RockAuto.com RockAuto September Newsletter :: Early Edition

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Another Happy Customer!

RockAuto stocks just about everything I can think of for my truck. Excellent prices, quick shipping, no nonsense customer service.

Unless I can figure out a way to get these people to send me stuff for free, I don't think their service could get any better.

Richard in Texas

 

Carlisle Events
RockAuto is the Official Auto Parts Store of Carlisle Events

Carlisle Events

Fall Carlisle & Auction
Sept. 28-Oct. 2

 

 

Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here, email us with details.

27th Annual Southwest Mopar Mini-Nationals
9/3/2011
Cedar Hill, TX
e-mail

5th Annual Cruz'n for Christ Motorcycle Ride & Bike Show
9/3/2011
Eminence, KY
e-mail

2nd Annual Cruisin for Horsepower
9/3/2011
Knightstown, IN
e-mail

Moravia Fall Festival Classic Car Show
9/3/2011
Moravia, IA
e-mail

Car Show in Deposit, NY
9/3/2011
Deposit, NY
e-mail

Cars 4 Kids Car & Truck Show
9/4/2011
Lincoln, IL
e-mail

Hoosier Old Wheels 39th Annual Car Show
9/4/2011
Plymouth, IN
e-mail

Amakuru VDub Show
9/4/2011
Warwick, UK
e-mail

Casey Popcorn Festival Car Show
9/4/2011
Rosedale, IN
e-mail

5th Annual Pinedorado Car Show
9/4/2011
Cambria, CA
e-mail

27th Annual Southwest Mopar Mini Nationals
9/4/2011
Dallas, TX
e-mail

7th Annual Labor Day Cars For Cancer
9/5/2011
Muskegon, MI
e-mail

Town & Country Days 2nd Annual Car/Bike Show
9/5/2011
Shell Lake, WI
e-mail

Kiwanis Car Show
9/8/2011
Coarsegold, CA
e-mail

PT Cruiser Car Show
9/8/2011
Hampton, VA
e-mail

Cruz 'N' Eureka
9/9/2011
McKinleyville, CA
e-mail

Hub City Classic Car Show
9/9/2011
Limon, CO
e-mail

41st Annual Eureka Springs Antique Auto Festival
9/9/2011
Eureka Springs, AR
e-mail

Immortalized-A Juried Custom Rod Art Show
9/9/2011
Escondido, CA
e-mail

NAMDRA Car Show
9/9/2011
Salem, WI
e-mail

Ridgewood NJ Chamber of Commerce Car Show
9/9/2011
Ridgewood, NJ
e-mail

Orange Airport Drag Strip Reunion
9/10/2011
Amherst, MA
e-mail

WVstreets.com Car Show
9/10/2011
Camden, WV
e-mail

Route 6t7 Community Fun Fest Classic Car Show
9/10/2011
Indianapolis, IN
e-mail

Dodge County Classics Swap Meet & Car Show
9/10/2011
Burnett, WI
e-mail

9th United Way Car & Motorcycle Show
9/10/2011
Alpharetta, GA
e-mail

Annual Car Show to benefit The Children's Miracle Network
9/10/2011
Williamstown, PA
e-mail

Cheshire Fall Festival & Car Show
9/10/2011
Cheshire, CT
e-mail

Cruisin for Logan Car Show
9/10/2011
Channahon, IL
e-mail

Christian Academy Fundraiser Car Show
9/10/2011
Georgetown, KY
e-mail

Northern California Kit Car Show
9/10/2011
Walnut Creek, CA
e-mail

8th Annual Classic Car Show Competition
9/10/2011
Scotland Neck, NC
e-mail

HTVFC Annual Hog Roast Car Show & Bike Ride
9/10/2011
Muncie, IN
e-mail

Lawrence County Cancer Patients Car Show Benefit
9/10/2011
Bedford, IN
e-mail

5th Annual Back to School Car Show
9/10/2011
Stevensville, MD
e-mail

Car Show for the Benefit of Operation Shoebox
9/10/2011
Lady Lake, FL
e-mail

Zachary Decker Mini Golf Outing & VW Cruise
9/10/2011
Hamburg, NJ
e-mail

Candlewood Valley Corvettes Presents "Our 30th Annual Benefit Corvette Show & Shine"
9/11/2011
Southbury, CT
e-mail

Barron Fall Fest Car Show
9/11/2011
Barron, WI
e-mail

Troop 54 Car Show
9/11/2011
Voorhees, NJ
e-mail

YYCC Car Show Swap Meet
9/11/2011
North Grosvenor Dale, CT
e-mail

Fairfax Car Show
9/11/2011
Fairfax, CA
e-mail

33rd Chico Concours d'Elegance
9/11/2011
Chico, CA
e-mail

Brewer's Troop 15 Boys Scouts 4th Annual Brewer Days Car Show
9/11/2011
Brewer, ME
e-mail

Leigh Valley Region AACA
9/11/2011
Easton, PA
e-mail

4th Annual Earl Thomas Memorial Car Show
9/15/2011
Farmersville, TX
e-mail

CarFest
9/24/2011
Covington, VA
e-mail

Knightcon
9/24/2011
Stonehouse, UK
e-mail

Mustang West Car Show
9/25/2011
Olympia, WA
e-mail

Galion Historical Society Car Show
9/25/2011
Galion, OH
e-mail

Poker Run 14 Car Show & Color Tour
9/25/2011
Gowen, MI
e-mail

3rd Annual NJCC Corvette & All GM Show
9/25/2011
Wayne, NJ
e-mail

FJ Cruisers Fall Gathering
9/30/2011
Dover, NH
e-mail

Car Show
9/30/2011
Richmond, VA
e-mail

Wings Wheels Festival
9/30/2011
East Wenatchee, WA
e-mail

Dubtoberfest
9/30/2011
Kennewick, WA
e-mail

Annual Fall Car Show
9/30/2011
Spring Lake Heights, NJ
e-mail

8th Annual Car Truck & Motorcycle Show
10/1/2011
Dalton, GA
e-mail

Dixie Car Club 33rd Annual Car Show
10/1/2011
Malvern, AR
e-mail

AMC Lonestar Regional Car Show
10/1/2011
Houston, TX
e-mail

The Annual General Pleasonton Days Car Show
10/1/2011
Pleasanton, KS
e-mail

Fall Festival & Car Show
10/1/2011
Shelby, OH
e-mail

Festival of Wheels
10/1/2011
Goldendale, WA
e-mail

Essex Rebels Classic Car Club
10/1/2011
Canvey Island, UK
e-mail

10th Annual South Shore YMCA Car Show
10/1/2011
Cudahy, WI
e-mail

Greenville Auto Show
10/1/2011
New Castle, DE
e-mail

Help for Heros Event
10/1/2011
Bournemouth, UK
e-mail

20th Clyde Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show
10/1/2011
Jamestown, TN
e-mail

Hot Rods & Harleys Car Show
10/2/2011
Hopkinton, IA
e-mail

Apex Rotary Club-Car Show
10/2/2011
Apex, NC
e-mail

Chysler Car Show & Swap Meet
10/2/2011
Queensland, AU
e-mail

Blast from the Past Car Show
10/2/2011
Streator, IL
e-mail

Tucson Rough Riders
10/6/2011
Tucson, AZ
e-mail

Fast Cars & Freedom 2011
10/8/2011
Annandale, VA
website

Campbellton Baptist Church-Annual Car, Truck &Motorcycle Show
10/8/2011
Douglasville, GA
e-mail

17th Annual POW-WOW at the Beach
10/8/2011
Laurens, SC
e-mail

Steves Auto Service Customer Appreciation Day Car Show
10/8/2011
Kansas City, MO
e-mail

American Heroes Rod Run
10/8/2011
Bryan, TX
e-mail

3rd Annual Cruisin for a Cure
10/8/2011
Durant, OK
e-mail

Brits at the Village
10/9/2011
Norristown, PA
e-mail

26th Annual Madison County Car Show
10/9/2011
Winterset, IA
e-mail

Lake Mirror Classic Auto Festival
10/14/2011
Lakeland, FL
e-mail

Urbana Halloween Car & Truck Show
10/15/2011
Urbana, IN
e-mail

2011 Fall Fest Car Show
10/15/2011
Clifton, TX
e-mail

La Cruizers 9th Annual Open Car & Truck Show
10/15/2011
La Follette, TN
e-mail

9th Annual Car Show for Charity
10/15/2011
Villa Rica, GA
e-mail

Project Grad Extreme
10/15/2011
Tucson, AZ
website

22nd Annual Charity Houston British Motor Expo
10/15/2011
Brookshire, TX
website

Car Show 2011
10/15/2011
Joppa, AL
e-mail

2nd Annual Troop 309 Chino Car Bike Show
10/15/2011
Chino, CA
e-mail

12th Annual Ride to Rosenberg Car Show
10/15/2011
Rosenberg, TX
e-mail

Olar Fire Department 4th Annual Car & Bike Show
10/15/2011
Olar, SC
e-mail

Asphalt Angels-Fall Show
10/15/2011
Gambrills, MD
e-mail



 

New Rebates Available!

Promotions & Rebates

Keep your car in top shape and save money at the same time! Monroe, Omix-Ada and Walker all have new rebates starting.

  • Monroe "Stopping Power" Brake Pad Rebate - Purchase Monroe Ceramics or Dynamics Premium brake pads and get up to $40 back via mail in rebate.
  • Monroe "What Shocks You?" Suspension Rebate - Get up to $125 back with purchase of Monroe or Rancho Shocks and Struts.
  • Omix-Ada "Holiday Payday" Rebate - Get up to $200 back with purchase of Omix-Ada parts for Jeeps.
  • Walker "Precious Metals" Rebate - Get up to $40 back with purchase of a qualifying Walker Direct-Fit Catalytic Converter or any Walker CalCat Catalytic Converter.

To find rebates that are available for your vehicle just look for the little yellow star Sale/Promo Item next to the part category in the RockAuto Catalog. Taking advantage of these new rebates as well as the many others currently being offered is easy. Just go to the "Promotions & Rebates" page for more information on all of the current offers.

 

 

Forum of the Month

G8board.com

G8board.com, a Pontiac G8 Forum, includes extensive discussions for all G8 enthusiasts. Here you can find thousands of discussion topics including Industry News, Drivetrain Technology, Stereo/Electronics, Service Info, and much more! You could also look through the G8 Photo Albums, G8 Classifieds, and the G8 Active Topics. If you are not already a member, register and start posting today!

 

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

Ouch!

In 1990, on the north end of the town in which I live, I found a car that intrigued me. The car was a 1962 Pontiac Catalina convertible in need of restoration. I found out who the owner was and contacted him every few months for a year and a half until his wife called me one day and told me he would sell.

After jumping the battery, the car actually started and made the five mile trip to my house. This car took up all of my spare time for the next four years, completely being disassembled, and carefully cataloged along the way just to be sure that everything went back correctly. After a fresh engine rebuild, brakes, tires, interior, exterior, and what have you... it was clear that I spent a lot more than my initial $1,000 investment, plus my "couple of thousand" I would need for the restoration. But, the car was beautiful right down to the original Seafoam Aquamarine paint and white top. In its initial trial runs close to home the car ran smoothly. Its three speed manual transmission shifted from first to second like a dream. Unfortunately, shifting from second to third gear was difficult.

After referring to the "original" shop manual, everything appeared to be correct. But, I kept getting the the same result after assembling and disassembling the linkage several times. I started looking around for a replacement transmission when I looked back at the manual. The picture was taken from the top...and I was looking at it from the bottom.

After a 15 minute fix of the linkage (now looking at it with the correct perspective in mind) the car shifted silky smooth.

Tom in Connecticut

 

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

Automotive Trivia

What percentage of a typical automotive lead-acid battery is made from recycled lead and plastic?

A. 20 percent or less
B. 30 to 50 percent
C. 60 to 80 percent
D. more than 90 percent

Answer below

 

 

Should be Replaced as Sets

RockAuto

Years ago my dad had a Dodge St. Regis as a company car. It would have been a more reliable car if the car dealer that took care of maintenance had not persisted in replacing one part at a time. It was towed out of the driveway because of minor problems like a bad spark plug wire and then returned with only one spark plug wire replaced. The seven old spark plug wires left on the engine meant more trips back to the car dealer’s garage.

There are some parts like spark plug wires that are best replaced as a set. If all the parts are the same age, performing the same function and operating under the same conditions, then they are likely to fail or degrade at close to the same time. Replacing the parts as a set prevents problems and duplicating labor costs. Here are a few more parts that are usually best replaced as a set.

Replace both the left and right brake parts on an axle. New brake pads, brake shoes, brake rotors, brake calipers or brake drums should be on both ends of the axle for even braking and reliable parking brake operation. It is best to also replace the small brake parts like springs, pins, cables, etc. as a left and right set.

Suspension and steering parts like shocks, struts, springs, bushings, etc. should usually be replaced on both the left and right ends of an axle to ensure consistent braking, handling, steering and load hauling performance.

Most people know to replace spark plugs as a set rather than just the dirtiest plug or the plug that no longer sparks. But it is as important to replace as a set modern ignition and fuel system parts that serve individual pistons or banks of pistons. Single ignition coils or fuel injectors fail completely, but the output of the other old coils or fuel injectors has probably also declined.

The engine computer could receive signals from the oxygen sensors indicating the mixture is too rich or lean. The typical engine computer cannot tell if the fuel injector in piston one is the oldest and not squirting enough gas or the ignition coil for piston three is slowly dying and not generating enough current. The computer will adjust the timing and mixture as if all the fuel injectors, ignition coils, spark plugs, etc. are the same age and in the same condition. If the parts are not all in the same condition then some cylinders are likely to get too much gasoline and some too little. Carbon will start building up and create hard to diagnose starting, stalling and idle problems.

Old small block Chrysler V8s like the one in that St. Regis have a water pump bypass hose that fails more frequently than the other radiator and heater hoses, but it typically is a good idea to replace hoses and accessory belts (power steering, water pump, etc.) as sets.

There are many other non-identical parts that should be replaced as sets. If two parts wear down each other then consider replacing both (for example, distributor cap and distributor rotor). If one part protects another part that failed then replace both parts (for example, fuel filter and fuel pump). The last tip is to watch the RockAuto.com catalog for “kits.” For example, a timing belt kit contains tensioners, idlers and other parts that are best replaced with the timing belt as a set.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

 

 

Alex's 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi

Alex's 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi

This is my 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi Euro model. The Ferrari 308 targa-top is the car that was used in Magnum, P.I. Arguably, the TV series can be credited for the popularity of this car in North America with an overall production of about 12,000 cars over 10 years. This particular car is a European version that was purchased in Italy and made its way to California about 25 years ago. The previous owner, a Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance winner, maintained the pristine look and mechanics of the car! The Euro version varies from the US version in that it has streamlined bumpers and a chin spoiler; the gear ratios are slightly different, the frame is lighter, and does not have anti pollution devices that reduce output power. Probably the most interesting fact about this car is that it is the most affordable and maintainable Ferrari. The inner rear fenders are removable, allowing access to the engine bay, eliminating the need to remove the engine for certain maintenance/repair procedures. It is a perfect project car for the home mechanic!

Having purchased this classic last year, I have been in search for a reliable supply of replacement parts. I stumbled on a RockAuto ad and to my surprise many parts were available for my car at terribly reasonable prices. Impressed and in awe, I ordered a replacement alternator from the user friendly website and experienced the RockAuto extravaganza! As quick as could be, I received a quality product. I spread the news to my friends and they too quickly latched on as loyal customers.

Alex in Quebec, Canada

 

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. New, old, daily driver, trailer queen, classic, antique, we want to see them all! Please e-mail flamur@rockauto.com with your vehicle's history, interesting details, and what parts from RockAuto you have used.

 

 

Let RockAuto Help

Are you organizing a car show or other auto related event?

Are you organizing a car show or other auto related event? From goody bag stuffers to gift certificates...we can help. We can even publicize your event in our newsletter.

Just send us an email with information about your show.

 

 

Automotive Trivia Answer

Automotive Trivia

What percentage of a typical automotive lead-acid battery is made from recycled lead and plastic?

Answer: C. 60 to 80 percent (source: http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/battery.htm)

Back up to trivia question

 

 

 

 

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