Power Stop Z26 Brake Kits

RockAuto now offers Power Stop’s Z26 Street Warrior Rotor and Brake Pad kits designed for high performance drivers who demand ultimate braking control. The pads' Z26 friction compound is a carbon fiber and ceramic hybrid that resists fade up to 1500 degrees. This is especially helpful for drivers who make rapid stops at high speeds, or those with high horsepower cars and big wheel upgrades. (The rim of a larger diameter wheel is farther away from the axle, increasing leverage, which means more work for the brakes.)

These kits contain Silver Zinc Plated Drilled and Slotted Rotors to maximize cooling, resist fade and provide enhanced stopping power. (They look great, too!) The rotors and pads in the kit are engineered to work together for maximum braking performance. The Z26 Street Warrior Rotor and Brake Pad kits are available for vehicles from the 1992 Mitsubishi Eclipse, to the 2002 BMW X5, to the 2010 Ford Mustang. These kits can be found in the RockAuto catalog in the “Brake/Wheel Hub” category under “Rotor & Brake Pad Kit".

For the month of October, Power Stop is offering a promotion on Brake Kits! Get up to a $30 mail in rebate with purchase of 1 or 2 qualifying Power Stop kits.

Seal the Deal with Enginetech!

Through the month of October, receive an additional 10% off of RockAuto's already reliably low-priced Enginetech gaskets and gasket sets. There are no rebate forms to fill out. Prices for Enginetech parts have already been temporarily reduced by 10% throughout the RockAuto catalog (promotion ends Oct. 31st). Thanks Enginetech!

"Seal The Deal" - Enginetech has the right gaskets for you! Enginetech has been an industry-leader in providing gaskets to professional engine builders for over 30 years. Now these same gaskets are available to you on RockAuto.com. Rather than duplicating OE designs, Enginetech's "Rebuilder" gaskets are designed specifically for the needs of a rebuilt engine. Gaskets are the heart of any engine repair, so they must be right!

Enginetech’s superior quality meets or exceeds that of the OEM designs, and gaskets are manufactured with the latest and best materials. They accommodate the kinds of surfaces you have to work with, and they really do the job, without leaks. Enginetech engineers analyzed the special sealing problems of each engine, and designed the gaskets and seals that would work best in each part of the engine. Thermal shock dyno testing verified the design excellence (engine is heated up faster and runs hotter than normal).

• Head gaskets do not need to be re-torqued, with virtually no loss in clamping force over time. They are perforated to eliminate material separation and leakage, and are coated with a premium silicone blend to allow head-to-block movement and easy removal. Precise thickness gives predictable sealing, fire rings are oversize (for oversize bores), and elastomeric sealing beads meet special sealing needs.
• Intake gaskets are designed to prevent vacuum leaks and withstand high temperatures from exhaust crossover heat on V-type engines. They are embossed or have raised elastomeric beads to give high unit pressure and superior sealing on narrow flanges. In several applications, a heat-sensitive coating provides a positive seal once the engine is run.
• Oil pan gaskets are made in the right thickness to seal best on sheet metal without splitting. They are durable, flexible, and have a long shelf life. Also, one-piece rubber molded pan gaskets are available for late model engines.

Enginetech’s superior packaging clearly labels the contents and assures parts arrive undamaged. Enginetech has over 1500 domestic and import full gasket sets, head sets, lower sets, and individual gaskets for every application from a 1958 Chevy to a 2014 Honda.

Forum of the Month

StingrayForums.com - The New Corvette / 2014+ 7th Gen Corvette Forum featuring C7 Corvette "Stingray" News, Discussions, Photos, Rumor Talk and more. StingrayForums.com aims to be a friendly and educational Corvette community dedicated to learning, sharing and discussing the next generation Corvette from Chevrolet. Registration is quick and free.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

I recently replaced the rear brakes on my 2007 Ford Focus. I have previously owned a 2002 Focus, so I assumed the job would be pretty much the same. Well, for the most part it was, except I neglected one little (and as it turned out, an important) step.

After the brake job, the ABS, Brake and Traction Control dashboard lights were on! What did I do wrong? I've done this same repair before and I followed the right steps. So, I contacted a cousin of mine (who just happens to be the head technician at a Ford dealership), and he asked me what I did with the old ABS rings. DOH! I forgot to remove the ABS rings from the old drums and re-install them on the new drums. Whoops!

I rushed back to the dumpster to retrieve my old brake drums...they were gone. Somebody must have quickly scooped them up for scrap. I ordered new ABS rings (thanks RockAuto!) and as soon as I installed them, no more dash lights!

Thank you RockAuto for the great prices, exceptional parts and quick service!

Stan in Nova Scotia, Canada

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

Where did the name of the famous shock and strut manufacturer, Gabriel, originate?

A. Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, inventor of the mercury thermometer
B. Gabriel, the archangel who blows the horn on Judgement Day
C. The San Gabriel Mountains in California

Making Sense of Parking Aid Sensors

The penny-sized dots running across many rear bumpers are parking aid sensors (also known as proximity sensors or back-up sensors). Each dot is an ultrasonic transceiver that sends out a high frequency sound wave and then measures how quickly the wave bounces back to the sensor. As the vehicle backs toward an object, the waves bounce back to the sensor sooner. Inside, the driver hears quickening beeps or sees more lights on the instrument panel warning that the vehicle is moving closer to hitting something.

This is similar to the Doppler effect used by sonar underwater and by police radar to measure speed. In fact, some parking aid sensors, like those on mid-2000s Lincoln Town Cars and Navigators, use radar sensors. There is also a type of sensor that generates an electric field and then waits for objects in the vehicle’s path to disturb the field.

Front & Back of mid-2000s Lincoln Town Car & Navigator Radar Sensor

Ultrasonic sensors are by far the most common. Luxury models, such as those by Mercedes, included them starting in the early 1990s. Now they are an option on almost every car and truck. Some vehicles have parking aid sensors in the front as well. My sister’s Ford Expedition is the only vehicle with back-up sensors that I have driven for any significant distance. The beeping startled me a bit at first, but I learned to appreciate that it made backing up such a large vehicle less risky.

Parking Aid Sensors on Rear Bumper of Ford Expedition

Corrosion, vibration and accidents are a few things that can break original equipment sensors. RockAuto manufacturers Airtex/Wells and Standard Motor Products (SMP) build replacement parking aid sensors for specific vehicles. Installation typically requires snapping the new sensor into the hole in the bumper cover and plugging in the electrical connector. How easy that is to do varies between vehicles, depending on the accessibility of the backside of the bumper cover. The sensors often also need to be painted body color so that the sensor “dots” blend into the bumper cover.

Typical Sensors from Airtex/Wells & SMP

Parking sensor prices vary from about $60 to more than $300 depending on sensor design and complexity. Find the parking aid sensors for your specific car or truck under the “Electrical” section in the RockAuto catalog.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

To read more of Tom's articles, click this link and choose from story titles on the Newsletter Archives page.

A few years ago, I was driving home from work, when my 1991 Toyota MR2 caught fire and was totaled. It was a very sad day for me, but with the money from insurance and a little I had saved, I purchased this 1999 Mazda Miata. The previous owner had already put in a new thermostat, radiator, water pump and timing belt, but it still had an overheating problem, and the head gasket failed. He didn't want to put any more money into the car, so I picked it up (with the hardtop) for a great price.

I purchased a full upper gasket set from RockAuto (along with a clutch, water pump, timing belt kit, wheel bearings, wheel hubs and brakes). After putting everything back together, I have driven it daily, and love every minute of it. It has seen track days and a trip to Oregon, Nevada and Northern California. These are amazing little cars! Like a dog that's always begging to be walked, these cars beg you to drive them. I'll always own one from now on. If you haven't driven a Miata, I recommend you do so.

Zak in California

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