RockAuto is proud to now offer Rostra Powertrain products. With more than 60 years of experience, Rostra Powertrain is globally recognized as one of the leading manufacturers of OE and replacement electronic parts such as solenoids, solenoid kits, sensors, switches, wire harnesses and modulators.

Rostra Powertrain prides themselves on exceptional quality and product reliability. All Rostra parts are manufactured in Laurinburg, NC within a facility that holds both ISO-9001 and IATF-16949 quality certifications. Rostra’s commitment to manufacturing excellence and process efficiencies produces high quality parts at very competitive prices.

From a Shift Solenoid for a 1994 Chevrolet Camaro, to a wire Repair Harness for a 2004 Lexus GX470, to a Speed Sensor for a 2014 Dodge Journey, you can find the Rostra Powertrain parts for your specific vehicle in both the “Transmission-Automatic” and “Electrical” categories of the RockAuto.com catalog.

RockAuto now offers clutch kits by AMS that include fresh hydraulic parts and a flywheel! With roughly 90% of clutch system failures caused by broken hydraulic parts or a worn flywheel, these kits ensure you have everything you need before starting your project.

Found exclusively at RockAuto.com, these new RhinoPac clutch system kits by AMS Automotive contain the typical clutch kit components along with a new flywheel, new master cylinder and new slave cylinder. RhinoPac by AMS Automotive has delivered high quality, reliable clutch solutions for over 30 years. The AMS team has spent countless hours selecting the right combination of clutch components for each vehicle application to ensure the finished product functions as a precisely matched system.

Replacing the clutch, hydraulics and flywheel at the same time reduces clutch wear, aligns future preventative maintenance and extends system life up to 300%. The additional labor time and part cost is nominal compared to the long-term savings of only having to do a job once.

From now until March 31st, 2019, AMS is offering RockAuto customers a $25 mail in rebate on any clutch system kit purchased. To find a complete clutch system kit for your vehicle, visit the RockAuto.com catalog, click on the “Transmission-Manual” category and then choose “Clutch System Kit (Clutch Kit + Flywheel & Hydraulics).”

Club4G.org specializes in bringing together Fourth Generation Eclipse owners for comprehensive technical discussions, social interaction and building the ultimate knowledge base of these popular Mitsubishi cars.

There is great variety in the forum membership, from first time car owners who would like advice on how to do an oil change...all the way to custom fabricators willing to share their experiences and assist others. This forum has amassed a large repository of information on technical issues with over a decade worth of posts available to read. All experience levels and backgrounds are invited to join in a friendly constructive atmosphere where everyone should feel comfortable to ask any question.

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 marketing@rockauto.com.

We all had a great laugh in my high school automotive class the other day. Two students came in bragging about how easily their engine went in during lunch hour as part of a rebuild they were doing on one of the boy's late '70s GMC 3/4 ton pickup with a 4 speed. They claimed that they had the engine in and bolted up in less than 15 minutes! I was a little skeptical but kept it to myself.

The next day, the proof came out in the pudding. I was alerted to a ruckus over in their work bay by some coarse language and an airborne tool or two. When I arrived at their bay to see what the problem was, I could not contain my laughter. Upon reinstalling the starter, one of them had noticed that there were no gear teeth showing through the starter hole in the bellhousing. They had installed the engine sans flywheel, clutch disc and pressure plate!!! Needless to say, the re-install took them a little longer than 15 minutes. They are now fondly referred to as the "Clutchmeisters!"

Dan in Montana

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 email 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!

Ford began installing capless fuel tanks about ten years ago. All you do is shove the gas station's fuel pump nozzle through a spring-loaded door in the fuel tank filler neck. What vehicle manufacturers are installing capless fuel tanks now (2018 models)?

A. None. Capless fuel tank filler necks were found to frequently leak gasoline fumes and make unsettling noises when ambient temperatures rose over 100 F (38 C).

B. Ford

C. Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Lincoln, RAM and perhaps other brands.

Answer below

Raised by parents whose parents grew up during the Great Depression, I was taught to not waste electricity. I learned to turn off and turn down electrical appliances. That is why I have always found blower motor resistors to be a bit unsettling. When I attempt to be frugal by turning down the AC/heat system fan in my old cars, all I do is transfer electrical current from the fan blower motor to a blower motor resistor that turns the current into waste heat. It is like virtuously saving that last piece of scrumptious pie, just so that your daughter can throw it out the window to a raccoon.

Blower motor resistor for older vehicle

Blower motor resistors on older vehicles (see photo) are simply coils of resistance wire. Turn down the speed of the blower motor fan, and the coils of wire on the blower motor resistor heat up. If the resistor wire burns out like an incandescent light bulb filament, then the blower motor may run at top speed because the resistor is no longer able to siphon off any current.

Over the last twenty years or so, the blower motor resistor fell under the control of computers and became known as the Blower Motor Control Module/Resistor. Computers improve efficiency by controlling duty cycles to regulate speed. The computer constantly rapidly turns on and off the blower motor. When I turn the fan speed switch down 50%, the computer switches ON the blower motor 50% less frequently and leaves it OFF 50% more frequently.

An engine would quickly wear out if a computer switched it from wide-open-throttle to closed throttle several times a second to control engine speed, but many electrical parts on the engine do not mind that constant ON/OFF treatment. Parts like fuel injectors are either ON or OFF and their output is controlled by how many seconds or milliseconds the computer turns them ON or OFF during set time intervals (duty cycles).

Modern blower motor control modules/resistors

Modern blower motor control modules/resistors (see photo) look dainty compared to the old coils of resistance wire. They typically still generate some waste heat but not nearly as much as the old blower motor resistor wire coils. I actually am saving a tiny amount of electricity (and the gasoline used to generate it) when I turn down the blower motor fan speed in modern cars.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

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

I am the proud owner of this ALL ORIGINAL 1978 Ford F100. It is a bare bones 302. No power steering or brakes with a "Three on the tree" shifter. It is very solid and reliable with a great patina that only Mother Nature could provide. It is a true survivor after 40 years. I love this truck just the way it is.

I recently started using RockAuto when I realized they had the same parts for my truck as those "Classic Restoration" retailers but at half the price! I have since purchased ignition parts, a temperature sender, interior parts and numerous electrical connectors.

My children were embarrassed to be seen in this truck at one time. That was until they started to see the all the "thumbs up" everywhere we went. Now they do not mind riding with me. I do not know if I will be around in another 40 years, but I am willing to bet that this truck will be!

Thanks for the excellent service!
Ty in Florida

Share Your Hard Work
Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to give you the opportunity to have your car or truck possibly featured in one (or occasionally more) of our publications such as the monthly newsletter, collector magnets, RockAuto social media or other commercial use. New, old, import, domestic, daily driver, trailer queen, classic, antique, we want to see them all! Please email flamur@RockAuto.com with your vehicle's history, interesting details, your favorite images (tips for taking pictures of your car) and what parts from RockAuto you have used.

Ford began installing capless fuel tanks about ten years ago. All you do is shove the gas station's fuel pump nozzle through a spring-loaded door in the fuel tank filler neck. What vehicle manufacturers are installing capless fuel tanks now (2018 models)?

A. None. Capless fuel tank filler necks were found to frequently leak gasoline fumes and make unsettling noises when ambient temperatures rose over 100 F (38 C).

B. Ford

Answer: C. Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Lincoln, RAM and perhaps other brands.

Back up to trivia question