To the parts store, and another, and another, and another....

grouch

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I've got an old F-150 I'm tinkering with. I've got it running decent but still pretty rough and it's pulling 10 inches of vacuum. The PO had replaced the valve cover gaskets and when he put it back together, it ran really bad. I knew that going in. Trying to pull the upper intake plenum off, I've been stumped by not being able to get a T40 Torx in there. I pulled the EGR and throttle body assembly off to get better access and the join between the plenum and throttle body is soaked in oil. Evidently, he sprayed WD-40 to see if it would make a difference in how it runs.

No problem. A quick trip to the parts store for a couple of gaskets and I'll reassemble it to see if new gaskets work. While the parts guy was getting the gaskets, I went back to the sealant aisle to get some spray copper gasket sealant. I use it on metal to metal joins as it will flex enough to seal and still allow thermal expansion. All the national chains have stores within about 5 blocks of each other. None of them even carry it. I then went to a couple of old time parts stores that deal in racing supplies. One was out and ordered some more. The next had it.

New cars with plastic intakes don't need this. I guess the MBA's running the companies have never worked on an old car.
 
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grouch

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Supply Chain Crisis. Boot-Edge-Edge, Let's Go Branden!


This has been building for 4 or 5 years. When we had local parts stores, the chins were competitive. Now that most are closed, or in one case the owner died, they have raised prices to triple what they used to be and dropped low profit essentials and stuff handy to have.
 

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