My first professional experience with crap aftermarket parts was in the early 80's. I was a young technician at a local Exxon station that was high-volume, fast paced and we did everything there short of body and paint work. We had a good reputation and worked on everything that rolled in the door.

I distinctly remember a Ford Fairmont or similar model being towed in for a no-start. The car was fairly new and low mileage but the customer wanted us to look at it instead of the local ford dealer. So I go out, it cranks but no fire. I do some basic diag and determine that the ignition module had failed. This was a Ford EEC III ignition system that still utilized a distributor but had a separate module mounted on the inner fender for control.

So we priced one from Ford and one from NAPA in their 'gold line'. Of course NAPA's was significantly cheaper. My boss called and gave the customer the option and of course they choose the NAPA unit.

I install it, it runs. Then we follow through with the upsell of cap /rotor/ plugs, oil change, filters to bring the maintenance up to par. I test drive it, runs like it's supposed to. They pick it up and everyone is happy ……………….for a while.

About 2 weeks later, customer calls and says the car is hard to start when hot or hot soak when parked then re-started. So they bring it back, I do the hot soak and sure enough upon cranking the ignition is over-advancing and 'fighting' itself on the crank portion. So I check the base timing and was in spec, I test drive again and no evidence of over advanced timing under acceleration. So the situation was only during cranking and with those you could not rotate the distributor, it had a lock tab on the housing that coincided with the hold down clamp.

I ask the customer if they had changed type of gas or went to low grade, they said 'no'.

I then talk to our NAPA parts guy asked if he would give me another, that something was clearly wrong with the timing 'map' and the customer was complaining. He reluctantly agrees, as I'm sure he was going to eat it but we did a LOT of business with them.

I install it, repeat test and sure enough same thing. Now I'm frustrated, unhappy, the customer as well ..............I do not know how to move forward. I'm convinced the module is the problem but can't really explain why. Somehow I get my hands on EEC III tech troubleshooting / wire diagram for that ignition. And this is what I discovered.

There is a yellow or orange wire that goes into the module that only has current during cranking. The purpose? To retard the ignition 10 degrees during cranking...………………………………………………………….

So I connect an ohm meter between that (disconnected from the harness) to ground and have "0" continuity. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm………………………………:mad:

Short version: I convince my boss to get a ford unit, install it and of course fixes the hot soak / crank issue. I eat the labor, my boss eats the part. We give the customer their car back and all is right with the world...……..except I want to know why the aftermarket module has an open on that circuit.

We kept the NAPA unit and I started the CSI by scraping the black gel stuff from the back of the module to expose the circuit board. I found the yellow or orange wire went through the module was with the others but was 'looped' inside the unit and not connected to anything...…………………………………………………………...:o

There was no retard circuit inside...……………………….

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1583425555.jpg

I have gotten bad reman Bosch starters more than once. Would have saved me a LOT of time if I just had someone competent rebuild the OE one from The Fatherland when VW screwed it together in the first place.

Oh yeah, never buy a starter for a Honda from anyone but the dealer. It is not that much of a PITA to swap them out, but doing it 3-4 times is a bit frustrating.

I would have backed my truck in and loaded my tools up johnny on the spot . fk that .

Or alternators. I had a similar fiasco with an advance auto parts alternator for a crv

Yeah, after the starter fiasco on my best friend's son's car, when the alternator went, he told his son he would kick him square in the nuts if he got one at Vatozone instead of the dealership.

"Dad, it is $100 more."

"How much does a 10 speed bike cost?"

We're having a serious issue with Re-Man parts on industrial engines. We are now taking our parts to rebuilders with excellent reputations and doing them direct. And surprising, the price is lower.

On heads, we can order them with any level of valves we'd like. We prefer the more stout valves which last longer, allowing longer intervals between top end overhauls.

The OEM heads failed valves at 10K hours. Primary cause seems to be not correctly grinding the valve seats, not checking for concentricity and not checking the heads for sealing/leak down. Oh and general cleanliness! The heads were not properly hot tanked and cleaned before re-building. By the OEM!

There're a lot of Chinese knockoffs on Amazon, Marketplace in particular. Not surprising given 50% of the sellers there are popup storefronts based in China.

I only buy the cheap 10-20$ non precision automotive stuff there. For the higher valued parts such as your client's purchase, I would go with a reputable retailer, plenty of those around online or local.

Amazon Marketplace has gotten bad press on this but unfortunately most folks are not aware of these gotchas. Most probably think they are buying from Amazon itself.

I always buy the best parts I can find for my cars...
I do my own maintenance and my labor is free and I'd rather do it once and never have to revisit the same issue again.

Plus I loathe the idea of supporting a manufacturer who's one goal is to crush their Western competitors by reducing quality & cost.
I would rather pay a lot more for a genuine part than a buy a knock off that was made somewhere in Asia. (I love Asians but they like making cheap junk)

A "local B&M" genuine part = $350
On line made in CHINA knock off = $270 (plus shipping?)

For the sake of $80 is it really worth the hassle of not knowing how good the part is?

This. Reman stuff is even worse. Reman Bosch alternator for my s600-its a ***** to get to, under the car, unbolt sway arm etc. Lasted all of a week and died while my s/o was miles from home.

It was purchased through a national chain but reman in Mexico. A third the price of new from Bosch but I didn't screw around twice.

ok, so far we have China, and Mexico...

anybody want to try for the trifecta here?

the winner will receive a POS made in _________

You guys do know that you can get OEM parts from places other than the dealer, right? We sell OE Denso parts.

Now, if I had to change a compressor on a 2000+ GM truck/suv, I would not use an OE compressor. Denso did not pin the valve plates and that's why one day they work and the next they don't, but leave you with a clean system. Hodyon made a damned good 10S17, so does Global Parts Dist.

If I'm replacing a a Denso radiator, I'm buying a Koyo.

Some aftermarket parts are better than OE.

that is why I like pick&pull yards
original parts

Yeah Matt, when I replaced my plastic end tank rad in the Miata, used an aluminum one that is superior in every way. Better design, better construction and increased my coolant capacity by like 40 or 50%

Yep...

At this point you have to analyze every part you buy
I buy more from the dealer then ever and thats no guarantee either
Original Porsche parts are coming from China and India

All true but you'd think they'd be of a better quality if they're sold as legit Porsche parts.

WOW, just W-O-W. ::::smh::::

Since the Porsche dealer charges over $800/ hr shop rate, they do not want those cars coming back due to Chinese or Indian knock-offs. That is the logic behind buying out of the factory supply network. And don't confuse 'OEM Supplier' parts with genuine Porsche parts. As I said, I bought 'OEM Supplier' tire pressure sensors from Pelican, and they were TOTALLY different from the factory sensors. Only the factory sensors worked as they should. I ate the parts cost and labor to re-do the tires (mount and balance) a second time. Lesson re-learned.

On our way to Florida to bring back a boat my friend purchased, the fuel pump stopped working around Beckley W. Virginia
The pick up was towed to the towing co./scrap yard. They replaced fuel pump with an aftermarket replacement
We left but the fuel gauge was showing empty. We filled tank but no change. We turned around and had to wait another 3 hours to have defective fuel pump replaced.
GM fuel pumps on a 3500 aren't easy to change.
A year later the fuel pump went again. It was replaced with a factory pump.

Modern in-tank fuel pumps are generally rubbish... The only time I ever got stranded in my VW Golf VR6 is when the fuel pump failed. Bashed it a few times to get it started so I could get home. Spent $600 on a new genuine VDO. (VW OEM) Well worth it IMO.