MotoRad Parts

RockAuto now offers MotoRad products! Since 1958 MotoRad has been supplying the OE market and the aftermarket with high quality thermostats, seals, cooling system switches and sensors, as well as caps of all kinds. Continual investment in research and development provides MotoRad with the means to produce high quality products using state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and guarantees that every product meets or exceeds the current specifications and standards.

MotoRad parts offer repair solutions for vehicles ranging from classic to modern with listings for American, European and Japanese brand cars and trucks. If you find yourself in need of a thermostat for your 1973 AMC Javelin, a coolant recovery tank cap for your 2012 Audi A8, or a radiator cap for your 2006 Dodge Ram 3500, find MotoRad in the RockAuto catalog.

Forum of the Month

Mercedes CLA is a community dedicated to the all new Mercedes-Benz CLA and CLA45 AMG. Our goal is to be a friendly community comprised of CLA owners and other car enthusiasts. We have many areas of interest on the site, including our CLA Forum, CLA pictures, photo gallery as well as CLA videos. We have forums dedicated to all the various CLA models as well, including the following: CLA 250, CLA 220, CLA 220 CDI and CLA 180/BlueEFFICIENCY. We also offer assistance with Mercedes-CLA ordering, release dates, pricing and the best dealerships to work with. To participate fully in the site all you need to do is register; it's quick and free.

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 purchased a cheap 2000 Ford Focus ZX3 and have been using RockAuto to purchase parts to bring it back up to good working condition. I had already replaced the spark plugs, wires, ignition coil, motor mounts, a wheel bearing, front quick-struts, valve cover gasket, PCV valve, air filter and fuel filter. The last issue to work out was the engine's severe lack of power. It had little power while accelerating and RPMs could hardly make it above 3500. It felt like the car just didn't have any guts. I was thinking the timing might be off or perhaps the catalytic converter was plugged.

My friend was poking around in the engine compartment and noticed that when the throttle was blipped, the air intake hose collapsed! I thought that must be it! Under vacuum, the hose collapsed and the engine was no longer getting any air, hence the lack of power. Turns out that was just a symptom of the problem. Upon further investigation, we pulled out the air snorkel and discovered a mechanic's rag lodged half way up the snorkel! It was completely blocked, which meant the engine was starved for air. That explained the lack of power under acceleration and the RPM limit. Someone must have left a rag in front of the snorkel opening, and it got sucked in. After pulling out the rag (and checking to make sure it wasn't one of mine -- it wasn't), I test drove the car, and it felt like I gained 50 hp. Problem solved!

Josh in Pennsylvania

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 a while!). Please e-mail your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Tools & Universal Parts 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

Automatic transmission fluid contained _______ until the 1970s?

A. Beeswax
B. Tetraethyl Lead
C. Whale Oil

Answer below

Four Quick DIY Tips

Diagnose Intermittent Belt Chirping or Continuous Belt Squealing
V-belts are forgiving. The A/C compressor suddenly seized up on a very rusty but loved ’68 Chrysler 300 I drove for many years. No problem, I just pulled a pulley roughly the same diameter and offset out of my brother’s junk box. The car was quickly back on the road and the belt never made a peep.

Modern serpentine belts are more finicky and will likely intermittently chirp or squeal in protest if something is not quite right. One way to try to track down the cause of the noise is to carefully spray a little water on the ribbed side of the serpentine or accessory belt while the engine is running. If the chirping noise stops until the belt dries out, then the noise is likely caused by misaligned pulleys, wobbling pulleys or damaged belt ribs.

If the water lubrication just makes the squealing noise louder, then the belt is probably tensioned incorrectly and slipping. Replace the belt tensioner(s) or adjust the tension.

If water on the belt has no effect, then the noise could be coming from a bad bearing in one of the belt driven accessories (alternator, A/C compressor, power steering pump, etc.) or the belt tensioner(s). Use an automotive stethoscope (found here under Tools & Universal Parts) to help pinpoint the source of the noise.


Home DIY Exhaust Leak Checker?
I remember reading a mechanic’s tech tip which suggested using a home carbon monoxide detector to help determine if a bad head gasket is leaking exhaust into the cooling system. Use plastic to seal a home carbon monoxide(CO) detector over the open (not yet hot) radiator cap spout. If the alarm sounds and/or the CO level goes up then there must be exhaust leaking into the cooling system.

Thankfully, I do not have a vehicle with a bad head gasket to test this tech tip on, but I do have a ’79 Chrysler 300 with two new Walker Dynomax mufflers. Unfortunately, the beautiful new mufflers are sitting in the garage waiting to be installed and rusted out mufflers are still on the car. I decided to see if a home CO detector could measure increased CO levels in the Chrysler’s interior. Maybe if I saw proof that CO was killing my brain cells then I would stop dawdling and get those new mufflers on the car.

New Walker Dynomax Mufflers & CO Detector

It will have to be the embarrassing noise or a friendly police officer that pushes me to fix the exhaust. The CO detector did not detect any increased CO levels inside the car while it sat idling. The CO detector did show increased CO levels when I stuck it directly in front of a tailpipe. However, even at the tailpipe there was not enough concentrated CO to set off the alarm. I have renewed respect for 1979 era catalytic converters!

Maybe the mechanic’s head gasket tip is still correct. Perhaps a CO detector could detect CO in a radiator because that exhaust would not have passed through the vehicle’s emissions system. However, my less than scientific test definitely shows it is not a good idea to rely on a home CO detector to check for general exhaust leaks or to sound an alarm if somebody accidentally leaves a newer (built since 1979!) car running in the garage.


Protect the A/C Compressor with a New Cabin Air Filter:
A clean cabin air filter does more than just protect the driver’s nose. A cabin air filter clogged with dust might not allow enough air to pass through the A/C evaporator to change the A/C refrigerant from a liquid to a gas. It will stay hot inside the car and the A/C compressor will be laboring to pump refrigerant liquid when it was designed to compress refrigerant gas. Also check to make sure leaves and other debris have not blocked the exterior cowl vents near the base of the windshield.


Wheels Still Need Lug Nut Locks:
My ’86 Mustang GT came with factory installed lug nut locks. Why don’t new cars come with lug nut locks? Almost every newer car has nice alloy wheels. However, this does not mean that they are so common that crooks no longer bother stealing them. Larger diameter wheels and ubiquitous potholes means there is increasing demand for replacement wheels. Classified / auction sites make it easier than ever for thieves to sell stolen wheels. Replacement OEM wheels can cost hundreds of dollars from RockAuto and thousands from a car dealership. Plus there is the cost of the tires. Wheels for old cars may be hard to find at any price. I have lug nut locks on my 1979 Chrysler.

Lug nut lock sets (found in the catalog under "Wheel/Tire") typically start at around $12 and come in more designs than ever to optimize security, durability and styling.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

UPDATE:
Foolish me! RockAuto has a Combustion Leak Detector by Lisle specifically designed to detect exhaust gas leaking into the radiator through a bad head gasket, warped head or cracked block. I mercifully do not have a vehicle with any symptoms of those head problems to try out the tool on. However, Lisle makes it appear the tool is simple to use. Just watch to see if the fluid changes color. Lisle makes great tools designed to diagnose and solve specific problems. Learn more about the Combustion Leak Detector here.

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