Some Gates tensioners are reboxed Litens. I'm thinking of serpentine belt tensioners for domestic applications.
More cheapened parts
- Thread starter slacktide_bitog
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Some Gates tensioners are reboxed Litens. I'm thinking of serpentine belt tensioners for domestic applications.
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Maybe they expect the gasket to shrink while sitting on the shelf. Any gasket that fits in a groove has to be the correct size,or it will deform after it's torqued. Next time Im just going to throw the gasket out and just use blue goop or make a flat gasket.
BA told you this? They refuse to provide info when I askedI found some NOS Beck/Arnley gaskets that were made in Japan. I'm considering buying those and returning the Chinese Mahle
I saw a listing on ebay that had pictures that clearly indicate made in Japan
Also, B/A may have stopped selling them, as the part numbers in question are no longer listed in their catalog.
Last R18 VCG kit I bought earlier in the year from Beck/Arnley was made in Japan and fit nicelyI found some NOS Beck/Arnley gaskets that were made in Japan. I'm considering buying those and returning the Chinese Mahle
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B/A can be a dice roll. Sometimes they rebox the OE part but you never know
The rest of my order came, no problems with the second shipment. The Centric shoes are still GG and look good. And the other 2 Denso plugs look like the first 2 
I have worked with parts build all over the world in industrial and consumer space. I don't trust country of origin being the best indicator of quality. I've gotten bad design from Japan and high quality stuff from China, and anywhere in between. So far I think I trust brands that build their own stuff and having their own reputation build over time. No rebrand no boxing someone else's stuff, those are places where someone likely will pull a quick one bait and switch.
The biggest offender I have found is Chinese no name brand trying to switch mid way (first good then suddenly change mid way after they got a following), and American buying up a brand then cut corner to be worse than Chinese (that happens even when they make in US too mind you). I have never gotten anything high quality mechanically out of Israel for some reason, nothing to do with politics but they are neither cheap nor high quality somehow, wonder why can't they decide to go at least one way or another.
Japan if OEM typically is not bad, I don't think I have gotten cheated on except from a corner cutting brand circling the drain like Nissan or something they are OEM for 3rd world only stuff yet somehow mechanically fit your first world stuff (and quality suffer as they are not the same thing even if they fit). I don't trust so and so brand must be good unless the part number is the same, not just because it is in the RA catalog that "will fit your car".
The biggest offender I have found is Chinese no name brand trying to switch mid way (first good then suddenly change mid way after they got a following), and American buying up a brand then cut corner to be worse than Chinese (that happens even when they make in US too mind you). I have never gotten anything high quality mechanically out of Israel for some reason, nothing to do with politics but they are neither cheap nor high quality somehow, wonder why can't they decide to go at least one way or another.
Japan if OEM typically is not bad, I don't think I have gotten cheated on except from a corner cutting brand circling the drain like Nissan or something they are OEM for 3rd world only stuff yet somehow mechanically fit your first world stuff (and quality suffer as they are not the same thing even if they fit). I don't trust so and so brand must be good unless the part number is the same, not just because it is in the RA catalog that "will fit your car".
I've done the gaskets in an EJ257, wasn't that bad to do.
Vietnam is a place where Chinese factory tools escape to. From my experience they are the same as China if build by or for a major foreign brands. I think they are close if it is a Chinese brand escaping tariff compare to their original stuff. A lot of their stuff is almost finish in China then the final screw put on in Vietnam so they can claim "not made in China". Another reason why COO is pointless really.
I will not yet trust a Vietnam brand made in Vietnam yet. Maybe in a few years but not now.
I will not yet trust a Vietnam brand made in Vietnam yet. Maybe in a few years but not now.
I just installed this Rostra turn signal switch in an '06 Malibu. These tabs just pop into windows and that's how the switch is retained. No amount of pushing would seat the switch far enough to have the tabs reach the windows.
I had to file them back quite a bit to get it to work. This is just poor QC. I understand it's not an OEM part but the blueprints and dims have to exist somewhere.
In the otherwise shiny black plastic you can see the "clouded" area from filing:
I had to file them back quite a bit to get it to work. This is just poor QC. I understand it's not an OEM part but the blueprints and dims have to exist somewhere.
In the otherwise shiny black plastic you can see the "clouded" area from filing:
I'm starting to take a second look at Aisin......used to be a go too.
I noticed that Aisin is starting to offer more parts for non-Asian cars where they weren't the OE supplier. I don't know where they are sourcing those from though
A lot of tires are made in Vietnam and Cambodia too. I would trust a Vietnamese Kumho(who is owned by DoubleCoin). A Thai LingLong, not so much.
They offer a thermostat for the Duramax which I find kinda odd....but maybe not given the Isuzu heritage? It's WAY cheaper than GM Genuine.I noticed that Aisin is starting to offer more parts for non-Asian cars where they weren't the OE supplier. I don't know where they are sourcing those from though
Also RA only lists one of the TWO thermostats the Dmax uses, but this doesn't necessarily mean anything -- if something is OOS RA often just doesn't show it, but if you have a part # you can find it.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
I used ATE rotors Made in China on track to oblivion. Only reason I took them off is that I upgraded to Brembo calipers and larger rotors.
On other hand Brembo Made in USA on VW Atlas lasted exactly 4,000 miles before starting to vibrate, only street driven, of course.
On other hand Brembo Made in USA on VW Atlas lasted exactly 4,000 miles before starting to vibrate, only street driven, of course.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Why would quality improve or decline if same QC process? Not sure why would anything made in US or Japan or Germany at this point be of higher quality made by known companies? This is not 1995.
Don’t forget, Apple was 2yrs behind assembling MacBook Pro in TX bcs. no one could deliver those small screws. They gave up.
Because I believe in a mature supply chain whatever quality is being supplied starts at A and ends at Z. You keep buying whatever you are buying, my expectations are always met with what I buy.
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