It's Almost That Time Again

ATE Brake Pads Now Available at RockAuto

Instead of puzzling over friction choices, get the pads that are made to perform like original equipment.

Say "Ah-Tay"

Brake service experts recommend returning brakes to OE performance. So instead of a confusing selection of pad choices, ATE offers just one. Designed by original equipment engineers, ATE PremiumOne™ pads are perfect replacements for each OE application.

Forum of the Month

VetteMOD.com is an online community of Corvette performance enthusiasts that range from owners of classic vehicles to the latest ZR-1. These owners have one thing in common: they love these cars and love to make them better. VetteMOD was started in March 2008 and has struck a nerve with Corvette enthusiasts. We have grown rapidly and have a dedicated member group that contributes knowledge and information about these wonderful cars.

Our website includes a very active forum with members all over the world. Members of VetteMOD have access to several of the site's unique features; a personal "Garage" where you can share your car(s) with other members; an image hosting service so you don't have to rely on third party services to host your pictures; an extensive "Tech" section that contains information and technical specifications in a library format; access to the Downloads section where you can download a wide variety of files, including wiring schematics, part drawings for popular mods, PDF articles, and much more. Members can also share their own files in the Downloads section.

These and many other features make VetteMOD a unique resource on the web created especially for you. Please welcome all your friends to join VetteMOD to help us make this the #1 source for Corvette Tech & Modification related discussion.

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

While doing a carburetor rebuild for my Jeep Pickup, I was using some extra parts from a donor carburetor. After installing the carburetor and completing the repair, I started up the engine, made final adjustments, and revved the engine to check upper end performance, and shortly thereafter heard some ominous rattles from the engine.

To make a long story short, following removal of the head, there was a carburetor cover screw embedded in the top of one piston that jammed and bent the two top rings. Obviously, one of the "extra" screws I had on hand had been lying on top of one of the throttle plates in the secondary and dropped into the engine when the four barrel opened.

Lesson learned! Keep track of your parts on any repair. A nickel/dime screw can create a lot of havoc inside an engine.

Jim in Virginia

Tech Tip: Bad Ground

This month my wife’s tired old ’87 Mazda 323 was acting even quirkier than usual. The engine idled slow and rough when first started, the starter solenoid occasionally only clicked instead of powering up the starter motor, relays mounted on the firewall could be heard cycling on and off rapidly.

The broad range of symptoms made me guess the engine might not be properly grounded. A voltmeter showed over 12 volts between the positive battery terminal and the engine block. The existing, accessible ground wires appeared to be in good shape. I still decided to run a new ground wire from the negative battery terminal to a heavy bracket bolt on the engine. The symptoms all immediately disappeared. Find battery cables under Electrical and all-purpose wire under Extras in the RockAuto catalog.

The Mazda definitely has wiring problems that probably contributed to the weak ground connection. I also suspect the variety of metals used in the engine and its various mounts and brackets might cause grounding problems. After twenty years and many miles maybe a faint film of corrosion has built up between the various aluminum alloy and steel parts. I have noticed some previously untouched bolts and other fasteners on the engine are almost too easy to loosen. The Mazda may disassemble itself one of these days.

Another ground connection always worth checking, especially with autumn approaching, is the grounding of the heater core. The heater core is the mini-radiator that uses hot engine coolant to warm the interior of the car (see photos under Heat & Air Conditioning in the RockAuto catalog). Electrolysis might occur in a poorly grounded heater core and quickly corrode the thin heater core tubing. A corroded heater core drips hot coolant on the floor mats. Using a hose clamp to clamp an extra ground wire to one of the heater core nipples poking through the firewall helps guarantee a good connection to ground.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

This is my 1982 Dodge Ram StepSide Short Bed. It has a 225ci slant six engine with a 4 speed (overdrive) manual transmission. I have owned this truck from new and it has only 43,000 original miles. It was my daily driver for the first several years. Then I figured that it might become special someday so I garaged it. It now spends most of the time in a climate controlled basement garage. I only put a few hundred miles on it each year.

I have been buying parts from RockAuto for about four years. I needed a power transistor module and the local parts house couldn't get one. I went on to RockAuto.com and not only did you have the part, but it was $100 less than what the parts house wanted, even if they could have gotten one! I have been buying parts from RockAuto ever since. I do a lot of work for friends and family, so I have been a very regular customer. Your prices and delivery can't be beat!

Curt in Pennsylvania

Share Your Hard Work
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