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OK to use RTV on a rubber gasket???--and Autozone Rocks!

diesel4me

diesel4me

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I'm having a disagreement with a friend over whether or not you should use RTV on a rubber gasket--the one peice one on the later small block oilpan.I say no problem.I've used it on the "smile"gaskets near the timing cover and the rear main as long as I can remember with no ill effects,friend claims it will make that gasket swell up like a balloon,and not to do it.I would rather eat lunch the rest of the week than spend 30 bucks for this gasket--the original is in good shape with the exception of a small tear near one corner that doesnt go all the way through--I hate to be cheap,but I'm about out of cash for this project,so I was hoping I could use some "Ultra Blue" permatex to save some dough.Anyone else do this and regretted it later??.
On another note--I was quoted over 100 bucks for a timing chain and gears,gasket set,an oil pump,new oil pump screen,and metal driveshaft for thr oil pump at a local "jobber" parts store---I went to the "Zone" and they had a cloyes timing set,melling oil pump and the screen and driveshaft,and timing cover gasket (all in stock! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif)for only 56 dollars and 54 cents!Plus a nice looking babe waited on me! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifand she actually seemed to know her stuff--I wonder if she's single! /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif--I could use someone like her to hand me wrenches and bring me beer!. /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif
You have to watch what they sell you at the "regular" parts stores--the one that wanted 100 bucks was going to sell me a timing cover gasket set with the sleeve for the balancer(and I know the counter guy,used to work with him,and I did say "Inexpensive as possible please",the exact same melling pump was 26 bucks(12.99 at the Zone),12 bucks for the shaft(5.99 at the Zone)and 25 for the timing gears(21 at the Zone,and they sold me a Cloyes,not tiwan crap!)--only 7.99 for the fel-pro timing cover gasket without the sleeve--my balancer had no groove,dont need it. I guess I know where I'm calling first from now on,it pays to shop around--the Zone isnt always the cheapest on brake parts for some reason though,but most of the time they blow the competition out of the water--none of the other "jobbers" used to worry about Autozone being a threat to their business,but they are pooping twinkies now-- /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Actually for real parts stores, the majority of their sales is commercial. They don't have to worry about Autozone being competition because in the commercial market, it is not. They rape the average joe for parts so they can protect their customer's sales margins, and while I disagree with that concept, I did work in that environment for quite some time. All I have to say is that people that own shops are crooks.

But as for parts for the average joe, you're damn right. There are very few parts that I wouldn't buy at Autozone, the majority of their stuff is big brand names at lower prices than you'd find anywhere else. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

Get a new oil pan gasket, and get the Fel-Pro 1 piece. It's expensive but it's worth it.
 
ya I realized auto zone rocked when I went to schucks to get a front axle U-joint...they wanted 60 bucks for one /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif I said, no I dont need one made of solid gold!! so I went to the zone....14.99 for the same bruteforce joint!! same thing with bearings for the front they where about half as much for everything as opposed to Schucks...who also didnt even have them in stock?!?
 
Should have went to knechts they have it all in stock and cheaper. Dunno why I'm plugging them, i haven't work there is 5 months yet i went to the shmucks here and they had no idea on anything I wnated so I'm making a list to take back to Eugene this weekend to get it all at my old store and no sales tax,LOL
 
Well--no burgers on the grill tonite,or the rest of the week /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif--guess I will have to fast and get the oilpan gasket.
I worked in several parts stores in the past,spent nearly 20 years behind the counter,mixing paint,selling parts and body shop supplies--one of the things I hated the most was the fact that you had to change the price according to who walked in the door,or called in--one shop gets the "good" price on exhaust,because they buy all of it from us,the other shop gets a differnt discount because the owner owes us lots of money,and isnt a loyal customer--and the housewife that strolls in to buy a part for her average joe husband gets charged nearly list price--all this drove me nuts,sometimes a woman would call in and I'd quote her prices,then the owner of the shop would call up screaming that I was taking advantage of his mother/sister/aunt because he called and got a lower price----- /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif.
The Autozone here is now delivering to commercial accounts,have been for some time now,I notice that they have a separate independent contractor delivering their parts in unmarked trucks(I have been tempted to get a job driving one,they are looking for part time help)so the stranglehold the "jobber"stores had is loosening--I am willing to bet some of them will go out of business--the place I worked at was in business over 30 years--they closed last summer,mostly because Autozone was right around the corner.I suspect the place I got the higher price quotes from does this as a rule to help stay in business,and hope you dont know any better.They are 500 ft from Autozone too,and a large Pep Boys is right down the street a mile away(they dont seem to be selling very much stuff,unless scooters and mini-bikes count,hardly anyone in there when I go there,phone doesnt ring much--but Autozone's is always ringing,and plenty of customers.I'd almost consider working for them,because I know one guy that I worked with that was there for 5 years,they treated him better than where we worked before,better benifits,more $$$,and you dont handle he cash--its smart of the Zone to have the casheirs separate from the parts counter--I hated ringing up sales and making change--like you didnt have enough numbers to remember! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif.Dont know if I could get much done with that nice looking countergirl standing next to me though(Drool! /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif).The guy who used to work at the Zone I know just returned from afganistan,been there 18 months(national gaurd)and he's going to Iraq in november--hope he comes back again... /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif /forums/images/graemlins/usaflag.gif
 
Yeah I used to go to that Eugene Knecht's now and then. Wasn't there one on main st in Springfield too? All I know now is that I'm happy to not have to drive and hour to Eugene/Springfield to get parts. There's no Knecht's up here, Autozones are few and far between, and Napa and Schucks will give me a military discount and tax exempt sales are hassle free at Shucks. And they are on EVERY freakin corner around here.
 
I know that Autozone has commercial, I used to work there. It's not a seperate independant contractor, it's their own employees, just without name tags and with an unmarked truck. This is because the customers are of course going to rape their customers for the parts and this effort is an attempt for them not to know where the parts come from.

However, there is an entire aspect of the commercial business that Autozone doesn't seem to grasp. One of them is stocking parts. They don't hire someone to go out into the field and get people to stock parts in their shops. This is frustrating for them because every time they need a hose clamp, some fuel hose, etc., they have to call and order it, or call and order their stocking stuff themself. Also, Autozone doesn't carry commercially packaged supplies like this, so they pay more for it to get it in a blister pack like a DIY guy does.

Automotive jobbers will never disappear completely because big companies like Autozone don't understand the SERVICE side of the business, and simply sell price.

Selling price is all fine and dandy to walk-in customers, that is the best way to keep them coming back. Unfortunately for them, shops care far less about the price because they're raping their customers for parts anyway, and far more about the service they recieve when say they have a defective part in the box and have to put in a labor claim, or they need an oddball part in a hurry, etc.

One day, dateline or something will do a story on how much parts stores mark down parts for certain customers and the ridicioulous markup that they are making on parts and that aspect will be gone forever. I can't wait....because it's a pathetic way to do business if you ask me.

Autozone is a great business but will never put the jobbers out of business. There's so much that you don't know, that you only see on the outside. Having worked for Autozone and a "jobber" type store (Carquest) I can honestly say that I buy a lot of stuff at Autozone, but I know when it's time to go to Napa or Carquest.

Like my hydraulic fittings I bought today. No way in hell Autozone would have them. Napa was able to order them for me though. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
You guys must have a different version of Autozone. The one here really sucks bad. Half of the parts people suck, they are understaffed, rude, and have little dick problems. I hate going there and will wait untill Monday when the Napa opens up.
 
dont buy the fel-pro ones, get the engine seal gaskets, they are made by fel-pro, and are the same exact thing and alot cheaper, well at least the 1 piece oilpan gasket is the same
 
Autozone sell this "Engine Seal" gasket?? /forums/images/graemlins/ears.gif.I have to button this motor up and get it in today,as soon as I eat breakfast I'm headed out to get the pan gasket and radiator hoses and all the other junk like hose clamps and stuff,I should have gotten it done yesterday,but once my butt is planted in front of the computer,the day flies by,and I get little done(dam you CK5 /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif).I did manage to get the timing gears and chain in,and the oil pump screen into the new pump without wrecking it--God I hate that stupid "hammer the pipe in the oil pump"design--why cant it just bolt on like many others??.I have nightmares of that screen vibrating out and dropping to the bottom of the pan,and losing oil pressure- /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif.I put some locktite on it for good luck,I've seen guys take the pump cover off and braze it on,but I dont think a high precision part like the oil pump should be heated up that hot--I dont see how it wouldnt warp it.Might be a good place to use J-B Weld,but I have done all I am going to do with it--it goes in today or I stay home all labor day weekend,and I may have to move the motor mount pads around in the frame to get the V8 in there,that might take all day tomorrow--then I get to see if the y-pipe I sawsalled from the van and arc welded back together will work on my truck--if not its dual exhaust time. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I think its true that Autozone will never replace the "real" parts stores--but they have given the ones in my area a run for their money,and have taken quite a chunk of their profits away,not such a bad thing really--some of them had a real "attitude problem"when it came to the regular walk in "Joe's"--now they arent so cocky,they know that people wont stand for that now that they have some competition,and I noticed they have lowered their prices too,so they wont be twiddleing their thumbs all day--.Things like custom hydraulic hoses,fittings,and exhaust(the Zone doesnt really sell much exhaust,they special order most of it /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif)and machine shop services and paint and body shop supplies are what will keep the other stores like Napa around. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Selling price is all fine and dandy to walk-in customers, that is the best way to keep them coming back. Unfortunately for them, shops care far less about the price because they're raping their customers for parts anyway, and far more about the service they recieve when say they have a defective part in the box and have to put in a labor claim, or they need an oddball part in a hurry, etc.

One day, dateline or something will do a story on how much parts stores mark down parts for certain customers and the ridicioulous markup that they are making on parts and that aspect will be gone forever. I can't wait....because it's a pathetic way to do business if you ask me.



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And how many repair shops have you owned and operated? /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
Yep it's true shops get parts cheaper than most and yep they do mark them up, generaly in the neighborhood of 100%, some even more.
That's the nature of the repair business. Dateline doing a story on it. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
Generaly the labor rate for a shop will cover the overhead, selling parts is where they make a profit, which is why most shops won't let ya bring in your own parts.
I agree that the price ya pay at a shop is steep but I wouldn't call it raping them.
It is a service ya pay for just like any other.
 
You just roll your eyes because that's the way it has been forever.

One day the business will no longer tolerate a markup for picking up the phone and ordering a part and the market value of a part will be the same for everyone.

I call it raping your customers. A thermostat is not $18 for ANYONE to buy yet shops buy it for $5 and mark it up to $18 for the thermostat and $5 for a gasket that costs them 69 cents.

Sorry buddy, but one day customers will wake up and realize this is an unacceptable, deceptive business practice that needs to go.

One guy I used to work with used to tell me to sell more expensive parts by telling a customer, "You make more money selling your customer this part." /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

One day the business will no longer bear this, and the price will be the same for everybody. Thank god Autozone is the pioneer of a parts store that sells the same part to anybody for the same price.
 
Every business that sells something marks the price up. In order to run a business it takes money. Insurance, tools, workers, taxes, etc. are not cheap. In order to keep the doors open and to make a profit they have to charge more for parts. If a business doesnt make a profit on stuff they sell they wont be open for long.

And no, Autozone does not give the same price to everyone. They mark the price down for commercial customers on some parts too. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Every business that sells something marks the price up. In order to run a business it takes money. Insurance, tools, workers, taxes, etc. are not cheap. In order to keep the doors open and to make a profit they have to charge more for parts. If a business doesnt make a profit on stuff they sell they wont be open for long.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are not in the business of selling parts, they are selling the service to repair your car.

Once customers realize this, it is only a matter of time before it's no longer an acceptable business practice.

Back in the day when they'd stock parts at the shops I can understand the, "Stocking dealer" concept. But now they keep no inventory, the order only the parts they need usually, and thus it costs them nothing to pick up the phone and order parts and I think it's total crap that they are able to double or even triple the price of the parts that they sell to the customers.

Typically all this means is that they're putting the crappiest parts on the market on your car and charging you a premium price.

This, in my opinion, is unacceptable.

Whether you agree with me or not is fine.


[ QUOTE ]
And no, Autozone does not give the same price to everyone. They mark the price down for commercial customers on some parts too. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

1-3%, and it's not based on sales volume, it's based on what part it is.

Everyone pays essentially the same price at autozone.
 
[ QUOTE ]
They are not in the business of selling parts, they are selling the service to repair your car.

[/ QUOTE ]

They ARE in the business of selling parts. Otherwise they would tell customers to bring their own parts.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They are not in the business of selling parts, they are selling the service to repair your car.

[/ QUOTE ]

They ARE in the business of selling parts. Otherwise they would tell customers to bring their own parts.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've gone back and forth on this repeatedly and I refuse to continue this discussion. You believe what you want, and I'll believe what I want.
 
Too late for me to tack weld the oil pump pickup--and I dont have a mig welder anyway--I fought until 1 am to get the motor in the truck--first the motor mount pads had to be moved to the other set of holes in the frame /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif--the worst bolts to get at on the whole rig if you ask me--lower the motor back in--one mount lines right up,drivers side the bolt misses the hole completely,it went in betwwen the rubber part of the mount,I didnt notice this until after I fought the tranny for a half hour and got 1 bolt in the bellhousing--out comes the motor AGAIN! /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif--the only thing I could think of was the motor was from a van,and maybe the plates on the block were weird(I had problems doing the swap in my van due to theese plates being "van only)--so I go out to the shed with a flashlight,find the old plates off the 73 chevelle motor that now is in my van,almost got sprayed by a skunk I suprised on the way back to the shop! /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gifbolt them to the block(nothing like working on a motor from under the truck,while it swings over your head like the sword of damacles--at this point I was almost hoping it would crush my retarded skull for doing this stupid motor swap!.Lower the motor back in again--ahhhh,the bolts FINALLY line up and go in! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif--now on to the bellhousing bolts--the tranny is still a good inch away from the motor--now WTF??.I dicover the tranny mount is separated,oil soaked,so basically I had to pick the tranny up while lying on my back and literally shove it foreward,the driveshaft was about the only thing holding it in--at last I got the 6 bell bolts in,by then it was 1 am,now I still have to do the converter bolts,exhaust,starter radiator,hoses,wires(some wont reach,that sucks)and all the other assorted PITA things before I can see if it will ever run again--I'll tell ya this,when your 46 it kicks the snot out of ya doing a motor swap,you dont recover as quickly as you did in your 20's and 30's--I dont know how anyone could do this on a daily basis for a living(or who would want to).So at least my "Duncan Yo-Yo-305 is sitting in the truck,and bolted to the tranny--if I can still walk I will get back on it today--my labor day plans may have to be revised,or cancelled alltogetger,as this has taken far longer than expected.
Hey 86 Chevy Banshee--thanks for the tip on the engineseal gasket--it saved me 12 bucks!!I was actually able to eat lunch yesterday thanks to you! /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif(the gasket looked fine to me,and it is made by fel-pro.It didnt say NOT to use any RTV on it,so I spread a thin layer on both sides.By the way nobody ever did tell me if it was OK to use it or not!(My original question! /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif)
Ok,now we can stop arguing about how Autozone rocks! /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif I know one thing--I'll be going there more than the other parts stores,if for nothing else,to see that good looking "counterbabe"! /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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