Denso Long Life Iridium vs NGK Laser Iridium

The Critic · Oct 31, 2012

I am shopping for plugs for a CRV with the Honda 2.4.

These are the two plugs that I am considering. Both of these plugs are specified for the 110k intervals called for by Honda:

NGK IZFR6K11
Denso SKJ20DR-M11

One of my friends swears by Denso, and claims that it is far superior to NGK in every way. When questioned, the only legitimate justification he had for Denso was that the packaging was better.

Pricewise, the two are fairly similar - about $10-$11/plug. The Densos are about $1/more per plug and have to be ordered.

Can anyone provide any insight on this matter?

Thanks.

zmelli · Oct 31, 2012

NGK Plugs are better. They have better threads and the Denso have been known to fall apart in Turbo applications. I went thru this when I replaced the plugs in my Hondas.

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f25/denso-iridium-spark-plugs-43391/

JOD · Oct 31, 2012

I did a plug change in an '03 CRV with about 60K of very hard miles, 8 years of 1-3 mile trips. The NGK Lasers were the OEM plugs, and based on the condition, I can highly recommend them. The gap was as close to new as my measurement tool could tell. I was tempted to just clean and reinstall them but since I already had the others on hand I just installed the new ones. The NGK's in my own car look great at 60K as well. I have no experience w/the Denso plugs, but the NGK Lasers are top notch.

The Critic · Oct 31, 2012

Originally Posted By: JOD
I did a plug change in an '03 CRV with about 60K of very hard miles, 8 years of 1-3 mile trips. The NGK Lasers were the OEM plugs, and based on the condition, I can highly recommend them. The gap was as close to new as my measurement tool could tell. I was tempted to just clean and reinstall them but since I already had the others on hand I just installed the new ones. The NGK's in my own car look great at 60K as well. I have no experience w/the Denso plugs, but the NGK Lasers are top notch.

Thanks!

Interestingly enough, upon further review, the Honda part # for the 2007-11 plugs gives you a set of the Denso plugs. I guess they must have changed:

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-Spark-Plug-CR-V__9807B-5615W.aspx

chad8 · Oct 31, 2012

I have been using denso's in all my toyota's for decades. Never had a failure. I Have used ngk's in all my little motors. never a failure.
Both sure beat bosch, champion, pulstar etc...
Use the exact o.e.m. supplied from factory of either brand.
They didn't spend millions in engineering for you to put some E-3's in there.
either one is good.
I have spent $12 per plug just to get factory oem denso's in my sienna so I wouldn't ever have to change again.
Same with motorcrafts in my ford truck.
go oem.

SLCraig · Oct 31, 2012

Always NGK.
They come OEM on most Japanese cars, like mine.

john_pifer · Oct 31, 2012

In my experience, the Denso are built stouter than NGK.

My V6 Tacoma came from the factory with Denso on one side of the engine, and NGK on the other.

My truck came with copper spark plugs, and I ran them about three times as long as you're supposed to, according to the scheduled maint. guide, which calls for them to be changed at 30K.

As you can see from this pic, the ground electrodes on the NGK plugs are significantly more eroded than the Denso plugs. One of the NGKs, as you can see, is even more eroded than the other two. That one came out of the driver's side rear cylinder.

That being said, I don't have a new Denso and a new NGK to compare - it's possible that the NGKs start out with thinner ground electrodes.

Replaced with these:

Carnoobie · Oct 31, 2012

Densos are made in japan = better

PZR2874 · Oct 31, 2012

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Densos are made in japan = better

Yeah, ok

Depends on the application.

GMBoy · Oct 31, 2012

Originally Posted By: john_pifer
In my experience, the Denso are built stouter than NGK.

My V6 Tacoma came from the factory with Denso on one side of the engine, and NGK on the other.

My truck came with copper spark plugs, and I ran them about three times as long as you're supposed to, according to the scheduled maint. guide, which calls for them to be changed at 30K.

As you can see from this pic, the ground electrodes on the NGK plugs are significantly more eroded than the Denso plugs. One of the NGKs, as you can see, is even more eroded than the other two. That one came out of the driver's side rear cylinder.

That being said, I don't have a new Denso and a new NGK to compare - it's possible that the NGKs start out with thinner ground electrodes.

Replaced with these:

I've really come to like Autolite plugs the last 5-6 years. I've been putting them in everything and am happy. Those XP's are in my truck right now, their double platinums in my CTS with the 3.6Direct Injected engine and regular platinums in my Corvette LT1.

mechtech2 · Oct 31, 2012

The Tacoma uses a waste spark ignition.
So, more wear on some plug's center electrode is normal.
This is why precious metal tipped plugs are best for these systems.
It does not infer that the NGKs are inferior. It just shows that they had the misfortune to be on the -to+ side of the waste spark system.

john_pifer · Oct 31, 2012

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
The Tacoma uses a waste spark ignition.
So, more wear on some plug's center electrode is normal.
This is why precious metal tipped plugs are best for these systems.
It does not infer that the NGKs are inferior. It just shows that they had the misfortune to be on the -to+ side of the waste spark system.

The 05+ Tacoma 4.0L uses direct ignition. Mine is an 07.

The old 3.4L Tacoma used waste spark ignition.

grampi · Oct 31, 2012

I've always used NGKs and I have no reason to stop using them. They always last longer than than the suggested change intervals too...

DuckRyder · Oct 31, 2012

I recently asked a similar question and found/was given no compelling reason to choose one over the other.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2770629&page=1

I went with the Denso just because I wanted to try them.

The packaging is nice...

GC4lunch · Oct 31, 2012

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Densos are made in japan = better
And in this regard the Densos differ from NGKs made in Japan how?

The Critic · Oct 31, 2012

Originally Posted By: Carnoobie
Densos are made in japan = better

Per Carnoobie's advice, I have ordered the Denso SKJ20DR-M11.

Now back to finding a torque wrench that can measure 13 ft-lbs accurately.

Vikas · Nov 1, 2012

Quote:

Per Carnoobie's advice, I have ordered the Denso SKJ20DR-M11.

In a million years I would have never thought to see this!

Hootbro · Nov 1, 2012

Originally Posted By: john_pifer

The 05+ Tacoma 4.0L uses direct ignition. Mine is an 07.

The old 3.4L Tacoma used waste spark ignition.

Quite honestly, I would not draw any engineering level conclusion with your examples or pictures.

If your pic was from a normal 30K plug change, maybe. Other than that, to many other factors come into play as either maker made them 30K plugs and not 90K plugs and beyond 30K, you make the assumption that wear rates on the electrode tip should be linear when it may have not been designed that way for the NGK.

Quite frankly, that far right Denso towards the middle, looks just as bad as the NGK plugs.

Either way, it looks like both brands held up well.

PandaBear · Nov 1, 2012

Originally Posted By: john_pifer
In my experience, the Denso are built stouter than NGK.

My V6 Tacoma came from the factory with Denso on one side of the engine, and NGK on the other.

My truck came with copper spark plugs, and I ran them about three times as long as you're supposed to, according to the scheduled maint. guide, which calls for them to be changed at 30K.

As you can see from this pic, the ground electrodes on the NGK plugs are significantly more eroded than the Denso plugs. One of the NGKs, as you can see, is even more eroded than the other two. That one came out of the driver's side rear cylinder.

That being said, I don't have a new Denso and a new NGK to compare - it's possible that the NGKs start out with thinner ground electrodes.

Replaced with these:

That is not a valid comparison, because each bank is firing differently due to waste spark ignition. The reverse firing bank will have less wear on the center electrode and more on the outer electrode, the opposite on the regular firing bank. I have similar difference in wear on the same plug type (Motorcraft OEM, Autolite copper) on Ford Taurus and Escort.

Personal opinion is if both model are listed as OEM replacement, they are tested by the OEM to be identical enough function wise, that you will not be able to tell the difference.

If they are not OEM replacement, according to marketing term, usually a "Long Life" plug will have bigger wider electrode tip so it will last longer, but take higher voltage to fire, than the finer wire "Laser" plug that take less voltage to fire but not last as long.

According to the website, NGK Laser is 0.4mm tip and Denso Long Life is 0.7mm tip.

Buy base on what you want, less voltage to fire (thus less misfire) or last longer.

bdcardinal · Nov 1, 2012

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Quote:

Per Carnoobie's advice, I have ordered the Denso SKJ20DR-M11.

In a million years I would have never thought to see this!

Denso Long Life Iridium vs NGK Laser Iridium

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