Fakes are also known to not feature any copper core which means they retain heat and can eventually meltdown, it’s likely to be the same with these fakes. Designed specifically for the performance enthusiast Iridium IX offers extreme ignitability, improved throttle response and superior anti fouling. The fakes terminal caps were finger tight, whereas the genuine caps couldn’t be undone by hand and needed pliers.

NGK CR9EIX (3521) - Iridium IX Spark Plug - Opie Oils NGK CR9EIX (3521) - Iridium IX Spark Plug - Opie Oils

This is simply one mistake NGK would never make. If you think of how many of these are sold worldwide, you can see where the problem’s heading. The number of damage reports of snapped CR9EIX plugs and damaged engine heads would soar if worldwide customers tightened down M10 spark plugs to M14 specifications. A colossal recall would then pursue as M14 plugs are actually torqued down around twice as much as M10 ones! It’s important to use a torque wrench because under-tightening can cause overheating due to poor heat dissipation and as mentioned, overtightening will cause damage. If you’re going to be doing any sort of work on the bike, treat yourself to a decent set of tools. Most of mine are from the Halfords Advanced range (formerly called Professional).The NGK Iridium IX Spark Plugs utilise a 0.6mm laser welded fine iridium tip which ensures high durability and a consistently stable spark along with a tapered ground electrode which minimizes electrical quenching effect. The longer insulator nose prevents fouling, the corrugated ribs on the insulator prevent flashover and a triple gasket seal eliminates combustion gas leakage. A regular spark plug uses a copper central electrode whereas an iridium spark plug uses, you guessed it, iridium. If you’ve not changed your plugs before, give yourself a couple of hours to complete the task. Here are the essentials you need for smooth re-plugging: The image of the spark plugs above shows four common conditions that you’ll find your spark plugs in. From left to right the plugs are Normal, Rich, Lean and Very Lean. Full descriptions below. A spark plug fouls with every single power stroke of the engine, as the fuel burns a deposit of soot forms on the electrode. Form enough deposit, the gap resistance changes and the plug either is resisted out or shorted out, neither of which will fire the cylinder.

CR9EIX/3521 NGK - Spark Plug Of Ignition IN Iridium, 3 NGK CR9EIX/3521 NGK - Spark Plug Of Ignition IN Iridium, 3

A typical copper spark plug will last around 20,000 miles and most get changed at a major service (usually around 16,000 miles) but an iridium spark plug will be good for around 50,000 miles and you do see people running them to 100,000 miles with no issues. If the engine is running dangerously lean the whole plug tip will be grey or white. If the temperature is over 850-degrees, pre-ignition may occur. Engine power will be reduced and you risk piston damage. Copper is generally seen as being the best metal to use in terms of conductivity but iridium plugs are seen as premium as they last longer than standard plugs and can be built with smaller tolerances. Iridium spark plugs also have lower voltage requirements, meaning they perform better when starting and idling and some manufacturers also claim they offer a better throttle response. It gets better, the installation guides on the rear of the inner boxes are for an M14 (14mm) diameter threaded spark plug, not M10 (10mm) that CR9EIX features!

If the plug is brown or light grey your can assume your engine is in good condition and the spark plug is functioning well. Even when a plug is in good condition small deposits will accumulate. This is normal. Rich The fakes terminal cap shape is pretty accurate, however cast mold lines are visible, unlike the genuine plug.

Kawasaki Spark Plug Fitment Chart - Biker Rated Kawasaki Spark Plug Fitment Chart - Biker Rated

As stated above, the illustrations on the rear show installation procedures for an M14 threaded spark plug. Unfortunately for Mr Counterfeit, CR9EIX spark plugs have an M10 sized thread! This fatal error has already fulfilled our suspicions that they’re indeed fake, and we haven’t even seen the plugs yet! Fake plugs are known to have air bubbles trapped inside the white ceramic insulator which can affect heat dissipation capability. A spark plug electrode is litterally at the absolute hottest part of the engine. It is where combustion starts, when compression is the highest it's going to be, and where a lightening bolt (that is a plasma discharge) is purposfully formed.

Iridium Spark Plug vs Standard

NGK is the brand leader in the UK spark plug market and are the world's biggest supplier to many major car manufacturers. Each and every one of their products are designed to meet the most rigorous standards and are the professionals' choice because of their quality and technical excellence. Their plugs can be found in use by teams in F1, WRC and MotoGP. Put simply, NGK genuine spark plugs are the workhorse at the heart of smooth-running engines around the world.

NGK Spark Plug Upgrade Chart - NGK Partfinder

so the uber smart engineers calculate that heat transfer path, the average temp for the engine at full throttle and full load, and at idle... proposed engine coolent temp limits and toss in 20% safety margin and then design a plug that will hold self cleaning temps over the widest range of engine RPM, ambient temp, etc. with out ever reaching "burn out" temp and volia' you have a plug for your specific engine. however, if the plug is too hot, the material of the electrode or the ground tab will soften, distort, or even oxidize. Spark plugs are often called "hot" or cool or anything inbetween... This has NOTHING to do with how hot the fuel burns. It has to do with how hot the spark plug gets. You’ll need this to help you find the location of your spark plugs and how to access them. This may sound simple but often the manual offers up some time-saving tips for your particular model. Torque the spark plug up to your manufacturer’s recommended settings. If you don’t have a torque wrench, then get the plug hand tight and then add a ½ turn for a plug with a gasket, and more like a ¼ turn for a tapered spark plug. Over-tightening can snap the spark plug – a nightmare.This is why you can't 1. hurt your engine with the wrong plugs... you can only hurt your plugs. and 2. Plug slection has no affect on engine performance or horse power... If your plug is fireing during every power stroke... that's the best it can do. Fatter spark, bigger spark, super jiggy spark Doesn't matter... if the fuel/air mix is being ignited every time... that's as good as it gets. Mind you, there are 1000 things that can mess with "fireing every power stroke" but you won't get more power using a "hotter" plug.