Cautionary Rock Auto engine sensor tale

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gdonovan

gdonovan

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Long story short- I beat my head against the wall on my '98 Dodge Ram for the past two weeks due to the fact I got defective crank/cam sensors from Rock Auto.

I would suggest anyone who is considering purchasing sensors from them to either get them from Mopar or at least a local store where you have some recourse. Rock Auto is giving me crap since they were installed (of course I installed them fool, that's what the were purchased for!) and states they have to send the back to the manufacture for testing before they will issue a refund.

Care to guess how that is going to go? I don't expect to get my money back.

Truck banged and popped and pinged like crazy until the Standard sensors was pulled and a Mopar ones installed in their place. You field techs know what a ***** it is to change on a hot engine, I had to do it twice this week chasing the problem.

My buddies who are still dealer techs told me there have been a rash of drivability problems related to aftermarket sensors, so its not an isolated event.

We had the truck on a scope, pulled the intake and changed the belly pan, swapped out coil, cap, rotor, wires and TPS with known good units, borrowed a DRB-III to make sure the distributor sync was set, checked the grounds all to no effect till Mopar ones were installed.

I'm not saying to not buy from Rock Auto but I'm damn sure saying I'd not buy anything electrical, sensors in particular for sure. And every time they will say the same thing- Well looking at our sales history we sold "x amount" and no one complained. They said the same thing when they sent a junk O2 sensor a few months ago.

Well guess what bub, I got the junk ones and it laid up my truck for two weeks. It cost me money have to rent a truck for a job.

I'll keep you posted as to what they report, the sensors went out yesterday for return.

PS they were not the bottom of the barrel sensors either but the more expensive premium brand name units. Fool me once...

PPS The phone jockey at RA also indicated that "of course the dealership techs would say Mopar is better" but could not explain why the truck runs now. I have worked with both before I retired and known both over 2 decades. If they say they are seeing a lot of problems with aftermarket sensors you can take that to the bank.
 
I got a couple of bad Crank Position Sensors from Autozone. I suspect they are from the same manufacturer. I was trouble shooting a Neon for a couple weeks, we even took it into the dealer and they couldn't figure it out. Then I decided to buy a Mopar sensor, and it solved the problem (Check Engine Code P0339). I am buying all sensors from the dealer from now on.
 
Even NAPA cam sensor for F-250 Diesel was a problem.. .Agreed-buy cam sensor from the manufacturer.
 
I read MANY posts on line about anything but OEM not working for my wife's PT before we had one replaced.

I told this to my shop owner friend, who swore his would be fine.

It lasted less than a week, and the second one less than two days.

Bought a Mopar one, and is still fine 10K miles later.

How can they still make/sell these if they don't last a week?????
 
check the ohms across the pins and disconnect the battery before installing.
 
rays266 said:
check the ohms across the pins and disconnect the battery before installing.
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Would not make a difference. The 2 sensors were initially changed since it had a skip at hot idle and it would throw a code for cam/crank sensor. Both were replaced since they are not excessively expensive and had 157k on them. The tune up parts were done in the fall as a routine service, everything else was done as process of elimination to try and narrow down the problem. The real problem was the skip/stall at hot idle was gone but replaced with a new issue that wasn't there before the truck was pulled into the work bay. So are you dealing with a defective part or a new issue that was being masked by the old one? The new part was in compliance at idle (where the initial issue was) but anything over 2000-3000 rpm while under load would ping, pop and backfire like a bad coil or lean condition. Checking fuel pressure and watching the O2 datastream while the problem was happening eliminated fuel as a possibility.
 
You would think that the government would get involved with the quality control of these items since they are the ones who are so concerned about emissions and global warming.
I would get the E.P.A. after the manufacturer's ***......
Tell them you're saving up for a Prius and hate to pollute more than possible now you can't sleep at night knowing you caused extra pollution to the environment with inferior replacement parts.
Then pen a letter to Obama stating the same thing.
Results are guaranteed.
 
I think most good mechanics will tell you to only install factory/OE sensors in new cars. The quality of aftermarket parts as we all know has drastically decreased recently. The new sensors are too sensitive or exact to allow for the variance of cheap manufacturing.
 
joeboy said:
I think most good mechanics will tell you to only install factory/OE sensors in new cars. The quality of aftermarket parts as we all know has drastically decreased recently. The new sensors are too sensitive or exact to allow for the variance of cheap manufacturing.
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1) We are talking a 1998 vintage truck here, what happens when Mopar stops selling the crank sensor?

2) I have been in the field for decades, (recently retired from pulling wrenches thank God) and I have never seen it this bad. It seems more and more corners are being cut and the market is getting flooded with junk parts.
 
96 ram 5.2l I got a code for a crank sensor so because it has over 160k on it I changed it out with a premium O'reileys one. after that truck would just randomly die while driving down the road. New codes came up for cam sensor so changed that but still died. so finally put the original crank sensor back in and for the last month has been fine. I need to take the crank sensor back to see if I can get a refund. So I agree that there are bad sensors right ou of the box. drove me crazy for a while.
 
gdonovan said:
1) We are talking a 1998 vintage truck here, what happens when Mopar stops selling the crank sensor?

2) I have been in the field for decades, (recently retired from pulling wrenches thank God) and I have never seen it this bad. It seems more and more corners are being cut and the market is getting flooded with junk parts.
Click to expand...

I agree it is worse than it's been before, that's why a lot of shops won't install the other stuff, to high of a chance of a return and a upset customer. Maybe the increase in OE parts sales due to aftermarket crap will keep stuff in production longer... I still have a 90 1500 chevy I need parts for, so I hope so...
 
Brace yourselves folks..........It's not just in the automotive field. It's bad in the Heat and Air business also. I've lost tons of money and time eating the labor on replacing defective crap that was sold under a brand name that used to sell good products. Most of it is from china. We've had defects on parts in new equipment that we never had happen before, and I have to eat the labor because the warranty only gives us a new part.
 
A large part of this issue is that the suppliers are buying counterfeit parts and not even realizing it.
 
abodyjoe said:
i don't know..a lot of them would say the same as rock auto in this area.
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Not around here- Autozone or Advance will hand you another or refund with no questions asked.
 
65cuda360 said:
Brace yourselves folks..........It's not just in the automotive field. It's bad in the Heat and Air business also.
Click to expand...

I have noticed this too, everyone is cutting corners in an attempt to stay in business. Squeezed by government regulations and mandates on one side and China & India on the other. Just read an article this morning how government regulations are running all the long haul truckers out of business which is madness since 70% of our goods come on trucks!
 
gdonovan said:
I have noticed this too, everyone is cutting corners in an attempt to stay in business. Squeezed by government regulations and mandates on one side and China & India on the other. Just read an article this morning how government regulations are running all the long haul truckers out of business which is madness since 70% of our goods come on trucks!
Click to expand...
Another aspect of the problem is that after NAFTA they are allowing trucks from Mexico on U.S. highways without having to be compliant with U.S. inspections or standards.:wack:
 
Back in the mid 90's, my mother in law passed and we got her Lincoln Town Car. The ignition module crapped out on it and replaced it with one from a local parts dealer. It didn't last long, and being an electrical part, no return/no help. Went through this drill a couple of times, and a buddy of mine, who was a fleet mechanic, suggested going to Ford and getting a Motorcraft module. Problem solved. Ever since, OEM only on sensors, etc.

P.S. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR it's cold here!!
 
It may surprise many of you, but the OEM does not make most of their parts. Standard, BWD and especially Wells(Autozone) manufacture the sensors and switches found on your vehicles. I've opened many boxes and found where the OEM numbers are machined off as not to violate any copyright laws. No question the quality of parts has taken a nose dive on the slow boat from China. I also sell OEM AC Delco and Motorcraft parts and have seen the defect rate increase there also. Read the package on the OEM parts and see how few made in USA partsyou can find.
As for Rock Auto, they have their uses in parts world. I've picked up a few items in clearance real cheap and the bonus being they are almost always old bought up inventory that were made in the USA. But if you have a vehicle down, why would anyone buy from them and wait a day or three to get your part. Buy it locally, either at the dealer or parts store and get back on the road in a few hours (unless you get a defective part! GRRRRR!)
 
weebull said:
It may surprise many of you, but the OEM does not make most of their parts. Standard, BWD and especially Wells(Autozone) manufacture the sensors and switches found on your vehicles. I've opened many boxes and found where the OEM numbers are machined off as not to violate any copyright laws. No question the quality of parts has taken a nose dive on the slow boat from China. I also sell OEM AC Delco and Motorcraft parts and have seen the defect rate increase there also. Read the package on the OEM parts and see how few made in USA partsyou can find.
As for Rock Auto, they have their uses in parts world. I've picked up a few items in clearance real cheap and the bonus being they are almost always old bought up inventory that were made in the USA. But if you have a vehicle down, why would anyone buy from them and wait a day or three to get your part. Buy it locally, either at the dealer or parts store and get back on the road in a few hours (unless you get a defective part! GRRRRR!)
Click to expand...

Being in parts since 1996,wholeheartedly agree. As a ex Auto zone commercial manager,Wells and Borg Warner,seemed the same side by side(2010). GM sold A.C. Delco,a decade ago(as well as Delphi). Sold three A.C.Delco long blocks,two came back under warranty. It's just not the same anymore.
 
I've had good service from rock auto with my 97 LHS. Got an EGR valve that the transducer melted the first time I started the car after installation. I emailed RA about the problem and asked what to do. They sent me labels for shipping it back to them, and I had a refund after a week. I never talked to anyone and was leery about being out $80, but everything turned out fine. I'm sure they are not perfect but my experiences have been positive.
 
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