New Part Highlights

K Tool (Auto Body Dr. Rx) Body Fasteners:

Consider RockAuto your one-stop-shop for all body repair needs. You can now purchase body fittings and fasteners from the same place that you are purchasing body panels—RockAuto! The body fasteners can be found within the “Extras” tab under the “Body – Exterior” or “Body – Interior” categories.

Eastern Catalytic Converter Flex Pipes:

Are you tired of your rotted exhaust pipe dragging noisily behind your vehicle? Flex pipes provide an inexpensive solution. Simply remove the rotted section of pipe and rejoin the system with a flex pipe. Flex pipes can be found in the “Extras” tab under the “Exhaust” category.

Curt Manufacturing Trailer Parts & Cargo Carriers:

From ball mounts to bike racks, RockAuto is your source for everything trailer and cargo related. Trailer and cargo parts and accessories can be found within the “Extras” tab under the “Accessories – Exterior” category and Electrical categories.

RockAuto encourages those unfamiliar with the “Extras” category to spend some time exploring this section of the catalog. A variety of universal parts, tools, and accessories can be found here.

Forum of the Month

Fbodyonline.com is a community of Firebird and Camaro enthusiasts looking for advice regarding parts, modifications, and budget minded repairs. Fbodyonline.com has members from all over the nation, and even a few international members! We're currently developing our Tech Articles section on the homepage and encourage our members to compose How-To based articles to further support others. The site is constantly growing, and we pride ourselves on making the site more and more user friendly and attractive.

If you used to or currently own an F-body, enjoy talking cars, or are crazy (like some of us) about Firebirds/Camaros, you'll find yourself right at home posting with the FBO community. Members range from first time drivers to veteran car owners who have daily drivers, weekend warriors, drag strip monsters, and car show award winners! Registration is free, and once you join, don't forget to introduce yourself and tell us a little about your car history.

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

As a teenager with limited monetary resources in the 1950's my choice of automobiles would come from the local junkyard. I would look for an affordable car with a blown engine that I could rebuild. After many different rides, I became proficient at restoring engines of any make.

Recently, when my son called to tell me that his six cylinder Ford truck, that had turned 180 thousand miles, suddenly showed zero oil pressure. I grabbed my tow bar and brought the truck to my garage. Suspecting a bad oil pressure sender and not wanting to harm the engine further I replaced the oil sending unit with my "trusty" 1950's direct reading oil pressure gauge. Starting the smooth running engine for just a minute and using a mirror the mechanical gauge also showed zero oil pressure. The engine was quiet, how could this be? I suspected a spun cam bearing blocking off the oil passage to the sender port and proceeded to remove the engine. I completely dismantled the engine and inspected the oil pump and all oil lines. The engine was amazingly clean and all components showed very little wear. I sent the cylinder head to be refreshed and new valves installed. I replaced all bearings, rings and seals even though they were as good as new.

After reinstalling the refurbished engine with new oil primed by spinning the new oil pump, the motor sounded as good as before. I took my mirror to see the still attached manual oil gauge. It still showed zero! When my brain settled back down I tried another pressure gauge and it showed full pressure!

It seems that my 1950's pressure gauge was no longer "trusty" because of a stuck needle. I had rebuilt a perfectly good engine because of two faulty oil pressure devices. I ceremoniously threw "old trusty" into the trash.

Bob in Florida

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

As gasoline heats up, its volume expands. One gallon (3.8 liters) of gasoline measures 231 cubic inches at 60 degrees F (16 C) and 234 cu. in. at 80 deg. F (27 C). Buy 234 cu. in. of 80 deg. gas and it will shrink down to only 231 cu. in. of gas in your car's 60 deg. tank. If the gas station pumps are calibrated to charge $2.75 per gallon at 60 degrees, then on a hot day how much will those extra, disappearing cubic inches of 80 deg. gas cost you?

A. 3 cents per gallon
B. 1 cent per gallon
C. Not enough to make all the math worthwhile!

Answer below

Tell Junior to Fill Up the Tank

Most parents teach their kids to gas up the car before the fuel gauge drops below a ¼ tank. Why risk being stranded on the side of the road or possibly sucking up rust and other crud accumulated in the bottom of the fuel tank.

With newer cars there are even more reasons to follow that parental advice. Fuel injected cars usually have an electric fuel pump inside the gas tank. At first glance, that seems like a risky place to put a hot, little electrical motor. If the fuel pump sparks, won’t the car blow up? No, gasoline needs air to burn. A fuel pump submerged in gasoline is, theoretically, no more likely to start a fire than a pump submerged in water. The theory must hold true because millions of cars have been driving around with electric fuel pumps since the 1980s!

However, run the fuel tank empty and there is a chance the fuel pump will briefly be running while not submerged in gasoline. An empty fuel tank is full of explosive gasoline vapor. There is no reason to tell Junior that the car will blow up the moment he runs it out of gas, but why not encourage him to understand how things work back there in the fuel tank?

Another reason to keep the fuel pump submerged in plenty of gasoline is to keep the hard working fuel pump cool. Too much heat will cause an electric fuel pump to fail prematurely.

A new ACDelco, Airtex, Bosch, or Carter mechanical fuel pump for my first car, a 1977 Dodge, only costs around $20 at RockAuto.com. Electric fuel pumps are often part of a complex (costly) assembly that might include the float for the fuel gauge, plumbing, and various sensors. A new electric fuel pump can be a significant expense, especially for a teenager. Sticking with Dodge for an example, a replacement fuel pump for a 1997 Dodge (Neon) starts at around $120. There is also the work of draining and removing the fuel tank.

So tell Junior to fill up the tank to avoid getting stranded, sucking up dirt, blowing up the car, and spending money too soon on a new fuel pump!

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

I purchased this 1984 Toyota Celica Supra five years ago at a small auto auction in Delaware. Although it had no history, I could tell just by looking it over that someone had taken pretty good care of it. It had almost 150K on it, but if you know these cars, that's nothing. The engine is just about bullet-proof, they've been known to go 300K. I just turned 170K and RockAuto has been a big help keeping the car on the road. I recently replaced the alternator, water pump, timing belt, clutch master and slave cylinders, as well as all new shocks and struts. I was able to find everything easily, including a large assortment of suspension bushings.

In addition to my Supra, I recently acquired an all original 1978 Chevy El Camino SS for my wife. Her Dad had one just like it when she was about 18. It needed just a few little things to get it ready for shows and cruising. I went right back to your catalog and checked out what was available and of course I found just what I needed.

Thanks for all the help,
John in Delaware

Share Your Hard Work
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