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I went to several
national automotive supply chain
stores in two
different towns looking for a simple
air cleaner cover hold-down clip.
But no one had them.
I found the
part I needed on RockAuto.com,
ordered
it, and three days later I had
it in my hands - even with standard
shipping. RockAuto Rocks!
David in Arkansas |
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Upcoming
Events
If
you would like
your event
featured here, email us
with details. |
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10th
Annual Autumn Leaf Festival & Car
Show
10/4/2008
Bethlehem, PA
email
Mopars in
the Ozarks
10/4/2008
Bentonville,
AR
email
Kroozinationals/Fast
Eddie's Moon Pie Run
10/4/2008
Bluffton,
IN
email
Kings Mountain
Fire Department Benefit Car & Truck
Show
10/4/2008
Kings Mountain,
NC
email
29th Annual
Okeelala Car Show
10/4/2008
Baldwyn, MS
email
Wild Country,
Wild Wheels Auto Party
10/5/2008
Collinsville,
IL
email
Mustangs
at Queen Mary Xll
10/5/2008
Long Beach,
CA
email
11th
Annual World’s Loudest
Car Stereo Competition
October 11-12, 2008
Fort Mojave, AZ & other locations
website
Cordova Family
Fest Car Show
10/11/2008
Cordova,
TN
website
River of
Life Car & Truck
Show
10/11/2008
Townsend, TN
email
Crazy Water
Festival & Car Show
10/11/2008
Mineral Wells,
TX
email Octoberfest
Car Event
10/25/2008
El Dorado,
CA
email
Yesterday's
3rd Annual Trunk or Treat
10/25/2008
Bridgeport,
TX
email
ATO Charity
Car Show
10/25/2008
Macon,
GA
email |
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Valeo Clutches Now
Available at RockAuto |
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Valeo
has been manufacturing clutches for
over 80 years. It all started
in the 1920's in Saint-Ouen, France
with the manufacture of clutch facings.
A
few years later, Valeo started producing
complete clutches. Today, this rich
history of manufacturing expertise
has grown
to a full range of clutch kits and
clutch related parts. Find these
parts and more in the "Clutch" category
of the RockAuto
catalog.
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Current RockAuto
Promotion |
|
Get Car Care for Car Guys: Tips & Techniques Beyond Auto Maintenance 101
signed by author Ralph Kalal for:
- $0 with a $200
or more purchase, a $24.95 savings.
- $5
with a $130 or more purchase, a
$19.95 savings.
- $10 with a $95 or
more purchase, a $14.95 savings.
Put
the book in your shopping cart
by clicking
on the Extras tab at the top of
the RockAuto
catalog page and
then
looking under Literature --> Repair
Manual --> General Automotive
Repair Manual. Or use the Part
Number Search
tab
to pull up the book’s part
number: SA144. These books
all ship separately from parts
and incur their own shipping charge.
The promotion runs until October
31st or until we run out of books.
Car Care for Car Guys: Tips & Techniques
Beyond Auto Maintenance 101 by RockAuto’s
own Ralph Kalal was written for the
true automotive enthusiast
who enjoys working on their car.
The book explains the purpose of
parts,
how they work, and gives tips on how
to choose
the most appropriate replacement
parts. What are the real differences
between
semi-metallic and ceramic brake pads?
Read the “Choosing the Right
Brake Pads” section. Working
on your first distributorless ignition
system?
Read “Mechanical, Electronic,
and Distributorless Ignition Systems” and “Trouble-Shooting
Distributorless Ignition Systems”.
Curious about oxygen sensors? Read “How
an Oxygen Sensor Works”.
With
Car Care for Car Guys also learn
when and why parts fail and
how to maintain systems to get
the maximum life out of parts. Learn
how to properly disassemble and
work
on vehicle systems without inadvertently
causing damage.
After wading
through factory repair manuals,
Car Care for Car Guys is
like a breath of fresh air. It describes
real-world conditions under the hood
with clear text and clear photographs
and describes doing repairs with
readily available tools. Vehicle
specific manuals are still necessary
but Car Care for Car Guys will be
a big help when the factory manual
abruptly ends a repair with something
like: “Now use tool AQ2341-872
to adjust and reassemble.”
No
matter how much experience they
have, every new RockAuto
Customer
Service person gets his or her
own copy of Car Care for Car Guys. |
Forum of the Month |
|
The
AstroSafari.com online community
is a discussion forum based on the
popular Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari
vans. AstroSafari.com is a one stop
resource for all Astro/Safari van
related discussions, with forum topics & photos
including maintenance, repairs, performance,
and care.
The Astro and Safari
both have popular followings due,
in part, to their mid-size
construction, rear wheel drive, and
truck-based design. Some vans have
the original 4.3L Vortec V6 engine
which can easily be swapped with
a small-block V8 engine, such as
the
Chevrolet 350. This swap is simplified
because the 4.3L V6 is based on the
GM small-block V8, and most of the
factory drivetrain components can
be reused.
AstroSafari.com
has been on the web since 2002 and
some say even earlier
in some form or another. Known now
as the "The original home for
Astro & Safari vans" AstroSafari.com
has a solid membership of helpful
enthusiasts. Membership is free and
other supportive
members are available to help you
get the most out of your van experience.
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.
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Repair Mistakes & Blunders |
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I
had just finished replacing the head
gaskets on an early solid lifter
318 (1961
Dodge Dart). The plugs were out
and I was using a ratchet to turn
the front crank bolt to set the valve
lash. When I finished the job I
put the plugs back in and started
the engine. To my horror a loud whirring
noise came from the front of the
engine. When I looked down the front
of the engine there was my ratchet
with the socket still firmly on the
crank bolt ratcheting away. I hate
to think of what would have happened
if the wrench would have been set
in the other direction!
John in New York |
Tech Tip: “Upstream” and “Downstream” O2
Sensor Geography |
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Oxygen
sensor terminology can be confusing.
Here’s a
guide to deciphering it all.
Oxygen sensors
are described as “upstream” or “downstream.” An “upstream” sensor
is located near the engine, typically
in the exhaust manifold. A “downstream” sensor
is located near the catalytic converter.
Though both perform the same function – measuring
the proportion of unburned fuel and
oxygen in the exhaust – the
differing data points allow the engine
computer to determine whether all
of the components in the engine management
and emissions systems are properly
functioning.
That means,
of course, that there will always
be at least two O2 sensors
in any vehicle – at least those
built after 1996, when the emissions
regulations requiring oxygen sensors
became law.
Usually,
however, there are more – often
as many as four.
Any car with
a V engine (V-6, V-8, etc.) will
have two upstream sensors,
one for each cylinder bank. These
are called the “bank 1” and “bank
2” sensors. Bank 1 is whichever
cylinder bank has the number one
cylinder. That’s the one that
fires first in the firing order.
(All cylinders on an in-line engine
are bank 1.)
The number
of downstream sensors varies between
manufacturers and
vehicles. One will always be located
downstream of the catalytic converter,
so that there is a measure of the
converter’s efficiency. But
many car makers use two downstream
sensors, one somewhat before of the
catalytic converter and the other
after it.
Sensors are
also described by the number of
wires employed: three,
four, or five. Because O2 sensors
don’t function properly until
they reach an operating temperature
of about 600ºF., modern practice
is to electrically heat the sensor
so that it functions as soon as the
engine starts. How that is accomplished
determines whether three or four
wires are used. The latest technology
in O2 sensors, the “wideband” sensor,
uses five wires. You must replace
a sensor with one that uses the same
number of wires as the original.
Sensors
are either “universal” or “direct
fit.” Universal
sensors are designed to fit multiple vehicles using the same sensor “bulb,” the
part that sticks into the exhaust. But, universal sensors do not come ready
to install. The electrical connector will have to be assembled first. In contrast,
a direct fit sensor is ready to install right out of the box and simply plugs
into the existing wiring.
Which sensor do you replace?
A scan tool or code reader will
retrieve the diagnostic trouble code
set as the result of an O2 sensor
malfunction. Trouble codes are specific
to the sensor, so the trouble code
will effectively designate the sensor
which set the code.
And, of course,
the best selection of oxygen sensors
is at RockAuto.com.
It’s under “Emissions” in
the online
catalog.
Ralph Kalal,
RockAuto.com
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David's 1967 Sting Ray |
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This
is my
1967 Corvette Sting Ray that I have
owned for 34 years. I drive
it every day unless the weather is
really bad. What is shown in the
picture is usually the only part
of
the Corvette
most
drivers
see, unless
it is parked (Ha!).
I maintain
the car myself and buy tune up, suspension,
shocks,
electrical, brake parts, and everything
else I need from RockAuto. I like
the convenience, wide selection of
brands, and excellent value I receive
from RockAuto. And did I mention
the fast shipping? My experience
with them has been exceptional.
In addition to the Corvette parts,
I also purchase parts for my Cadillac,
GMC
Sierra,
and my sons’ cars at RockAuto.
I guess I’m hooked on a good
thing!
David in Washington
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Share Your
Hard Work
Do you purchase
parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto
would like to feature you and your
vehicle in our monthly newsletter.
Please email flamur@rockauto.com with
details.
© 1999-2008 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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