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Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much.....
Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337932] Tue, 16 October 2018 17:50 Go to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
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Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
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Senior Member
For the recent overhaul, I purchased an Airtex 41566 pump (that is the one without a vapor bleed). Even though I did a 30 minute test run before we pulled the front subframe back in, I did not notice anything out of place.

When the coach was back on the road, we would often get a blast of gasoline fumes into the cab. At three different times, I fixed the three things that I was sure were the cause. Nope.....
We also developed an oil leak down by the filter. In an effort to identify that, I had my head in the right wheel well with the liner out after we returned from Amana. There seemed to be no reason for the oil leak, but that took an immediate second place to the fuel that was running down the side of the fuel pump. I replaced the pump. More about that later.

When we returned from the next excursion that was just as far east as Amana is west for us, I got out the sheaf of papers about the overhaul and contacted RockAuto about a warranty. The corespondent asked what vehicle it was installed in and like an honest fool, I wrote a 1973 GMC Transmode (from their listing, but maybe not how I ordered it). With that, he said that as that was not the application that Airtex lists for that number, he could not warranty it. (I was angry and annoyed.) The pump had been used for less than 1500 miles and that was maybe 25 hours total.

At that point, I contacted Airtex. My real intent was to get the Transmode listing into their catalog. It was here that I came on a very friendly shore. I explained to the contact there that the 41566 pump was THE Number for an engine driven pump for this family with 455 from '73 to some of '77. He also filled in that RockAuto is not a distributor and he didn't actually know where they got the Airtex pumps that they sold. The he volunteered to ship me a replacement 41566. I accepted and it arrived today. The defective pump is boxed up to go back as soon as I clear up some other shipping issues.

About the replacement. I live in striking range of NAPA's Tri-State warehouse, O'Reilly's Michigan and northern Ohio warehouse and Auto Value's local warehouse. Nobody had a 41566 version pump by any supplier. So, I got a 41567 (the one with the vent fitting) put a short hose and plug on it and screwed it in. Off we went for Albany (NY) with out fuel vapor, finally.

I now have the right 41566 pump next to the coach in the barn, and it will get installed, but I am going to cure the lube oil leak that is at the cooler adapter before anything else.

For those that might care, we are a little short of 3K on the engine and it is running better than it did and that is something to say. It pulls so much better with the cam Dick P recommended that I am now wondering if a 3.55 would be an improvement. Remember, this is a very light coach. I do not have a good read on fuel rate yet, but it seems to back in the low 9's where it was before #7 shed its rings.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337940 is a reply to message #337932] Tue, 16 October 2018 20:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
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Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
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It will be interesting to see what Airtex says and if its a knockoff. From what I have heard Rock has no physical inventory. Everything is drop shipped.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: [GMCnet] Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337941 is a reply to message #337940] Tue, 16 October 2018 22:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
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Location: Belmont, CA
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That is total BS that they would not warrenty the pump.
I don'y care how much torque you think you have. You need to be in that
curve and your barly in there with the 3.55. That is why the 3.70 are
selling 95% .

On Tue, Oct 16, 2018 at 6:49 PM John R. Lebetski
wrote:

> It will be interesting to see what Airtex says and if its a knockoff. From
> what I have heard Rock has no physical inventory. Everything is drop
> shipped.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
>
>
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337943 is a reply to message #337940] Wed, 17 October 2018 08:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
JohnL455 wrote on Tue, 16 October 2018 21:48
It will be interesting to see what Airtex says and if its a knockoff. From what I have heard Rock has no physical inventory. Everything is drop shipped.
John,

That is not completely accurate, RockAuto most often ships from three locations. In Fact I have had a single order ship parts of the order from all three. And some think Jimk's shipping is high?
In this case, the pump is not a knock-off. The essential die casting is from the same tooling and there was Airtex paper included.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: [GMCnet] Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337944 is a reply to message #337941] Wed, 17 October 2018 08:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
jimk wrote on Tue, 16 October 2018 23:40
That is total BS that they would not warrenty the pump.

I don'y care how much torque you think you have. You need to be in that curve and your barly in there with the 3.55. That is why the 3.70 are selling 95% .

Jim Kanomata
Jim,

I agree that RockAuto's failure to warranty the pump is BS, but Airtex has done their best.

I wrote,"It pulls so much better with the cam Dick P recommended that I am now wondering if a 3.55 would be an improvement."
Remember, this is a coach that tilts a scale at 9460#. Yes, highway road speed is still below the torque curve, but this cam makes the available torque at road speed acceptable. That is new. I am sure it would still not be all that good for a heavier coach.

What is really great is that the "sweet spot" for the engine used to be too fast for decent fuel consumption. It is now in the 60~65 range. When I get the oil cured (probably later today), I will have one sweet coach again.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337949 is a reply to message #337932] Wed, 17 October 2018 10:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
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Location: Hebron, Indiana
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Rock auto is an interesting operation, It is headquartered and completely staffed out of Madison Wisconsin. They own nothing else but run a big order taking operation out of there. They pay their employees well but the place is a hell hole to work in. Employees stick around because of the good money. Many stories online about CEO dressing down individual employees in front of others or groups in the open bull pen areas.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337957 is a reply to message #337932] Wed, 17 October 2018 19:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
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Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
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Senior Member
Ken, I'm told as well they are drop shippers and the local distributors for the products hold and ship the product. The confusing part is the packaging always has the Rockauto tape. Do they provide that to the distributor? I try to support local AP stores but some things I can find at Rock way cheaper. Problem was with one lost shipment and no human to talk to and no email reponses.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337970 is a reply to message #337957] Thu, 18 October 2018 03:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
I once ordered an item from Rock Auto that came back "out of stock". So I ordered it direct from Cardone for a couple of dollars more. Guess what, I received one from Rock Auto and one from Cardone. One had Rock Auto tape on the box and the other said Cardone. Both shipped from the same address and both arrived here on the same day.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337974 is a reply to message #337932] Thu, 18 October 2018 08:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jhbridges is currently offline  jhbridges   United States
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
Senior Member
Within a couple of miles, Advance, O'Riley's, AutoZone, Slack (local six store chain) 10 miles to the Genuine Parts (NAPA) home orifice and warehouse. Advance has so far replaced ever thing that wasn't right without question... or paper receipt. They know me there. Slack is a bunch of gray haired old poots who can get for you ANYthing although it costs a bit more. If you know any part number, the NAPA folks will walk back into the warehouse and bring one to the coubter... but it's expensive. I usually deal with Advnce. They have had some heartburn merging with CarQuest.

--johnny


Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons. Braselton, Ga. I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
Re: Airtex will help, Rockauto, not so much..... [message #337976 is a reply to message #337932] Thu, 18 October 2018 08:44 Go to previous message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
Senior Member
Well we have done a great job of hijacking Matt's fuel pump thread! That said Carquest parts I have bought have been good. Hi blower relay was made in USA and after getting several defective Gates 4 ear radiator caps for Corvette, (no spring on return valve) the SAME cap in a Carquest box was fine.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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