Performance Electric Fuel Pumps

RockAuto has just added Performance Electric Fuel Pumps to the RockAuto catalog. Find the fuel pump you need for your 2005 Chrysler Sebring, maybe your 1998 Volkswagen Beetle, or even for your 1981 Fiat 124 Spider. Manufacturer direct pricing is sure to make Performance Electric Fuel Pumps a great choice for your next fuel pump replacement.

Performance Electric Fuel Pumps is a global supplier of automotive electric fuel pumps and strainers. All pumps are engineered and manufactured for performance to meet or exceed OEM pump flow and pressure specifications. Most pump models are designed using a proprietary balanced lightweight zytel nylon turbine design impeller and an encased precision balanced armature that significantly reduces the amount of movable parts to provide near silent operation, efficient pumping characteristics, and longer pump life. Performance Electric Fuel Pumps' OEM Module Repair Kits contain a new fuel pump motor, hoses, strainers and other necessary hardware that are designed to be a "drop in" replacement to repair OEM fuel pump modules.

Check the ‘Fuel/Air’ category of the RockAuto catalog today and see if RockAuto has the fuel pump you need for your repair!

Forum of the Month

Japanese Nostalgic Car is the premier English language magazine and online community devoted to classic Japanese cars. It's been over 50 years since Japanese cars first went on sale in the US and in recent years, interest in the originals that made that splash has grown at a breakneck pace.

Much of this interest is fueled by nostalgia for the 60s, 70s and 80s. Whether your interest lies in Toyota Crowns or Datsun 510s, early Mazda rotaries or Dodge-branded Mitsubishis, there is a place for you at JNC.

We have about 75,000 visitors to our website each month. They hail from all over the globe, sharing information about all types of Japanese cars, including obscure models and variations sold only to particular markets. We pride ourselves on having a tight-knit community that is knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about our cars.

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 jessa@rockauto.com.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

Back in about 1981 my friend Mike and I were 17 and 19 years old and we both had 1969 Camaros that we were fixing up. I was driving by Mike's place one day when I saw him in the driveway working on his car and decided to go back and give him a hand. Mike was adjusting the fenders for fit before sending the Camaro for paint when I showed up to see the new work. I hadn't heard the engine run yet so Mike turned the key and the sound of the Duntov cam and the open headers came to life, but she wouldn't stay running. We fired it up again and began adjusting the carb and changing the timing until the Camaro was idling on its own. The excitement of the new fenders and fresh 302ci Z28 engine got the best of us. Now we were really pumped with adrenaline and it was time to see what the little Chevy could do.

We took an easy drive for about two or three miles before turning around to head back. Mike brought her up to about 60 mph, then dropped a gear and put the pedal to the metal. The sound of the high revving engine and the feel of [Editors note: It's probably too late for the driver to be cited for speeding, but just in case, the speed achieved has been removed] *** mph put a smile on our faces until the front right fender began to vibrate and shake. Suddenly we had lift off! The fender flew off the car and catapulted over the power lines running along side the road and landed in a swamp. We pulled over and ran back in search of the lost fender, finding it in some bushes about 100 ft. from the road. We were expecting a mangled mess, but to our amazement the fender suffered only a few minor scratches.

What did we learn: Finish the job you start before moving on to the next (tighten down fender), don't let the excitement of the moment cause you to lose your focus (the sound of a small block Chevy), and lastly, keep your speed down, you never know what might happen next.

Marty in New Brunswick, Canada

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!

Using the Right Tools

When I was in high school my parents gave me a nice set of hand tools from Sears. For a long time I thought a tool that was not included in that set must either not exist or not be necessary.

One of the most vivid wake up calls came about twenty years ago when I stuck a pair of needle nosed pliers into my forehead while attempting to use them to attach a brake spring. Needle nosed pliers also got me into trouble when I tried to reinstall a snap ring on a CV half shaft. That snap ring is probably still in orbit. For a decade I stuck with a 12V electrical tester that was a piece of junk when it was new. First solder the electrical tester back together and then test the circuit on the car. I used a tiny hydraulic jack to raise cars in small stages.

I just shake my head when I think of all the time I wasted and the unnecessary risks I took using the wrong tools. A brake spring tool costs about $5 and set of snap ring pliers costs about $15 at RockAuto.com. A heavy-duty electrical tester costs less than $10.

Luckily I came to my senses before losing an eye or any limbs. I might not be sitting here today if I had tried using a vice rather than a spring compressor to compress the springs on that first set of struts.

Before doing a new type of repair for the first time, I go to the RockAuto.com catalog and hit the “Extras” tab at the top. That is where RockAuto’s inventory of tools is listed. In addition to every sort of compressor, puller, wrench, etc. imaginable there are some cool tools I never even thought to look for. For example, on some of my old cars it was always a struggle to get a wrench on the timing bolt at the base of the distributor. I put a complicated bunch of extensions on my socket wrench, but would still bang my knuckles and risk stripping the bolt head. Look under Extras and then Ignition to find a distributor wrench made to curve around the distributor right to that pesky bolt!

Another of my favorite new discoveries is an extension cord with a little light bulb built into the socket. With the thirty-year-old electrical outlets in my garage, I was often trying to guess if the electric hand tool was dead or just not getting power. Now I just watch for the end of the extension cord to light up.

Under Extras there are also some fun accessories. Until RockAuto stocked it, I never knew there was an air/fuel ratio gauge to monitor readings from the oxygen sensor. Several of my cars are new enough to have oxygen sensors so I was pretty excited!

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

This is my 1978 Datsun 280Z. I loved the looks of the car from the beginning but I didn't want one when everyone else had one. Now that they are somewhat rare, I enjoy the nostalgic feel. There is a large group of middle aged men who were too late for the muscle car era and whose idea of classic is anything before 1980. While there are a few collectible Japanese cars, the early Datsun Z was very common and therefore has quite a following as a modern vintage car.

This particular car was well used and abused over its 30 year life having multiple owners and mishaps. To my fortune it was a very inexpensive starting point for my goal of removing the top and making a cheap convertible to tool around in on the weekends. Little did I know of the countless hours I would put into making it look the way I wanted and bringing it back to a reliable condition. The finished car is aptly dubbed ZZNOTOP.

Thanks to RockAuto for supplying most of the engine rebuild parts like bearings, seals, and rings; it was not an expensive ordeal. Now we enjoy the fellowship of the local Triangle Z club and the many events and shows like Zdayz centered on the Z heritage.

Thanks,
Kevin in North Carolina

P.S. You have one of the only e-mail newsletters that I don't delete without reading. I usually read it and then forward it to my fellow gearheads.

Share Your Hard Work
Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to feature you and your car or truck in our monthly newsletter. Please email flamur@rockauto.com with details.

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