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Easy website navigation, great prices, great communication and extremely reasonable shipping! RockAuto is a great place to do business with and has many parts for my classics.
Never a bad experience and very helpful, five stars plus!
Terry in Texas
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Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here e-mail with details. |
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Misselwood Concours d'Elegance
7/26/2014
Beverly, MA
e-mail
Cruise In on the Route 66 Square
7/26/2014
Carlinville, IL
e-mail
VW Meltdown XIIII All VW Show/Swap Meet
7/26/2014
Montgomery, AL
e-mail
Downtown Burbank Car Classic
7/26/2014
Burbank, CA
e-mail
Rollin' Oldies Car Club 25th Annual Car Show
7/26/2014
Oskaloosa, IA
e-mail
Sundowners Car & Bike Show
7/26/2014
Louisa, MD
e-mail
Roebling Museum 5th Annual Car Show
7/26/2014
Roebling, NJ
e-mail
Cool Cruisers Car Club Car Show with the New Berlin Fire Department
7/26/2014
New Berlin, IL
e-mail
Saco Spirit Car Show
7/26/2014
Saco, ME
e-mail
Fiesta Car Show
7/26/2014
Billings, MT
e-mail
18th Annual Car & Bike Show
7/26/2014
Lake Placid, FL
e-mail
Coast Guard Festival 20th Annual Cruise In Car Show
7/27/2014
Grand Haven, MI
e-mail
9th Annual All Mopar Car Show & Charity Raffle
7/27/2014
Bremerton, WA
e-mail
2014 All Pontiac Car Show North Coast Pontiac Club
7/27/2014
Solon, OH
e-mail
Beaverton Purple Knights 9th Annual Car Show
7/27/2014
Beaverton, OR
e-mail
Old Time Saturday Night
8/2/2014
Pawnee, OK
e-mail
2013 Smoky Valley Classic Car Show
8/2/2014
Lindsborg, KS
e-mail
Prescott Antique Auto Club Event
8/2/2014
Prescott, AZ
e-mail
Benefit Car Show for Jordan Wilkins
8/2/2014
Gilmer, TX
e-mail
Wheels 'N' Squeels Car, Truck & Bike Show
8/2/2014
Olathe, KS
e-mail
5th Annual Mustang Mania Car Show
8/3/2014
Annapolis, MD
e-mail
2014 Cars of Yesteryear International Car Show
8/3/2014
Newport, VT
e-mail
Northern Lights 8th Annual Fun! Car & Truck Show
8/3/2014
Milaca, MN
e-mail
The Big Show presents Slamboree Car, Truck & Bike Show
8/3/2014
Catoosa, OK
e-mail
Frito-Lays Second Annual Wheels for Warriors
8/3/2014
Raynham, MA
e-mail
Pink Slips Car Club & Friends Show n Shine
8/4/2014
Mississauga, ON, Canada
e-mail
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Davico Manufacturing Catalytic Converters |
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RockAuto now carries Davico Manufacturing catalytic converters. Massachusetts based Davico started manufacturing converters for Subarus in 1987 but has since expanded to a full-line of catalytic converters for all makes and models. Davico's innovative prototyping capabilities enable them to be the first to build replacement converters for many popular cars and trucks. RockAuto has Davico converters legal for use in California and states like New York that are moving to adopt California's latest converter testing, labeling, etc., rules.
Davico "Dealer Alternative Exact-Fit" converters have a heavier precious metal load and larger substrate to better handle the stubbornly high NOx emissions of some specific high mileage, high wear engines. All of their converters are direct fit and do not require any additional cutting, sliding, clamping, or welding for installation. Exhaust manifold catalytic converters include heat shield brackets. Direct fitting flanges and air tube connections make Davico catalytic converters fit like OEM. Davico is not an exhaust company that also happens to build Catalytic Converters. Catalytic Converters are all they do.
Whether you need a catalytic converter for your 1991 Volkswagen Vangon, 2008 Ford Mustang or your 2003 Saturn Ion, find Davico Manufacturing in the “Exhaust” category of the RockAuto catalog.
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Forum of the Month |
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Cruzetalk.com is a forum dedicated to all things Chevy Cruze. We are a friendly community comprised of Chevy Cruze owners and other car enthusiasts. Find thousands of topics related to general Cruze discussion, technical discussion, diesel discussion, and so much more. To participate fully in the site all you need to do is register; it's quick, easy 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 cynthia@rockauto.com. |
Repair
Mistakes & Blunders |
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I have owned my 1966 Sunbeam Alpine since 1977 and knew very little about working on cars when I bought it. I’ve learned quite a bit since then and have been able to keep it on the road on my own for the last 37 years, but not without a few mistakes and blunders on the way.
The most significant and expensive mistake happened the first time I tried to adjust the valves, which was probably right around 1980. I followed the process in the factory Workshop Manual and adjusted the "number one exhaust with number four exhaust fully open" and so on. I went through all eight valves and fired up the engine. “Fired” was the right word, as flames shot out of the carburetors and the car made a terrible racket. I did it again and again and nothing I could do would correct the problem. Finally, out of desperation I had it towed to a local shop where I was informed that I needed a new cylinder head. They installed a new one and I did not attempt to adjust the valves again for 25 years!
Then one day while looking up something else in the manual, it suddenly dawned on me that the valve tip would be down when the valve was open and up when it was closed. I’d done it exactly backwards all those years ago!
To this day, I don’t know if I had actually damaged the head with my incorrect adjustment, if the shop couldn’t figure it out or if I got ripped off, but I haven’t feared adjusting them again. It isn’t the most pleasant job in the world, but it is relatively easy when you do it right!
Jim 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
e-mail your story to flamur@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 |
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In the United States, Volvo outsells Lincoln and Mitsubishi combined.
A. True
B. False
Answer
below |
Deserves to be Fixed |
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My brother-in-law noticed yellow fluid under the family’s 2003 Ford Expedition. The radiator was full and Charlie, the family mutt, had not been in the garage recently. The Ford was dropped off at the auto repair shop in Attica, Indiana which is a small town on the Wabash River where my sister is an optometrist.
The professional diagnosis was that the yellow fluid was oil leaking out of the A/C Compressor. The shop recommended installation of a new A/C Compressor Kit and a new A/C Condenser. The Expedition has front and rear A/C systems. Its A/C Compressor and Component Kit starts at around $230 (at RockAuto) and includes new A/C Expansion Valves and Receiver Driers as well as a new A/C Compressor. A new A/C Condenser for the Expedition starts at around $65. With parts, refrigerant and lots of labor, the total repair cost would be over $1000.
Photo of leaking compressor taken from underneath the engine looking up
The mechanics at the repair shop trust my sister to service their eyeballs and she trusts them to repair her vehicles. Patients sometimes come to an eye doctor with seemingly minor symptoms and leave knowing they have a major medical issue. My sister understood that just a small spot of yellow oil on the garage floor could mean the Ford needs major A/C surgery.
My brother-in-law, on the other hand, was wondering what would happen if the Expedition received no treatment. A sheet of paper towel would get the yellow oil off the floor and the Expedition’s A/C system was still blowing reasonably cold air. Why not just wait and see what happens? Would the A/C compressor eventually catastrophically fail in some explosive, perhaps awesome to watch way?
I was recently in town for a family visit and always prefer talking about cars and parts so I was happy to crawl under the Expedition and go over the repair estimate with my brother-in-law. Sure enough, there was yellow oil dripping out of the A/C compressor.
The A/C oil circulates with the A/C refrigerant. It seems strange that any oil leaks would not also be accompanied by the refrigerant all escaping in one big whoosh. How could the Expedition’s A/C system retain enough refrigerant to still blow cold air? If there is an A/C oil leak then there is also a refrigerant leak, but as the system loses pressure, the oil might be separating from the refrigerant and pooling around the leaky gasket in the compressor. With front and rear A/C, the Expedition’s system also just has a lot of refrigerant in it.
While there is lots of refrigerant, there is not much oil in the A/C system. Seeing just half a cup of oil on the garage floor means the A/C compressor is operating without any lubrication or will be very soon. The Ford’s “scroll” type compressor is very sensitive to lubrication levels. Rather than the compressor seizing up and exploding in a shower of molten metal, the A/C system would likely just eventually detect a loss of pressure and refuse to engage the compressor clutch.
Even if there is never a loud screech or groan from the A/C compressor, loss of lubrication means there are probably bits of metal circulating through the A/C system. The repair shop likely specified replacing the A/C condenser because it is a “parallel flow” condenser. This means the refrigerant has two or more paths through the condenser. Attempts to clean/flush the A/C system would follow the path of least resistance through the condenser. The cleaner might blow through the least restricted condenser tubes and barely touch the tubes partially filled with metal and other debris. A new condenser provides relatively low cost insurance that debris will not damage a new compressor.
I told my brother-in-law nothing exciting would likely happen if they kept using the failing A/C system, but fixing it now might prevent generating more metal debris in the system. Less metal debris is always good. Running the compressor into the ground might also mean it is too damaged to ever be remanufactured. I told him I did not see any other potentially expensive drips under the Expedition. I also reminded him that a 2014 Ford Expedition with the “Eddie Bauer” quantity of options would probably cost more than $60,000 these days. The family’s Expedition deserves to be fixed and will be fixed.
Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com
To read more of Tom's articles, click this link and choose from story titles on the Newsletter Archives page.
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Vladimir's 1979 VW Super Beetle Convertible |
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This little beauty is the most liked car in my family. I've garaged and admired the Bug for over 30 years. It's older than my two children, who are both in their twenties. They both grew up with the Super Beetle, playing in it while I worked on another car, going for rides and now occasionally driving it on special occasions. I get the feeling that someday my grandchildren will also be playing in the VW.
The Bug is a marvel of engineering, simple and reliable, requiring very little maintenance. It starts immediately, even after sitting for many months. The original fuel injection system and a trickle charge on the battery help. But recently, the clutch gave out and had to be replaced. With the help of my son, the engine was pulled out, and a new clutch kit was ordered from RockAuto. Quick delivery, great price and quality, now the VW is on the road again. Since I have more cars in the family, RockAuto is the first place I go to to order parts. Saves lots of time and money. What could be better?
Thanks RockAuto!
Vladimir in New York
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Share Your
Hard Work |
Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to give you the opportunity to have your car or truck possibly featured in one (or occasionally more) of our publications such as the monthly newsletter, collector magnets or RockAuto social media.
New, old, import, domestic,
daily driver, trailer queen,
classic, antique, we want to
see them all! Please e-mail flamur@rockauto.com with your vehicle's history,
interesting details, your favorite
images and what parts from
RockAuto you have used.
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Let
RockAuto Help |
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Are
you organizing a car show or
other auto related event? From
goody bag stuffers to gift certificates...we
can help. We can even publicize
your event in our newsletter.
Just
send an e-mail to marketing@rockauto.com with information about your
show.
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Automotive
Trivia Answer |
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In the United States, Volvo outsells Lincoln and Mitsubishi combined.
A. True
Answer: B. False (Currently, both Ford's Lincoln division and Mitsubishi individually sell more vehicles than Volvo in the US. Source: July 21, 2014 issue of Autoweek, page 21.)
Back
up to trivia question
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© 1999-2014 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. |
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