# Spark plugs



## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

been seeing a lot of threads where people are finding issues with spark plugs,even finding counterfeit plugs being sold as NGK's 

well today i went to service my toro, "oil change valve adjustment" , about 6 hours on a new motor, it starts to misfire, pulled the OEM plug.it reads bosch in blue letters yet has F7RTC with cn stamped in the rusting metal, the other bosch stamp also fails to look real bosch , it's jet black showing it's not firing right. rich mixture 
i went and did a bosch cross over check, bosch fails to have that number listed, i tried to do a google check of f7rtc that only comes up as a touch plug, 

i used to work the german car lines for close to 55 years, never did i see a bosch plug labeled in blue nor with out 2 rings painted , bosch as i know has always been green name and rings with a way better nickel /cad plating

note the real bosch is green what i took out is in no way a real bosch


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## 2badknees (Jan 28, 2017)

I had never in my entire life had a failed spark plug, until this weekend. I looked exactly like your photos. The blower took a minimum of 10 pulls to start and was getting worse. A 1/2 hour into clearing snow, it just flat died. I checked fuel supply, choke adjustment, and what the hey, I had new spark plug, so in it went. The factory recommended NGK. Problem solved. 

I've become very skeptical of "made in China". As a youngster, it never occurred to me that I would be looking for plastic parts and "made in Japan". For the most part, I believe we all buy the best that we can afford. Gone are the made in USA 79 cent Champion plugs that seemed to last for a lifetime.


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## whimsey29 (Jul 9, 2016)

Was that a re power engine on your Toro or the original engine with 6 hours on it? Yes F7RTC is a Torch #. My snow blower came with a Torch plug which I replaced after the first season with a NGK because what I read about Chinese plugs. The NGK starts on the first pull, the Torch would take multiple pulls to start. I'm surprised that the engine manufacture or snow blower company such as Toro, would use a counterfeit plug, a Torch plug disguised as a Bosch plug. 



Whimsey


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

warranty replacement with 6 hours on it. first one seized at about the same hours,


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## Tony P. (Jan 9, 2017)

I never had an issue with phony branded spark plugs but know of issues with similar products. It's a major problem but difficult to see anyone going after $3 knock-offs. A side note, though, I've purchased blue labeled Bosch spark plugs at Advance Auto and assume they were legit but they had rings.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Torch comes in all the new LCT engines. Came in my Husqvarna and my dads new Ariens. I switched them out with ngk. 90% keep running but get harder to start(IMO) plugs like e3 and torch have a chrome coating of some kind so I don’t know if that changes the carbon buildup factor


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

87powershiftx2 said:


> i used to work the german car lines for close to 55 years, never did i see a bosch plug labeled in blue nor with out 2 rings painted , bosch as i know has always been green name and rings with a way better nickel /cad plating note the real bosch is green what i took out is in no way a real bosch


 Well, I have purchased lots of Blue Bosch labeled plugs (with the two blue rings) from NAPA and other local auto parts stores. Here's a couple of pictures right from the Bosch website:


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i had to replace a plug on a 3 year old machine just yesterday morning. it seemed like it was throwing a good spark when out of the engine but just wouldn't start. threw a new NGK in it and fired right up. have had it happen on a few machines over the years. i would give everything a once over and would swap out the plug as a last resort and that has usually worked.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Here's Bosch's Anti-Counterfeit labeling info: Products,Product Services,Anti-counterfeit


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## BlowerMods1 (Jan 11, 2020)

I carry around two spares in my utility box. Guess I'll take them out and make sure they're ok before they're needed.

:thumbsup:


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i just learned my truck runs a hotter plug but identical to most used in ohv engines. good to know since i probably have 20+ old plugs kicking around from my v8 mopars. even got a couple platinum plugs. should likely never have to buy a plug again now that i know that. the higher the number the cooler the heat range. the lower the hotter.


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

tabora said:


> Well, I have purchased lots of Blue Bosch labeled plugs (with the two blue rings) from NAPA and other local auto parts stores. Here's a couple of pictures right from the Bosch website:


thanks have never seen blue bosch around here always green 

notice the difference in how the word bosch looks on what i took out? and your photo's plus lack of the normal double colored rings,


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

crazzywolfie said:


> i just learned my truck runs a hotter plug but identical to most used in ohv engines. good to know since i probably have 20+ old plugs kicking around from my v8 mopars. even got a couple platinum plugs. should likely never have to buy a plug again now that i know that. the higher the number the cooler the heat range. the lower the hotter.


save on champs. a/c , autolight where cold is lower, hot is higher, don't know why the import plugs run backwards, high= cold low = hot


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

I've seen Torch in a bunch of equipment. I've replaced them.

*FWIW, Amazon is selling fake NGK plugs*. I've been victimized along with a bunch of others.


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

uberT said:


> I've seen Torch in a bunch of equipment. I've replaced them.
> 
> *FWIW, Amazon is selling fake NGK plugs*. I've been victimized along with a bunch of others.


That was where I bought a replacement NGK for one that failed, but I sold the unit shortly after I installed it.


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## Husqvarna_10530SBE (Oct 9, 2015)

Always make sure you buy from Amazon (or fulfilled by Amazon) for items that can be counterfeit. At least you can get your money back, if you do get a fake one.

Luckily my local O'Reillys carries NGK plugs that I need.


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## joesunn (11 mo ago)

2.137269 said:


> been seeing a lot of threads where people are finding issues with spark plugs,even finding counterfeit plugs being sold as NGK's
> 
> well today i went to service my toro, "oil change valve adjustment" , about 6 hours on a new motor, it starts to misfire, pulled the OEM plug.it reads bosch in blue letters yet has F7RTC with cn stamped in the rusting metal, the other bosch stamp also fails to look real bosch , it's jet black showing it's not firing right. rich mixture
> i went and did a bosch cross over check, bosch fails to have that number listed, i tried to do a google check of f7rtc that only comes up as a touch plug,
> ...


 I think you're just right Read Only,
Yesterday my brand new toro snowblower a few hours of use won't start. and you know what?!!!! this damn blue bosh spark plug was out !!! No spark at all. this is really counter feit stock. beleive me. What a drag. Shame on you TORO!!!!


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

my used machine came with a torch it worked fine started 1 pull 414cc
i changed it out machine ran the same
rpm reading the same
just put it back in for a test 3 days ago still fine
its a backup plug
current plug champion
partial to ngk from my nitrous days
bpr6es is going in this week


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## Jesse11B (Jan 27, 2020)

joesunn said:


> I think you're just right Read Only,
> Yesterday my brand new toro snowblower a few hours of use won't start. and you know what?!!!! this damn blue bosh spark plug was out !!! No spark at all. this is really counter feit stock. beleive me. What a drag. Shame on you TORO!!!!


I hear your frustration. But Toro didn’t put the plug in there. I’m pretty sure Toros engines are made my Loncin. Someone across the ocean put that plug in there. 

It would be nice if they made sure good quality plugs were being used.


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