Rock Products at RockAuto

Rock Products, not to be mistaken for parts made by RockAuto, has recently been added to the RockAuto catalog. Rock Products has over 17 years of experience providing premium engine parts for Asian cars and trucks. Rock Products has the parts you need whether you are doing a complete rebuild of your Nissan 300 ZX engine, changing the water pump on your Acura Integra, or just replacing a valve cover gasket on your Toyota Corolla.

In the RockAuto catalog you can find Rock Products gaskets, pistons, engine bearings, timing belts and related components, oil pumps, water pumps, rocker arms and rocker arm shafts, valves, and camshafts.

Don’t delay, find all of the Rock Products parts and more in the RockAuto catalog today!

Forum of the Month

Oldspower.com is the premier website for the restoration and repair of your Oldsmobile powered car, truck or boat. Established in 1999, it has become the internet "go-to" site for repair advice and in depth knowledge of Oldsmobile restoration. Oldspower.com is privately owned membership free website.

Since GM's closing of the Oldsmobile line, we have begun the focus of restoring and saving these cars from the crushers. Working in conjunction with RockAuto.com we hope to keep Oldsmobiles on the roads and in the show car circuits for many decades to come.

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

Back in 1973 I was an auto mechanic working at a local Oldsmobile dealership in Rochester, New York. One day I got a repair job on a used first-generation Camaro we had recently sold. The customer was complaining about a large leak that had been filling up his trunk with water. I discovered about 20 gallons of water in the trunk, this was for sure a big leak. I had to get the trunk drained, so I decided to drill a couple of 1/2" holes in the bottom. After doing that, I went on to repair the leak that I determined was coming in from a large seam crack at the bottom of the back window glass channel. I fixed the leak, wiped out the trunk with some towels, and then parked it out in the lot to let the sun finish drying it out. The customer picked up his car at the end of the day and all was well.

Or so I thought...

First thing the next morning the car was towed back into the shop. Apparently the fuel system was filled with water! When I drilled the drain holes in the bottom of the trunk, I had drilled straight through into the gas tank and much of the water went right in there! Oops! I never did that again.

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!

The Wrong Signal to the Engine Computer

Oxygen sensors let the engine computer monitor the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. Increasingly complex oxygen sensors have been used on cars since the early 1980s. Some new cars have numerous O2 sensors.

When oxygen sensors fail or degrade, the engine computer adjusts the fuel/air ratio to be too rich or too lean. The engine might hesitate, stall, surge or otherwise run badly. The catalytic converter might be damaged. Gas mileage worsens. According to Bosch, an oxygen sensor pioneer, failed emissions tests with “high CO and/or HC” can indicate oxygen sensor problems.

Oxygen sensors thread into sockets in the exhaust so they are exposed to a very hot, harsh environment and eventually will fail no matter how well the car is maintained. But there are things you can do to avoid prematurely damaging oxygen sensors. Silicone, engine oil, and lead in the exhaust gas will coat and contaminate the oxygen sensor probe. Maintain the vehicle to protect oxygen sensors from those three.

Some engine coolants contain silicone. Fix leaking head gaskets so coolant does not seep into the engine. Since the early 1990s, there have been manufacturer technical service bulletins (found under Literature at RockAuto.com) with titles like "Oxygen Sensor Contamination Due to Silicone”. Using tubes of silicone (RTV) sealers on or instead of engine gaskets (valve cover gaskets, oil pan gaskets, etc.) introduces silicone into the engine exhaust that can damage the oxygen sensor probe.

Keep engine oil out of the exhaust as much as possible by replacing valve stem seals, piston rings, etc. Bosch and RockAuto customers have reported that engine oil contamination on the OUTSIDE of an oxygen sensor can make the oxygen sensor send the wrong signal to the engine computer. Fix external oil leaks from valve cover gaskets, PCV valve grommets, etc. Trying to weatherize an oxygen sensor by covering or coating it with anything; silicone, tubing, grease, etc. is a bad idea.

Do not use leaded gas (aviation fuel and still sold at gas stations in some countries) and avoid fuel additives or at least make sure the label on the bottle says the contents are compatible with oxygen sensors. Look under Emissions in the RockAuto catalog to see the oxygen sensors for your vehicle.

Hi,

This is my 1985 Toyota Corolla GTS hatchback. I bought this car in 2003 and have slowly converted it from a "basket case" to a track car using many parts from RockAuto (engine parts including pistons, gaskets, oil pan, pumps, rear end gaskets and seals, wheel bearings, drive shaft support bearing, etc).

Thanks,
Damon in California

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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