Cascade Crew

chevymad · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:33 pm Post subject: A little story about NEW parts

The lesson here is.. because its new does NOT mean its good.

Here's the story.

I've been working on a 91 chrysler minivan off and on for about 6months now. The van came in with an intermittant no start issue. Looked it over and installed a cam sensor.. Van came back a week later. Our new scan tool didnt give crank or cam sensor data, so kinda shooting in the dark here at first.. The way it acted I thought cam sensor, but thought I'd try a crank this time. And again the van came back..

This time I dig out our old OTC scanner thats about the same vintage as the van. This does show cam and crank sensor. I figure out that when it doesnt start the cam sensor isnt showing a signal. Trace everything around.. do multimeter checks.. etc. Can't be the new cam sensor.. Wires appear to be good, so I put in an ecm.. I mean its one the other right? This time we get a call and the battery is dead.

Old battery in the car.. replace it and check charging system and for a draw. Everything looks good.. Off it goes again..

And it returns.. Still no sign of a draw or anything else wrong. New battery tests bad again Sad

So replace under warranty.. van goes away.. and comes back again..

Now I install a battery disconnect, because I know something has to be causing a draw at some point. Disconnecting the battery keeps it from discharging.. Great.. I'm right.. there's a draw somewhere.. but it won't show while in the shop.

Now my ammeter is inline and only 10 amp.. so I have to shut the car off and then install it between the battery cable and battery to check a draw. Doing this always showed 0 amp draw. But now with the disconnect inline.. I can hook the meter to the 2 pieces and disconnect without breaking the circuit. Doing this I find out that after you start the van once and then shut it off, the new ECM continues to draw power!! SOB! Replace the new ECM under warranty.. no more draw.. Battery doesnt go dead anymore! Yaaa!

Then the van returns.. cranks no start again. Sad

Check it over.. still no cam signal when it doesnt start. As soon as there is one it fires right off. Disconnecting the cam sensor and reconnecting with the key on allows it to start again!? Hook the scope directly to the sensor wires.. both at the ecm and at the sensor. No signal, no start. Disconnect/reconnect and signal returns. So I install another new sensor. It's even worse. Sad

Grasping at straws I run all new wires between the ecm and the cam sensor. No change. Now I'm completely stumped.

So I call Napatech. Notice.. I said NAPA tech.. He starts in and i've done all the things he's telling me to do allready. Then he says, "I can't name brands, but we've had trouble with aftermarket sensors" I say, well I installed 2 new NAPA sensors from different lines.. and here's the kicker..

"Yes, you need to buy a higher quality sensor" WTF? LOL the napa guy is telling me to buy a better sensor then napas!!

At this point we figure wth.. and order a new sensor from dodge. Sucker starts right up every time. I'm not sure whether I'm happy or pissed.

91RSVert · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:08 pm Post subject:

I feel your pain. My dad had same problem with aftermarket fuel pumps on his 86 Monte. Finally went back with a GM one and had it for years, sold the car with it still pump.

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:15 pm Post subject:

It's a chronic problem with all kinds of mass-produced stuff.

Hell just today at work I was installing wall heaters and one would get hot but the fan wouldn't come on. I pulled it back out and went through all my wiring again; all perfect. Took the assembly apart and found the brand new fan motor just out of the box from China burnt to a crisp.

No idea if it blew in QA and they just said f*** it and threw it in the box or what. It always kills me to burn hours fixing something someone else was too cheap to do right.

IROCDave · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject:

The NAPA store owner at Thrashers corner told me that NAPA is moving towards the cheapest parts possible. He made a couple of comments about Al's / Scucks / Oriely's being the high end over priced store now. I felt sick after he said that. If you purchase anything with a NAPA logo on it, look where it was made.

Sad, just friggin sad.

IROCDave · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:09 pm Post subject:

DBL_TKE · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject:

I see this kind of thing happen all the time at the dealership if the customer doesn't want to pay for OEM parts and we install aftermarket stuff. Seems to cause more problems than it fixes. Heck, I replaced my knock sensor with one from O'Reiley's. I normally use only AC Delco electrical parts but our parts dept. was closed. I still threw it in yet still got a knock sensor code. I tested the new sensor and it turns out it was bad out of the box. Lesson learned. I'm done cheaping out on parts. I save the money and spend the extra dough on the good stuff and I haven't been disappointed yet.

iansane · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:09 pm Post subject:

izcain · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:47 am Post subject:

IROCDave · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:25 pm Post subject:

I learned this along time ago, if it's your daily driver buy the same part that your vehicle originaly came with. I dont know how many " lifetime warranty" rebuilt water pumps, alternators and I starters I had to swap out in the rain, snow, at night, in a parking lot so that I could get to work the next day.
Think about it, the stock parts usually last 100K + miles. There are exceptions to the rule, but normally factory parts last alot longer than aftermarket.