Whats New

Long Block Engines
Due to high customer demand, RockAuto has now added a line of remanufactured engines by ProFormance. The new long blocks come fully assembled (without manifolds, fuel systems or accessories) and include a 36 month/100,000 mile (12 month/36,000 mile commercial applications) limited parts & labor warranty!
Our shipping cost is only $195 for two-business-day delivery anywhere in the 48 Continental United States including delivery of the engine on a liftgate-equipped truck and also includes pickup and return of the old engine (core) at no additional cost! Click here to read more!

Timing Parts
Our catalog now contains a new line of timing components by Cloyes. A large range of parts such as timing chains, sprockets, dampers, timing sets, and much more to fit many vehicle makes and models! Check the Rock Auto Catalog for a listing of available parts for your vehicle!

Repair Manual CDs
Repair Manual CDs from Detroit Iron Information Systems are now available in the RockAuto Catalog for American built vehicles before 1980. The CDs include all the reference information the vehicle manufacturer has produced for each particular vehicle, scanned and indexed, and put it on a CD-ROM. They also contain factory Shop Manuals (the original dealership repair guides from GM, Ford, or Chrysler). Most also include wiring diagrams, exploded drawings showing OEM part numbers, copies of sales brochures and statistics about production counts, prices, option packages, and other fun facts. Check the "Literature" category of our catalog for your vehicle's CD. RockAuto's introductory price is $41.96 per CD ($7.99 less than the regular cost)!

Maintenance Tip

Timing Chain Stretching The engine crankshaft turns a timing chain or timing belt to spin the camshaft. Engines with worn out timing belts usually run fine until the belt breaks and the engine stops. High mileage timing chains often stretch long before they break and the engine will continue to run. A stretched timing chain might cause backfiring, loss of power, exhaust smoke, rough idle / acceleration and other problems resulting from incorrect valve and ignition timing.

These symptoms can be hard to diagnose individually; is the PCV valve loose?, is the catalytic converter clogged?, is a spark plug wire bad?, is the choke stuck?, did a sensor fail?... To diagnose a stretched timing chain, use the vehicle's repair history (the spark plug wires were replaced last month); watch for ignition, exhaust, and fuel symptoms occuring all at once; listen for noise from the timing chain cover as the loose chain rattles around on the chain sprocket; and consider the vehicle's mileage.

Replace the timing chain, sprockets, and other timing components as a set to avoid prematurely stretching a new chain with an old
gear.

CC Spotlight
Each month RockAuto shines a spotlight on a customer and his or her vehicle or profiles one of the clubs we have featured on our links page. This month we're featuring Dean Forman and his 1980 Ford Fiesta Decor. Dean's Fiesta (pictured below) reminds me a lot of the Ford Festiva I drove in high school and brought back some fond memories! Dean tells about customizing the Fiesta and the New England Fiesta Fest.

This is my customized 1980 Ford Fiesta Decor. Since 1981, I've owned several Fiestas. I finally got the courage to customize this one in 1991.

The car was a complete mess when I bought it. The gentleman I purchased it from was into auto crossing Datsuns. His daughter, who owned this Fiesta, was driving it when the oil drain plug fell out. Since the engine was now one big mass of twisted melted metal, he thought he'd turn it into his first FWD auto crossing. But after several months, he realized Fiestas and FWD weren't his thing. He responded to my ad in a local paper, which begged anyone with one of these rare cars to call me. Four hundred clams later, she was mine!

After dropping in my modified engine, doing the major bodywork, suspension, and after rebuilding my transmission on my dining room table, she had finally become roadworthy. I now only drive it to car shows in my area (if the weather is perfect)! For fun, I held a "Fiesta Fest" in 2000 where several Fiestas from New England showed up. It was great.