Poor Quality Parts - Please report your experience

[dalebrignall]

red rotor arm melting

[Matt]

Where are the PMs to give me the additional info guys?

[GBond]

Hello Matt, first of all I think it's great what you're doing and frankly I didn't think I'd be posting since so far my experience with suppliers has been good although I'm still in the restoration process so I cannot attest to the longevity of the parts.

I did have a bad experience just today with a "Full Engine Rebuild Gasket Kit". Most of the gaskets look pretty well and it came with a copper head gasket (only gripe about it is that it didn't have "TOP" stamped anywhere to indicate how it should be assembled, but I followed recommendations and went with copper side up).

On the kit came the eight little rubber o-rings that go in the valves; they looked a bit small but I managed to install them and now three days later five of the eight have broken.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Haven't contacted the supplier but I'll let them know when I make my next order.

My car is a 1970 pick-up with 1098 engine.

I'll PM the details right away.

[irmscher]

Matt its ok to pm you but shouldn't members be able to know where these faulty parts came from then they wont make a mistake ! .The only alternative is to pm you which doesn't seem fair as you are going to get bombarded with pm,s which is going to cause you hassle .I cant see what harm it would do to know where faulty parts are being supplied and save members trouble and wasted money

[Matt]

You know the answer and the reasons behind the PMs irmscher...

Unfortunately we can't do that on this forum. I have also said that I will not respond to PMs asking which suppliers supplied what (thats partly so I don't get in-undated!). This thread does, however, give an idea of what parts you need to be careful about.

Please also note the request in the first post that this thread isn't for general discussion about the parts etc, I have already deleted one or 2 posts not detailing problem parts. So no more about it on this thread please!

Presumably there's nothing to stop you PMing the authors of the posts that mention parts you're interested in.
Not fair to name suppliers as (I know its cliche) there will be times when its a genuine isolated incident.

[dunketh]

I've had issues with brake cylinders myself - namely the threads pulling out when I've done up either the nipples or hoses. Now I understand mechanical sympathy so I'm not going king-kong on my spanners. This sadly seems to be an issue with generic cheap pattern parts. I simply bought replacements and carried on.
Its not just a minor issue. You should see the panel fit on a set of Fiesta mk2 wings or front vallance - its like someone drew a picture of the car and faxed it to the press makers.

[Chipper]

I happened to chance across a NOS nearside bonnet hinge while having a sift through the garage last week, and was glad that I did, as upon checking the one on the car, not only was its chrome badly pitted, but it was also very stiff to operate.

So, off with the (only a few years) old Sri-Lankan part, and on with the new replacement.

The old one was impossible to open by hand, even with 3-in-1 oil liberally doused on both sides of the hinge pin - you had to use a large screwdriver to force it open.

It was digging into the bonnet as you tried opening it.

[beelzibus]

I'm putting together a complete nut and bolt resto on a pick up at the moment, and I've found a bunch of things not right.
I fail to see that a cloak and dagger secret crusade off forum will make any difference.
I'd like to know why this forum is so against naming names, after all if suppliers play ball, they have nothing to worry about, and those that persistently sell rubbish will have to get their act together or will lose sales.

[les]

Yes I agree but we've been here before, I've come across some real rubbish whilst doing my resto, one of the reasons I'll do no more. The trouble with this forum is the Terms and Conditions are strictly adhered to. There have been many folk challenging them here from time to time because of this terrible spares situation. Matt is compiling a list but as you say I don't know where it will get us, although as an aside at least he is privvy to which suppliers are involved. So he won't be shopping there! Matt volunteers this task so fair play to him but I don't see the rest of us ever being told which supplies are involved, so we will be non the wiser. I suppose we could pm the person who highlights a problem.

[Matt]

This isn't a post for discussion guys. And as before, if you don't PM me the other info (most people haven't) then the info here is useless.

As an aside, I have found a rubber company who make various classic car parts (including minor parts) called COH Baines. I have not bought anything from them, nor heard of anyone who has - so its not a recommendation. It may be worth a look if you are after rubber components though (engine mounts, bushes, windscreen rubbers etc) http://www.coh-baines.co.uk/pdfs/catalo ... ressed.pdf p.99 onwards really.

[les]

Matt not a point of discussion, but I have used baines a few times, and can say they are worth using if you need rubber, they are well established and make the product.

[Fingolfin]

Are we still doing this? Recently I purchased a new windshield wiper arm for my '59 two-door, because the original one no longer held the blade to the screen sufficiently. The new arm gave fantastic pressure -- but the hinged portion between the mounting socket and the arm proper was too tall, such that it fouled the bonnet when the bonnet was raised!

[bmcecosse]

Are the arms/blades correctly parked?

[Chipper]

Can't you just swap the spring over? I've previously fitted new springs to tired arms and transformed them.

[Fingolfin]

Definitely correctly parked -- and no springs on these! Springs only appeared on the post-'62 synchronized arms. This one is "correct" for my '59.

[Matt]

I will stick it on my list Fin - but you are only the 3rd person to message me any details...

Given the lack of support of this I think its probably a waste of time?

[irmscher]

I went on an American Minor site and one guy bought some door seal rubbers for his van from England and he couldn't shut his door after fitting them

[Chipper]

That's quite often the case with new door seals; you may well need to bend the mounting flange inwards using a mallet or similar.

[Matt]

Due to underwhelming interest - I see no point in carrying this forward.

Only 3 people supplied the info requested in 7 months. - so I can only conclude that the parts situation is not as bad as people make out.

Thank you very much to those who contributed.

I am un-stickying this and letting it die.