Defective Parts?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,557
Likes: 0
From: Ridgeway VA
Defective Parts?
I have bought parts/etc from the major Vette houses for about
nine years to restore a '70 and '75. Recently I put on a new vacuum
relay for wipers on the '70 - it worked great for about 4 months then
leaked/defective. The catalog house I ordered it from has a 90 day
no return policy ( some houses have a 30 day policy. OK, that's fine
because it's business. But, shouldn't foreign parts be labeled as such?
And why - it seems to me - is the quality really getting bad?
My lesson - stay with USA parts, rebuilt/fix any parts you have.
I would appreciate any comments because I don't think I'm the only
one having the problems.
Thanks for a great Forum!!!
nine years to restore a '70 and '75. Recently I put on a new vacuum
relay for wipers on the '70 - it worked great for about 4 months then
leaked/defective. The catalog house I ordered it from has a 90 day
no return policy ( some houses have a 30 day policy. OK, that's fine
because it's business. But, shouldn't foreign parts be labeled as such?
And why - it seems to me - is the quality really getting bad?
My lesson - stay with USA parts, rebuilt/fix any parts you have.
I would appreciate any comments because I don't think I'm the only
one having the problems.
Thanks for a great Forum!!!
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Takes time to research sources of manufacture...some parts are easy..others are difficult...and some that say "Made in U.S.A." may have been just assembled here...
I would watch brake rotors,rad cores,things that are critical to your vette operation...
My original radiator lasted 95,000 miles(24 years)My "replacement rad" only lasted 3.5 years...Chinese Core,it turns out...
Napa for example has generally 3 price ranges for some parts.....the cheapest is Chinese..I learned that regarding brake rotors....
Rich
I would watch brake rotors,rad cores,things that are critical to your vette operation...
My original radiator lasted 95,000 miles(24 years)My "replacement rad" only lasted 3.5 years...Chinese Core,it turns out...
Napa for example has generally 3 price ranges for some parts.....the cheapest is Chinese..I learned that regarding brake rotors....
Rich
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,156
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
I know what you mean. I have parts here on the shelf that I bought at Carlisle years ago, purchased from vendors, and local part houses.
More then a few, bott USA and import, didn't fit or failed very soon.
examples:
Brake dust shields- hole pattern way off.
Automatic shifter black sliders broke after 2 weeks
ditributor cross gears and main shafts absolute junk, gears bound up by hand and I even machined the brass end plug to align the mesh- NG.
Console wood insert, not trimmed.
New gauge bezel - poor paint and flashing
New USA carpet set- 2 shades of black in the set with 2 styles of loop
New GM antenna cable too short even though it carried the orignal part number.
GM rotors .009 runout, chinese .005
USA HD spindles .005 runout
rear spindle seals - cheap junk- had to buy CR seal
USA differential overhaul kit - same cheap junk seals
Defective anode for aluminum radiators- this one left me stranded 45 miles from home.
Oh man why did I ever start this! LOL
More then a few, bott USA and import, didn't fit or failed very soon.
examples:
Brake dust shields- hole pattern way off.
Automatic shifter black sliders broke after 2 weeks
ditributor cross gears and main shafts absolute junk, gears bound up by hand and I even machined the brass end plug to align the mesh- NG.
Console wood insert, not trimmed.
New gauge bezel - poor paint and flashing
New USA carpet set- 2 shades of black in the set with 2 styles of loop
New GM antenna cable too short even though it carried the orignal part number.
GM rotors .009 runout, chinese .005
USA HD spindles .005 runout
rear spindle seals - cheap junk- had to buy CR seal
USA differential overhaul kit - same cheap junk seals
Defective anode for aluminum radiators- this one left me stranded 45 miles from home.
Oh man why did I ever start this! LOL
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,156
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
It is an aftermarket radiator cap with and anode hangng off it, like a hot water heater has, to stop corrosion. Thing is they never setup the spring hanger to fit vettes so in short order it dropped down and soldered itself in the return nipple of the expansion tank! Car gets very hot, very fast when you stop coolant flow!
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by gtr1999
It is an aftermarket radiator cap with and anode hangng off it, like a hot water heater has, to stop corrosion. Thing is they never setup the spring hanger to fit vettes so in short order it dropped down and soldered itself in the return nipple of the expansion tank! Car gets very hot, very fast when you stop coolant flow!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by rihwoods
I know about anodes,but in an aluminum radiator ? Learn something everyday...
On the outdrive of my boat it has a replaceable sacrificial anode which works very well.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 16,100
Likes: 17
Originally Posted by Bob Onit
First time i have heard of such a thing for a car
On the outdrive of my boat it has a replaceable sacrificial anode which works very well.
On the outdrive of my boat it has a replaceable sacrificial anode which works very well.
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 241
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From: St Louis Missouri
I’ve had some real bad luck with bearings. I have a 75 Bronco that I went mudding with a lot, and went through 3 sets of Chinese front wheel bearings. Each time they failed it was under warranty so I just kept getting the same crap. Now I stick with Timken, but you have to read them because some are USA and some are Brazil.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,156
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
The radiator cap I used was advertised in a leading vendors catalog. I'm not going to bash them because they did stand behind it and resolved the issue as soon as I informed them. In this case it was a year after I bought the part that I even opened it up and used it.
Bearings, I'll only use Timkens. You would be surprised, well maybe not, to see some of the bearings I've found in rear spindles, front spindles, steering boxes,etc. Many times owners were told they had Timkens installed and I've found every brand but Timkens when I broke them down.
Watch out for what you get in some kits. New bearings should be seal wrapped and boxed separately,not placed unwrapped in unmarked boxes. Some front end fastner kits have the wrong type bolts in them for the upper control arms. When I asked the vendor, they said that's all that's available. Hum,... GM still sells the correct ones.
Bearings, I'll only use Timkens. You would be surprised, well maybe not, to see some of the bearings I've found in rear spindles, front spindles, steering boxes,etc. Many times owners were told they had Timkens installed and I've found every brand but Timkens when I broke them down.
Watch out for what you get in some kits. New bearings should be seal wrapped and boxed separately,not placed unwrapped in unmarked boxes. Some front end fastner kits have the wrong type bolts in them for the upper control arms. When I asked the vendor, they said that's all that's available. Hum,... GM still sells the correct ones.
Last edited by gtr1999; Sep 28, 2006 at 12:03 PM.
