MPV2. Have you been able to tune your engine to your liking as of yet? Your previous tune, were you not content with the results?
Terry I utilized the support provided by RPM and they helped but I originally had a defect in the big wheel turbo and much of the tuning time had me chasing a variable boost issue due to a failing wastegate shaft which allowed the wastegate to sometimes cover the whole opening and sometimes not causing a huge boost leak. Once that was corrected I was able to start tuning again and I wanted to understand the “How” I spent some time on my own and then enlisted a fellow named Jason Aho who is extremely knowledgeable and patient. I have learned a lot from him. The tune on the car now managed a 13.3 and a 5.1 0-60 time. Trap speed ranged from 107-109 mph. This is severely traction limited and during the tuning the trans was getting super hot. I decided to upgrade the trans cooler before any more tuning and just finished that. Now it will be back to tuning and I suspect we will get it down into the 12.9 range in the 1/4 at 109-110 mph.
Tim, Thanks for the Feedback. I have had Martin and his brother tune my Solstice with the Big Wheel turbo and the larger Intercooler. I have noticed that the Clutch now intermittently slips, which I have never noted before. I kinda always thought that if it slips, it wouldn't be and intermediate thing. This led me to thinking possible the Limited slip differential clutch was being compromised by the Old Stock Fluid. With that in mine I changed not only the Rear end oil but also the Manual Transmission oil. I drained both and added Red Line 58304 (75W90) Limited Slip Synthetic Gear Oil for the Rear end and Red Line (50305) Manual Transmission (MT) 90W Gear Oil for the Transmission. However, the slipping still was and intermittent thing. I'm kinda thinking of allowing a GM dealer replace my clutch and pressure plate with either a New or purchasing a heavy duty clutch and pressure Plate from DDM works and having GM furnish the Labor which I don't think they would accomplish because of the Liability spectrum.
You mentioned Jason as helping you with your tune. I also have purchased the HP Tuners MPV2 with the course. Are there any courses online that you or your friend Jason would recommend to visit?
Sorry for being so Long Winded! Sounds like you have your SKY dialed in!
Terry I do not have my car fully dialed in yet as when the trans started getting too hot I wanted to resolve that. The joys of adding power!
The initial tune was about pulling timing and as we pulled timing to tune on 91 octane fuel the car started to feel very sluggish down low and frankly I wanted it more lively. I knew there was more to add and also wanted to learn. Goat Rope Garage is a great option for HP Tuners … Jason has been exceptionally helpful and I would Re come see him to anyone looking for a patient and knowledgeable tuner. I was not unhappy with Martin but simply wanted a different perspective. I really focused on making the car remain as stock looking as possible with some strong performance upgrades and I have a little bit more to go.
I also wish to keep the Solstice as stock looking as possible. I have subscribed to HP's beginners courses, however, the appear to take a while to digest. I have checked out Goat Rope Garage videos and the are more in layman's terms for me to understand. Your videos have been instrumental on assisting my improvements on the car. Please keep up the Great work in your videos. Does Jason do Long distance tuning? Now that I have an understanding of data logging with tuners, I can send Jason a File for him to Critique, Kinda looking for the Guidance in the correct direction without damaging the engine.
Terry you are exactly where I was as well. Jason is doing mine remotely and let me reconnect with him amd ensure I can share his info
When did gapping Iridium plugs become OK?
You are not supposed to gap iridium as it is VERY fragile but when tuning a boosted car chasing misfires requires very specific gaps and even a .002” difference can result in a high boost misfire.
NICE.
Que pena, me acado de dar cuenta que me vendieron unas copias de bujías ACdelco 41-109 POR Aliexpress y tienen el mismo numero de serie C52E y las mismas diferencias en el electrodo, la caja el botón las letras y todo es falso....
gracias por tu publicación, acabo de encargar otras a AMAZON.
I wish I could understand your post 😉
@@350tiger What a shame, I just realized that they sold me some copies of ACDELCO 41-109 spark plugs on aliexpress and they have the same serial number C52E and the same differences in the electrode, the box, the button, the letters and everything is false.
Thanks for your post, I just ordered others from AMAZON.
Sergio I am glad as they DO NOT perform the same as authentic ones.
Thanks
Question did you ohm the plugs? Thanks Much
No but I still could ... I had not considered that and I still have the fake plugs. What should I look for?
The old adage
You get what you pay for
If it sounds to good to be true it probably is
Yes I agree but one of the plugs wound up in my car despite buying them from a direct source ... it seems somehow the inventory was polluted with a counterfeit version.
It's so sad that GM makes so much rubbish parts never heard of this before have to put Grease I've had 10 other cars never had to put Greece around never misfire why don't they do the bloody plastic proper stuff
The grease is supposed to be on the inside of the boot to prevent carbon tracing induced misfires.
Who's to say that our auto parts stores now days could be getting their plugs online, ebay, china ect... they get other parts from china! Just saying.😢
buying ac delco parts from china is a bad idea..if the ebay seller is in china selling ac delco parts ,beware
Thanks for the video. How can I tell if I have a counterfeit spark plug if I don't have a guaranteed OEM plug & box to compare it to? Counterfeit goods is one of many serious problems buying things from China creates. The culture of the East is much different than the culture of the West, and one of the significant differences is honesty. This is the most pronounced with products produced in Communist China. I'm not sure of the exact origin of this behavior (perhaps Mao's reign of terror contributed), but the average citizen of the PRC has a very loose relationship with the truth. I could write a short book on this topic, but I'll avoid that here. Let me know if you'd like to know more.
I would carefully compare your plugs to the images in the video. As for the mentality of eastern cultures, that is not something I am positioned to comment on.
@@350tiger Thank you for the response. I have gone deeply down this rabbit hole. I have spoken directly with manufacturers and suppliers alike, taken macro photographs of various plugs, and consulted with auto fans, along with the aforementioned manufacturers and suppliers. The net is: BUYER BEWARE. There are counterfeits out there. Some manufacturers care more than others. ACDelco isn't particularly concerned, but Denso & NGK are. Retailers are utterly unconcerned. They DO NOT care about the quality of the plugs they sell, only the profit margins of those plugs. The biggest problem with counterfeit plugs is performance. They don't work as well as OEM, causing misfires. These misfires require further analysis to remedy the problem, and in the meantime can damage the car's engine. Misfires are serious, thus counterfeits are serious, seriously bad. Regarding the culture of the counterfeiters: this is cultural, sociological fact, and there is no impact I can have directly, but it is important for consumers to understand the rampant problem of counterfeiting, and that peoples in different places DO NOT behave similarly. I have travelled the globe, and I can attest to this from first-hand experience. Certain cultures believe lying is an artform, and they can lie to their advantage, it shows they deserve the fruits of their deceit, and will thus lie consistently, constantly, and overtly, both in writing and orally. This is not a race problem, it is a cultural difference that clashes with the norms held by western nations. This clash is OBVIOUS to me, less so to many. When I explain and demonstrate the cultural differences, people are more able and willing to understand the problem, although there are those who refuse to learn things, refuse to update their knowledge base, and will dogmatically hold opinions they deem correct, regardless of how wrong they are. That ain't me. I am a learning machine. I don't think it is possible to know too much, and self-educate, test existing beliefs vigorously and constantly. Cheers.