You might have heard by now that SpeLab sells cheaper parts for modern diesel trucks. And not only are the parts less expensive, but some of them are impossible to buy from other brands like Banks Power and S&S Performance. I’m talking about emissions deletes for all the major platforms—Cummins, Duramax, and Power Stroke—as SpeLab is one of the only companies out there still selling those. The reason why is simple: It’s based in China, with no fear of U.S. regulations and no regard for whoever gets ripped off.
Now, there are drivers in the U.S. who couldn’t care less about what the government says. DEF, DPF, and EGR might as well be four-letter words to them. But there are way more reasons than that to not buy SpeLab’s products. It starts with theft from American companies and only gets more painful when the part you bought for your daily driver or work truck doesn’t fit, and the only support you get is an AI assistant. Really, those are just a few reasons why you shouldn’t rely on this company that’s embroiled in controversy.
So many red flags indicate that SpeLab is, at best, a shady parts supplier without clear American roots. At worst, it’s a Chinese-owned brand that pays off influencers to hawk its products while yanking designs from American companies who put in the work to create something from scratch. All the while, you’re dealing with components that might restrict performance instead of improving it, and don’t hold your breath on getting any help from HQ if the install doesn’t go as planned.
Throughout this article, we’ll talk some more about why SpeLab is a scam that people continue to fall for, how you can avoid it, and how you can support the folks who do good, honest work in making their own parts.
The Shady Backstory Behind SpeLab
SpeLab might seem legit at first glance, but it doesn’t take long to notice that something is off. Spend time poking around the company’s website and you’ll run into plenty of strangeness. Whether it’s conflicting info about how long SpeLab has been around, or where its parts come from, you’re left with more questions than answers.
This prompted me to take a deeper dive. Although SpeLab claims to sell parts in North America, South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, there’s no mention of where these products are made. Supposedly, there are three SpeLab warehouses in the United States: One in Kentucky, one in California, and another in New Jersey. But that doesn’t mean the parts are manufactured in any of those places.
I found a warehouse address on SpeLab’s TrustPilot page located in City of Industry, California. Win IT America is plastered across the front, and a quick Google search shows that to be a Chinese-owned “integrated supply chain solutions provider for cross-border e-commerce.”
My suspicions of SpeLab’s questionable origins were confirmed when I saw customers reporting that their parts were shipped from China. For what it’s worth, others who couldn’t confirm thought the same. Documents accessible through the United States Patent and Trademark Office show that SpeLab’s owner, Hangzhou Weihong Technology Co. LTD, is based in Zhejiang—a Chinese province.
I’m not alone in believing this, either. Established American aftermarket brand SPE Motorsport has been driven to the breaking point after SpeLab stole its designs (not to mention part of its name). Co-owner Dan Snyder and several of his colleagues made an entire 30-minute video about it:
How Chinese Clone Companies are Killing The American Automotive Industry
SPE Motorsport calls out SpeLab’s Chinese origins in the title. And if you’ll notice, it mentions “Chinese Clone Companies,” implying that there’s more than one out there stealing designs. That’s because SpeLab has several sister firms doing business in the U.S.
SpeTuner sells many of the same parts as SpeLab, and clearly, they’re related. Then, there’s Flashark, whose web design looks awfully similar. And finally, there’s a newer parts distributor operating under the name of Evil Energy. Although the latter’s connection to SpeLab is less obvious, with fewer shared products, a quick comparo between some of their parts shows a bait-and-switch with the branding:
What I will say is “spelab.com” redirects you to SPE Motorsport’s site with this landing page:
All of that is to say, SpeLab follows the same blueprint of other Chinese companies, blatantly stealing designs and products from real innovators while selling them under its own name—as well as several others.
The Problem With SpeLab Parts
If SpeLab’s products were carbon copies of the parts they’re modeled after, then they’d work well. Too bad they aren’t. Instead, they’re rough estimations based on quick-and-dirty measurements.
This is made worse by the fact that SpeLab likely doesn’t have access to the platforms for which it sells parts. You can’t get a 6.7-liter Ford Power Stroke in China, so how could the company make sure an intake manifold fits? It has to do its best by observing a competitor’s work and replicating it as closely as possible. Engine performance is a precision industry, so customers can find themselves in hot water.
SpeLab’s parts often only look similar on the exterior, as it probably lacks the ability to scan inside the parts they steal. Someone might purchase an intake manifold from SpeLab, expecting it to perform like one from SPE Motorsport, but since it doesn’t have the same airflow capabilities as the brand-name item, it can’t.
You can find multiple pages of one-star reviews on SpeLab’s TrustPilot page, with several mentioning poor fitment:
Another common theme is poor customer service, and that isn’t limited to buyers who received poorly fitting parts. Even shoppers who said they were satisfied with the product admitted that contacting SpeLab was a nightmare. That’s because the company uses AI for responses, and even worse, it admits as much in a reply to a disgruntled customer.
“We’re always here to help resolve any issues and are more than willing to assist you directly – not just through Al, but with real support.”
You can see these problems for yourself just by watching videos from SpeLab’s affiliates. If you’re wondering what those are, they’re online influencers who advertise SpeLab parts on their social channels. Ironically, if customers need installation instructions for the parts they buy, they’ll also be redirected to these videos from YouTubers—again, because SpeLab can’t install them itself since it doesn’t have access to the trucks.
#SPELAB EGR Delete for 2010-2024 Cummins 6.7L Trucks @spelabofficial
And then there’s the fact that many of the parts SpeLab sells violate the United States’ Clean Air Act. Again, you might not care about that, but any company worth buying from with will tell you that deleting diesels in 2026 is a bad business move. They’ve paid millions in criminal fines and civil penalties to prove it.
You won’t find SPE Motorsport, S&S Diesel, or Banks Power selling EGR deletes and DPF deletes. That’s because each of them has a reputation to uphold, and just because one administration is lax on Clean Air Act enforcement doesn’t mean the next one will be. And one way or another, the rules are the rules.
You can find multiple customer reviews on third-party sites and even SpeLab’s own that say they’re trucks are running roughly after installing the parts.
A Reddit thread on r/FordDiesels shows a Power Stroke owner dealing with lots of frustration. “Don’t purchase from SPELAB,” they write. Their customer service is horrible. I am having an issue with my Tuner from MiniMaxx, (I wouldn’t recommend them either). Both boxes and companies state 24/7 service, that’s a lie. I have been waiting for a resolution for almost 7 days. Purchase from a company that has GOOD service and stands behind their products.”
Look as long as you’ll want, and you’ll keep reading about poor experiences just like that one.
You Should Avoid SpeLab Altogether
If you’re still considering SpeLab parts after all this, you must be desperate to ditch DEF or save money. The problem is, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to do either if what they send doesn’t work with your truck. It can lead to frustrating downtime, not to mention a healthy mechanic bill.
Your truck likely wasn’t cheap, so why risk it with counterfeit parts that fit poorly or not at all? It’s a move you’d regret if it went any other way than excellent.
Ultimately, it’s your call. Just make sure to read this twice before you add your billing info to SpeLab’s site. Otherwise, there’s a good chance you’ll wish you did.
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