Centric Premium Drum Kits

RockAuto now offers Centric Premium Drum Kits containing a pair of brake drums, brake shoes, wheel cylinders, and all the hardware for a complete rear (or front on some vehicles) brake replacement. These kits ensure that all components work together to provide proper fit and superior performance.

Features:

• Precision matched friction surfaces provide smooth operation and reduced noise
• OE style drum castings ensure extended service life
• OE specification mill balancing of drums eliminates vibrations
• Brake shoes include all OE style pins and are precision ground to provide exact fit and function
• Wheel cylinders include brass inserts and aluminum castings where OE specified

Centric Premium Drum Kits are available for vehicles ranging from a 1966 Ford Mustang, to a 1986 Subaru GL, to a 2013 Chevy Silverado. Drum kits can be found under “Drum / Shoe / Wheel Cylinder Kit” in the “Brake/Wheel Hub” category of the RockAuto catalog.

Monroe "Shocktober" Suspension Rebate

It's that time again! Shocktober is back and fully charged to save you money on ride control parts through the end of October. This "Buy 4 For the Price of 3" promotion means it is the perfect time for you to replace your worn shocks and struts. Purchase a combination of four qualifying Monroe or Rancho products and get a Visa prepaid card by mail. Qualifying parts include:

• Monroe OESpectrum, Reflex, Sensa-Trac, Max-Air and Gas-Magnum Shocks
• Monroe Load Adjusting Shocks
• Monroe OESpectrum, Reflex, Sensa-Trac Struts and Cartridges
• Monroe Quick-Strut Assemblies (Strut / Coil Spring / Mount)
• Rancho RS5000, RS5000X, RS7000MT and RS900XL Shocks

These parts can be found in the “Suspension” category of the RockAuto catalog. To see additional details for this promotion or to view additional rebates currently being offered, go to the Promotions and Rebates page. While shopping, watch for the yellow "Promotion/Rebate" next to the part names to help you save even more on RockAuto’s reliably low prices!

Forum of the Month

The Turbo Forums is a discussion board for both seasoned and beginner turbocharged vehicle enthusiasts. Covering everything from stock turbocharger cars, seriously fast drag racers, boats, motorcycles and daily driver modified turbo cars and trucks.

Register today- It is quick and FREE!

If you are the administrator or member of a forum and you would like to see your website featured in an upcoming newsletter and receive a discount code to share with your members, contact megant@rockauto.com.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

I bought a minivan that had a few minor issues according to the previous owner. One of which was that when making a left turn, the ABS brakes would kick in. Neither weather nor speed affected this problem. It just happened whenever the van turned left. A test of the sensors did not show any issues with them. The feel at the wheel was as if a caliper was sticking. So I started by replacing the front calipers and pads. That did not make a difference.

My next thought was to change the brake hose as that could cause a caliper to stick. There was still no difference. In a last ditch effort, I decided to change the left front sensor even though it tested fine. While changing the sensor, I discovered a “hide-a-key” (one of those little metal boxes with a magnet) hidden by a previous owner, stuck behind the wiring harness for the ABS sensor. Apparently the magnet in the “hide-a-key” was disturbing the signal from the ABS sensor as the harness would press against the magnet while turning left.

I do not think that even if I had been the one who put the “hide-a-key” there I would have suspected it as the culprit.

Len in New York

Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder or unconventional fix. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes or share off-the-wall solutions that worked (at least for a while!). Please email your story to marketing@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Tools & Universal Parts in the catalog. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!

Automotive Trivia

Does a Fiat Chrysler MultiAir engine have a throttle body/valve?

A. Yes. MultiAir uses the engine's intake valves to act as a throttle and control airflow, but a throttle body/valve is still needed.

B. No. MultiAir only needs the engine's intake valves to act as the throttle and control airflow into the cylinders.

Answer below

The Belt Resembled a Wet Noodle

I replaced the harmonic balancer/crankshaft pulley on my wife's '93 Ford Tempo last year (read about it here). I later noticed a slight oil leak from the crankshaft front seal. Maybe crankshaft vibrations caused by the broken harmonic balancer had damaged the seal.

The front seal on this engine is inexpensive and easy to install. It tapped in similar to the lid on a metal paint can. Unfortunately, accessing the seal meant taking off and reinstalling the new harmonic balancer and related parts once again.

The oil leak from the front seal was minor, but most of the oil had dripped onto the crankshaft pulley and subsequently got all over the engine's serpentine belt. The belt was relatively new, so I tried washing the oil off of it. I sprayed the belt with soapy water and ran the engine while holding a wad of rags against both sides of the belt. It was impossible to get all the oil out of the grooves in the serpentine belt, but the belt did not make any noise or show signs of distress.

My wife drove the car roughly 5,000 more miles (8,000 km) without any problems. Then one morning, she started the engine and the serpentine belt promptly fell off. Belts are usually stiff like the tread on a tire or the sole on a shoe, but this belt was soft like a cheap rubber band. To demonstrate how much the belt resembled a wet noodle, I cut it and then easily coiled it up into a tight roll (see photo below). That would be impossible to do with a normal stiff belt. I am not a chemist, but I am guessing over time, the oil residue had gradually broken down the bonds between the rubber and plastics in the belt. The belt eventually stretched and softened to the point that the belt tensioner could no longer keep it on the pulleys.

Oil soaked serpentine belt (pliers for scale)

This learning experience more closely resembles a "Repair Mistakes & Blunders" story than it does a carefully thought out scientific experiment! I learned to always inspect/replace the crankshaft front seal whenever I have the harmonic balancer/crankshaft pulley off of an engine. I also learned to replace belts if they are ever accidentally coated in a film of engine oil. My wife might have been stranded if that limp serpentine belt had slithered off on the road rather than at home. I hate to throw out a part with life left in it, but it was silly not to put a new serpentine belt on the car. Serpentine belts for the Ford Tempo currently start at less than $5 at RockAuto and take five minutes to install.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

To read more of Tom's articles, click this link and choose from story titles on the Newsletter Archives page.

Matt's 1947 Nash 600 Slipstream

The car has a great back story. My wife's grandfather purchased this 1947 Nash 600 Slipstream Sedan brand new when he got home from the service. He owned it while he dated his future wife, and once married they drove it on their honeymoon. He managed to keep it parked in a garage since purchasing it, and it is still in unbelievable condition today. My wife remembers riding in the back seat as a young girl, and it has become a symbol of good memories for her entire extended family.

As her grandparents grew older, the car saw less and less road time. A failed water pump coupler caused the car to overheat, and after it was misdiagnosed and never fixed, the car eventually sat. After her grandparents passed on, the car went to one of his sons where it continued to sit. Eventually it was decided that the car should go to us as I love working on cars and motorcycles.

The car was flat-bedded to us last year, and I went to work reviving the old Nash. Tune-up parts like belts, hoses, plugs, distributor cap and rotor, and several other bits were sourced from RockAuto. I love the ability to pick and choose parts from different manufacturers!

After finding the source of the overheating issue and getting the car running well, my family and I were able to begin enjoying the car and continue its great legacy. As someone who has bought and sold countless cars, it is really cool to have a car that will be with us always. We are truly only caretakers for this family heirloom, and look forward to forging memories for generations to come.

Matt in Ohio

© 1999-2016 RockAuto, LLC - Madison, Wisconsin USA. RockAuto name, logo and ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED are registered trademarks of RockAuto, LLC. Manufacturer names and logos in the RockAuto catalog are trademarks of their respective companies and are used only to identify their products. All rights reserved.