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I
was in great need of a heater hose
for my Mustang. It is an odd shape
that I could not find anywhere,so
I
checked into RockAuto. Well guess
what, they had it! And at a super
low price
with fast shipping also.
Looking forward
to doing business with RockAuto
in
the future.
Larry in Canada
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Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here, email us with details. |
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Alternative
Car Care Anniversary Show
1/8/2011
Hudson, FL
e-mail
Eagle Raceway
- End of Year Banquet
1/8/2011
Bennington, NE
e-mail
Cars for Hope
1/8/2011
Mesa, AZ
e-mail
Red Hill Hot
Rod Show & Shine
1/9/2011
Victoria, AU
website
Renegade Corvette
Club-5th Annual Open Car &
Truck Show
1/9/2011
Hollywood, FL
e-mail
Midwest Speed
Expo
1/9/2011
Springfield, IL
website
11th Annual
Street Fair, Car & Bike
Show
1/15/2011
Casa Grande, AZ
e-mail
Rogers Winte
Burnout Charity Car Show
1/15/2011
Mokena, IL
website
Winter Rod
& Speed Show 2011
1/15/2011
Salem, OR
e-mail
Jan's Beef
O'Brady's Cruiz-In
1/16/2011
New Port Richey, FL
e-mail
141 Speedway-End
of the Year Banquet
1/22/2011
Manitowoc, WI
website
4th Annual
Mopars on the Border IV Car
Show
1/28/2011
Mission, TX
e-mail
CJ Speedway-End
of the Year Banquet
1/29/2011
Wapello, IA
e-mail
Madison International
Speedway-End of the Year Banquet
1/29/2011
Evansville, WI
e-mail
Texas Raceway-End
of the Year Banquet
1/29/2011
Kennedale, TX
e-mail
Magnolia Drag
Strip-End of the Year Banquet
1/30/2011
Canton, OH
e-mail
Centerville
Super Speedway-End of The Year
Banquet
1/31/2011
Centerville, AR
e-mail
Farmington
Dragway-End of the Year Banquet
1/31/2011
Mocksville, NC
e-mail
Luxemburg
Speedway-End of the Year Banquet
1/31/2011
Denmark, WI
e-mail
Moler Raceway
Park-End of the Year Banquet
1/31/2011
Williamsburg, OH
e-mail
Rhino Cruising
Car & Bike Show
1/31/2011
Queen Creek, AZ
e-mail
Wilkesboro
Raceway Park-End of the Year
Banquet
1/31/2011
Wilkesboro, NC
e-mail
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Lisle Automotive Tools |
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Lisle
tools have been added to the “Extras”
section of the RockAuto catalog. With
more than 400 automotive specialty
tools to choose from, you’ll
surely find a tool to make your next
job quick and easy! Here are some
must-haves:Specialty tools are listed
there under clutch, exhaust, etc
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Changing
brake pads? Check out Lisle part #
24300.
This “Speedy Brake Pad Spreader”
makes brake pad replacement an easy
job. Squeeze the handle and the fast
acting plunger compresses disc brake
pistons in seconds. |
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Replacing
a power steering, alternator, or air
pump pulley? Lisle’s “Pulley
Puller/Installer”, part # 38850
will remove and install pulleys on
most GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles.
Special adapters are included for
GM 3.1 and Quad 4 engines. This tool
works on traditional V-shaped pulleys
and serpentine belt system pulleys. |
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Removing
a fuel or vacuum hose? For easy removal
of 5/32" to 1/2" hoses,
invest in Lisle’s hose removal
pliers, part # 47900.
The pliers’ sharpened jaw digs
into the hose to grip it. Squeeze
and the hose is easily pushed off
by the silver jaw. |
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To
find the tool for your next project,
click on the “Extras”
tab found at the top of the RockAuto
catalog. All job specific tools are
listed in the system they relate to
under clutch, exhaust, etc. |
Forum of the Month
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GoldwingDocs.com
is one of the largest web sites dedicated
to Honda Goldwing motorcycles, from
the 1970's era GL1000 to the current
GL1800. The totally free site has
the Internet's largest collection
of Goldwing "how to" DIY
articles, helping you do all your
own repairs and maintenance. A large
forum of friendly users are always
there to help you with any problems
you might have, or just to engage
in a friendly chat. A massive database
of Goldwing-related classified ads
is online, as well as the most popular
feature - a monthly contest to win
free Goldwing-related prizes! If you
own a Goldwing, if you're thinking
about buying one, or even if you're
just a fan - come check us out and
say hello!
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 cynthia@rockauto.com.
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Repair Mistakes & Blunders
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It
was 1987, and my youngest brother
and I were planning a road trip from
our parents' house near Toronto to
my friend's house in Maryland. We
were going to be driving my 1982 Datsun
200SX - my very first car.
Before we went, I
decided it would be a good idea to
change the oil and check all the fluids
in the car. My 14-year-old brother
had never changed the oil in a car
before, so I figured it would be a
good time to teach him how. I had
him undo the drain bolt and drain
the oil, then fit the filter wrench
onto the oil filter and remove it,
all under my instruction.
After the oil had
drained, he put the drain bolt back
in, and I double-checked its tightness
- just in case! He also screwed the
new oil filter in place while I opened
the case of new oil. I had him fill
the engine, and showed him how to
check the level on the dipstick. We
were ready to roll!
Seven and a half
hours of driving later, we were in
Maryland - and the oil light illuminated
on the dash. I opened the window,
and heard the engine making a not-very-healthy
noise. A gas station was just ahead,
so I pulled in. Upon checking the
dipstick - it was dry, showing not
a drop of oil! Looking at the underside
of the car, it was absolutely dripping
with oil.
In my brother's oil-change
instruction, I had forgotten to tell
him about one crucial step: to lubricate
the rubber seal on the new filter
with some fresh oil before installing
it. As a result, the seal had bound
up and folded over when the filter
was tightened in place, leaving a
small gap for oil to spray out!
I replaced the filter
with a new one, and poured another
five quarts of oil into the engine,
apologized to the gas station attendant
for the oily mess we left behind,
and we went on our way. The Datsun
seemed unaffected by the lack of lubrication,
and ran great from that day on.
Scott in Ohio
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 awhile!). Please
email your story to flamur@rockauto.com.
Include your mailing address and shirt
size (large or extra large) and we
will mail you a RockAuto "Do it yourself?"
t-shirt if we publish your story (see
the t-shirts under Extras 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
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What
is the primary difference in design
between a "hot" spark plug
and a "cold" spark plug?
A. The gap
between electrodes. A "hot"
spark plug has a larger gap than a
"cold" plug.
B. The length of the insulator surrounding
the center electrode. A long insulator
means the tip of the "hot"
spark plug stays hotter. The short
insulator on a "cold" plug
means less heat is retained at the
tip and more heat is dissipated through
the body of the plug.
C. A "hot" plug has one
or both electrodes made of an advanced
conductor such as platinum or iridium.
A "cold" plug has conventional
copper and steel electrodes.
Answer
below
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Anniversary Gift
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My
wife and I celebrate our 20th wedding
anniversary this year. Platinum is
the official “modern”
20th wedding anniversary gift. To
start the year off right, I picked
out a set of Bosch platinum spark
plugs for my wife’s Ford Tempo.
RockAuto has a large
selection of spark plugs even for
a sedate Tempo. I had a choice of
plugs with copper, platinum, double
platinum or iridium electrodes by
manufacturers including ACDelco, Autolite,
Bosch, Champion, Denso, Motorcraft
and NGK.
The spark plug is
at the end of the line where the flame
meets the gasoline. But I made sure
to also look back up the circuit at
the less glamorous parts of the ignition
system. On my wife’s Ford that
means the spark plug wires, rotor,
distributor cap, and ignition coil.
If one of those ignition parts is
worn out then it may not matter what
the spark plug electrodes are made
of.
The terminal
on the Tempo’s ignition coil
was about 1/3 vaporized away. Not
a proper way to deliver sufficient
electrical current to a set of new
platinum plugs! I gave my wife a new
Standard Motor Products ignition coil
with a copper alloy terminal. (Copper
is actually the “traditional”
7th wedding anniversary gift!)
Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com
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Brian's 1967 Chevelle Malibu |
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After
dreaming of owning a classic muscle
car since I was a kid, finally three
years ago at 40 years old, I was able
to find a “Diamond in the Rough”
1967 Chevelle Malibu. A great car
that I would be able to drive on curvy
roads, but mainly take to local car
shows. The interior and paint/body
were pretty much good to go with only
minor things needing replacement.
The car did not have to be completely
disassembled, but the drive train
and suspension really needed work
to make this a nice and safe driver.
The Malibu started
out with a tired 283 engine, a Powerglide
two speed transmission, and a GM 10
bolt rear end. This all needed to
be replaced to put the muscle in the
“muscle car” and do well
on the freeway, so I swapped in a
built 327 with 365hp, a 200 4R overdrive
transmission, and a 12 bolt rear end
with a posi-traction unit. Both front
and rear suspensions have been completely
restored and improved upon with modern
shocks, and a larger front sway bar
to improve handling.
RockAuto has helped
me find the right parts from day one,
and it’s a long list that have
made this car a joy to drive knowing
it’s safe and solid with all
the new parts. Power Steering pump,
Power Steering lines, Rear Coil Springs,
Brake Drums and Shoes, Tie Rod Ends,
Ball Joints, Bushings, and so much
more than I can even remember.
Brian in California
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Share Your Hard Work
Do you purchase
parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto
would like to feature you & your
car or truck in our monthly newsletter.
Please e-mail flamur@rockauto.com
with details.
© 1999-2011 RockAuto,
LLC - Madison, Wisconsin USA. RockAuto
name and logo 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.
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