Rebates, Rebates, Rebates!

Keep your car running in top shape and save money at the same time! ANCO, ATP, Autolite, Bendix, Bosch, Fram, Monroe, Rancho, Raybestos, Trico, Wagner, and Walker are all offering rebates at this time, so order now to save even more with RockAuto.

To find rebates that are available for your vehicle just look for the little yellow star next to the part category in the RockAuto Catalog. Getting these rebates is simple, just go to the Current Promotions and Rebates page, or click the "Rebate/Promotion Available!" link in the part description for more information on all of these offers.

Forum of the Month

Acura-Legend.com is a great place for owners of all things Acura Legend and Acura RL. Our Acura forums include the very extensive discussions for all Acura Legend and Acura RL enthusiasts. Here you can find topics about the first generation Legend (1986-1990), second generation Legend (1991-1995), first generation RL (1996-2004), and the second generation RL (2005 to present).

Our Shop Talk Forums hosts a wealth of tech information as well. We have information regarding wheels, tires, brakes, suspension, DIY repairs, audio/video & electronics, product reviews, and general automotive discussion.

If you are not already a member, join 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 jessa@rockauto.com.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

In the late 1970’s my father bought a new pickup truck from a local dealer. Within just a few days after taking delivery of his new pride and joy the engine developed a noise that sounded like a rod bearing knock. My despondent father immediately took the truck back to the dealer who agreed with the diagnosis and proceeded to replace the rod bearings. After the bearings were replaced the dealer started the engine only to find that the knock was still there. Thinking that they had missed something the dealer pulled out the rod bearings and replaced them a second time. Of course, each crankshaft journal and rod end was measured and found to be within the factory tolerances. Unfortunately, the knock persisted.

The dealer told my father to take the truck home, drive it normally for a few weeks, then bring it back for another examination. My father was not happy but had no other choice. About two weeks later I stopped by my father’s house and found him in the driveway washing the truck and detailing the engine compartment. While the hood was open I noticed that there was a 3” long chunk of rubber missing on the underside of the V-belt that drives the alternator and water pump. We jumped into my car, drove to the auto parts store and purchased a new V-belt. Once the new V-belt was installed we started the truck engine and realized that the “knock” had suddenly disappeared.

Evidently, every time the gap in the V-belt rubber passed over the stamped sheet metal water pump pulley it made a “knock” noise which every one took to be a bad rod bearing.

Randy in Nevada

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

The engine in the original Volkswagen Beetle was air cooled. There was no engine coolant, radiator, or heater core. Without a heater core inside the car to transfer heat from engine coolant, how do original VW Beetle drivers stay warm in cold weather?

A. A blower forces air over an electrical heating element in the interior ventilation unit.
B. Original VW Beetle drivers do not stay warm in cold weather.
C. The engine fan blows air through a box welded onto the exhaust manifold. The heated air then travels through tubes into the interior.
D. An engine oil cooler is used in place of a heater core in the heat/AC box under the dash.

Answer below

Not Even a Click From the Starter

Nothing happens when the ignition key is turned. There is not even a click from the starter. The back up lamps stopped working last week. These are some of the symptoms of a faulty Neutral Safety Switch.

The neutral safety switch only allows the engine to start if an automatic transmission equipped car is in Park or Neutral. The switch typically provides the electrical ground necessary to complete the starter solenoid circuit. The neutral safety switch also often has the job of turning on the back up lamps when the transmission is in reverse.

Most often the neutral safety switch is mounted on the side of the transmission. Mechanical pieces inside the transmission and/or the linkage to the gearshift activate the switch.

Over the years, car manufactures have added many new names for the switch such as neutral start switch, transmission range (TR) sensor, manual lever position sensor (MLP), etc. But “neutral safety switch” is still the place to start looking in the repair manual and the RockAuto catalog (under Electrical-Switch & Relay). Sometimes the neutral safety switch is now found on the steering column and sometimes it plays a role in other safety systems such as the brake shift interlock. Newer vehicles might actually start but idle or run poorly if a bad neutral safety switch cannot accurately tell the engine control module what gear the transmission is in.

The duties and complexity of the neutral safety switch have indeed expanded. The neutral safety switch on my 1979 Chrysler 300 just threads into the side of the transmission, plugs into a three wire connector and currently costs about $7 (Standard Motor Products) at RockAuto. A neutral safety switch for a 2002 Porsche 911 has about twice as many wires and is currently about $330 (Airtex/Wells).

On some car models, the neutral safety switch and/or shift linkage needs to be adjusted when a new switch is installed. The adjustment is often not difficult, but a repair manual (found under Literature at RockAuto.com) comes in handy. The neutral safety switch on my ‘80s Fords are adjusted with a Number 43 (0.089 inch) drill bit!

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

I first came across this car during the summer of 2006. The owner had placed a for sale advertisement on SCCoA (Super Coupe Club of America) Forums. I had always liked the 1989-1990 XR7 Cougars, so I contacted him. He sent me some photos, I gave it some thought, but didn’t pursue it any further. Money was in short order, and I really didn’t need another project. But 4 months later, the owner dropped the price, and I agreed to purchase the car.

The car had been parked in a garage since 2004. It had light collision damage on the front end, was in need of brake work, and a few other odds and ends. It was complete and overall a clean example of this rare Mercury. My original plan was to fix the body damage and brake issues, complete a thorough tune-up, and give the car a good cleaning. I thought I would keep it all factory original, enjoying it as a good example of a 1989 Cougar XR7. But the more I worked on the car, the more those plans changed. Over the next 3 years, I would end up upgrading nearly every aspect of this car.

Today, it is a mechanically sound example of these great cars, and happens to run low 13's at the track with its little V6 and an automatic transmission! The rebuilding process has really been enjoyable, and RockAuto has helped me do it on a limited budget while I finished up College. Some of the many parts purchased from RockAuto include motor mounts, 02 sensors, water pump, full engine gasket set, transmission filter, rear main seal, sway bar end links, strut mounts, tie rod ends, brake calipers, wheels hubs, brake pads, brake booster, shock absorbers, belts, and many other parts.

Thomas in Kansas

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

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