During the month of October, 2023, enjoy additional savings on Brake products from Power Stop and Advics, Cooling products from Four Seasons and Hayden, Hoses and Weatherstripping from Fairchild, and Oil from Mobil! Go to the Promotions & Rebates page to see details on all available promotions.  While shopping, watch for the Promotion & Rebate Star | |
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As we head into the wet, autumn months and snowy, icy winters, don't let worn or damaged wipers affect your view while driving. If you notice any of the issues below, it's time to replace your wiper blades!  RockAuto offers a wide selection of Wiper Blade options from brands like TRICO, ANCO, HELLA, VALEO and more. Find new Winter, Conventional and Beam blade options from SPLASH, for superior savings. Or, try silicone wiping technology from PIAA or TRICO for extra durability and performance. Whatever your need, RockAuto has the blade for you! |
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 Several years ago, my daughter's 2007 Ford Crown Victoria's fuel pump failed. She got a replacement pump rather then the complete fuel pump and sender assembly as a cost savings. Everything went smoothly disconnecting and lowering the half-full tank from the car. We removed the pump and sender unit and proceeded to remove the bad pump from the assembly. Due to the difficulty of removing the mounting clamp holding the old pump, I decided to remove the sender assembly with its arm and float from the unit to prevent bending it. Once the new pump was in place, I reinstalled the sender assembly, and we buttoned the tank up and reinstalled it to the car. We were both feeling good about the job after getting the car back on the ground and reconnecting the battery. The car started right up and ran great. About three days later, my daughter asked me if I had gassed the car up for her because she noticed the tank was near full, and it had been at half when we changed the pump. The next day, she called to let me know the car would not start. She quickly figured out my error, put gas in the car, and it started right up. I had installed the sender assembly (the electronics are with the float) upside down! Since the tank was half empty, when we did the job the fuel gauge was where I had expected it to be. When we get a chance, we will fix it, but for now she drives her car with the gauge reading empty on a full tank. Charles in California  Complete Assembly with Fuel Sending Unit Highlighted |
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 Heavy braking can heat brake pads to 500 deg. F (260 C), and a lot of that heat may transfer to the calipers and brake fluid. Water in the brake fluid turns to steam as the brake fluid heats up. Steam (and other gas) easily compresses which means the brake pedal feels soft and less hydraulic pressure makes it to the brake pads. Water in the brake lines/calipers may increase stopping distances even with the best brake pads and rotors installed. Fresh, new brake fluid lowers the amount of water circulating through the brake system. Less water means less corrosion, more consistent hydraulic pressure and improved braking performance under harsh driving conditions (towing, frequent stops...). Most brake fluid (DOT 3, 4 and 5.1) readily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere because it is glycol ether based. DOT 5 brake fluid does not actively absorb water because it is silicone based. Unfortunately, there have not been many brake systems designed to use DOT 5 because the rapid changes in pressure that occur in anti-lock braking systems (ABS) tend to turn DOT 5 into a useless foam. On the "Info" pages for RockAuto's brake fluid you will see a chart of the Minimum Dry Boiling Points and Minimum Wet Boiling Points for the different DOT brake fluids. The Dry Boiling Point is the boiling temperature for new brake fluid in an unopened bottle. The Wet Boiling Point is the boiling temperature for the brake fluid once it has had time to absorb 3.7% water by volume. Brake Fluid Comparison Chart
The Dry Boiling Point might matter to a racing team that changes the brake fluid after every race, but the Wet Boiling Point is what matters most to drivers on public roads. Once the container is opened, brake fluid begins absorbing water from the atmosphere, and it may be 3.7% water by volume in less than two years. As time passes, the brake fluid may contain more than 10% water which means a further drop in the boiling point. (At least the boiling point will not drop beyond the boiling point of pure water, 212 deg. F (100 C).) Changing the brake fluid is the best way to minimize the amount of moisture in the system. Use the brake fluid type(s) and change intervals recommended in the vehicle's owners manual. With my family's old cars, anytime I do brake work I don't just bleed the brakes, I suck out and replace as much old brake fluid as I possibly can. Find the correct brake fluid for your vehicle under "Brake & Wheel Hub" in the RockAuto.com catalog. Under the "Tools & Universal Parts" tab (and then "Brake & Wheel Hub") you will find more brake fluid, brake bleeder kits and other brake tools/supplies. Tom Taylor, To read more of Tom's articles, click this link and choose from story titles on the Newsletter Archives page. |
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This is my 1979 Toyota Celica Supra that I purchased in August of 2022 from the third owner and have since used parts from RockAuto to bring it up to speed, including a new water pump and belts, a complete brake refurbishment (pads, rotors, lines, etc.), and a transmission refresh. I'm looking forward to a major suspension upgrade and a complete engine tune-up with parts from RockAuto in the near future. The car was originally purchased in 1979 in Pennsylvania where it lived a pampered life until its first sale in 2013. I purchased the car with 56,000 original miles, but it had quite a few deferred maintenance issues from the previous owner. I have since spoken to the original owner who was thrilled the car was still in the area and still on the road! Since purchasing, I've been slowly exorcising the mechanical demons and working to improve the cosmetics. It is a wonderful driver, an increasingly rare find, and a fantastic conversation piece at the car shows I attend. In fact, this past August I was fortunate to be accepted to the prestigious New Hope Auto Show in New Hope Pennsylvania and was awarded with a 3rd place ribbon in my category. Thankfully my adult children truly enjoy the car so I expect it will be a family heirloom for generations to come! I'm counting on RockAuto to provide the great parts to keep her roadworthy! Steve in New Jersey |
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