Raybestos Professional Grade Strut Assemblies Available Now

RockAuto has added Raybestos Professional Grade Strut Assemblies to the catalog. The strut assemblies are comprised of premium parts that safely restore the ride control and braking effectiveness of a vehicle. The complete assembly offers several advantages when compared to purchasing individual parts:

• Complete – Assembly includes the strut, coil spring, bearing and strut mount
• Fast - Ready to install
• Easy - No need to look up parts individually
• Safe - Fully assembled struts are safer than assembling the components individually and no spring compressor is required
• Accurate – Eliminates the need for the installer to be concerned with "clocking or indexing"
• Productive - Using assembled strut, spring, & mount reduces installation time

In addition, all products are manufactured to TS and ISO Certification Standards. They are produced from high-grade raw materials under a performance-proven manufacturing process. Check the "Suspension" category of the RockAuto catalog to see if the Raybestos Professional Grade Strut Assemblies are available for your vehicle.

Forum of the Month

In 1964, Pontiac first offered its full-size "muscle car", the Catalina 2+2, which it marketed as the "Big Brother" to the famous Pontiac GTO. These cars represented the ultimate expression of Big Pontiac style & street performance.

The Pontiac 2+2 Registry is dedicated to the gathering and dissemination of information related to Pontiac 2+2's of all years, both U.S. and Canadian manufactured. It was created out of a love for the marque, with the goal of creating a meeting place for those who share that passion. The site offers the Registry, discussion forum, photo & video gallery, articles, technical specs, and more. Membership is free, and open to all owners and fans of Pontiac 2+2's.

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

I was driving my dad's 72 Plymouth Fury Station Wagon back to college and decided to change the spark plugs before I left. There was plenty of room in the engine compartment back then and all came out very easily as I lined up the old plugs on the radiator. I was anxious to get on my way so I finished installing the last one, closed the hood and was on my way. By the time I got to school the coolant temp was rising and I began billowing smoke. Popping the hood I found lots of coolant and 7 plugs neatly arranged on top of the radiator. I had forgotten to remove the old plugs and one had fallen off where the fan shot it into the radiator core. Fortunately, it was able to be repaired and I got to do an R&R on a radiator. Always, always, always take one more look before you shut the hood!

Tom in Michigan

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!

Automotive Trivia

How hot do modern diesel glow plugs typically get when activated?

A. 200° F (93 C) to 250° F (121 C)
B. 400° F (204 C) to 490° F (254 C)
C. 800° F (427 C) to 1350° F (732 C)

Answer below

Unsung Engineering Miracles - Modern Glow Plugs

I remember in the 1980s driving a Pontiac Parisienne diesel my brother had on loan from his employer, GM. Starting that diesel when it was cold required first waiting for the glow plugs to warm up. It was part of the ritual of owning a diesel from that era. Turn the key part way, wait and wait for the little glow plug light on the dash. Turn the key the rest of the way to start the engine. The Pontiac had two batteries to make sure there was enough current for the glow plugs. Drive off with the tailpipe pouring black smoke until the engine warmed up.

Diesel engines do not have spark plugs to light the fuel in the combustion chamber. Heat and pressure are what make the diesel fuel burn. The glow plugs for each cylinder provide the heat when the engine is cold. The original glow plugs were simple electrical heating elements that used lots of electrical current, took maybe a minute to heat up, and burned out relatively quickly.

Modern diesel car and truck owners now just seem to turn the key and go. How do they do that? Is it really a diesel with glow plugs under the hood? The glow plugs are still there but they and the engine design have improved a lot over the past twenty years. The newest glow plugs can heat up in three seconds, which is about the time it takes the driver to rotate the key.

Imagine the thermal shock to a glow plug sitting in Minnesota when in seconds it is heated from freezing temperatures to a temperature hot enough to easily melt aluminum! Modern glow plugs take this abuse over and over again. Regulating coils that slow current flow as heat rises, ceramic insulators, and other advanced materials keep the glow plugs from draining batteries or burning out. New engine designs have moved the glow plugs closer to the cylinder and piston so they can keep the combustion chamber hot and prevent the cloud of black smoke.

Modern glow plugs are one of those unsung engineering miracles. Give those glow plug engineers a pat on the back! Another neat thing about modern glow plugs is the high tech materials have not meant high prices. At RockAuto, most glow plugs are in the $10 to $30 range. And modern glow plugs are often available for old diesels like the 5.7L in that Pontiac. New glow plugs can be a quick way to make cold starting quicker, more environmentally friendly, and less of a battery drain. Find glow plugs for your diesel by ACDelco, Autolite, Bosch, Champion, Flennor, Motorcraft, NGK, Standard Motor Products (Intermotor), and Valeo under Ignition at RockAuto.com.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

My car is a 1956 Chrysler New Yorker Newport Hardtop Coupe. I am the third owner of the car and purchased it from the son of the original owner in September, 2002.

The car had 67,000 original miles when I purchased it and now has about 72,000 miles. The car was and is in excellent mechanical and structural shape and is largely original. I drive it at least once a week and it has won its share of awards at shows.

The previous owner was a World War II veteran who saw action in the Pacific Theater and was awarded two purple hearts. The car was his mother's and he was looking for someone who would restore and keep the car rather than take the engine and junk the rest. I passed the test! The New Yorker has the largest engine Chrysler made in 1956 and it is the same engine used in the Chrysler 300 that year - a Hemi 8-cylinder with 354 cubic inches of displacement and 280 horsepower. (Through dual carburetion, the 1956 Chrysler 300 has from 340 to 355 horsepower.) For Chrysler Corporation cars, 1956 was the first year for a 12-volt electrical system and Push-Button Transmission.

I rely on RockAuto for oil filters, spark plugs, and many other parts I know I can find if needed - thermostats, hoses, ignition wires, and the like.

Jerry in Pennsylvania

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

© 1999-2011 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.