Counterfeit Parts!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- I recently had a catastrophic experience with counterfeit parts. In this video, I share my experience and offer advice on how to avoid buying counterfeit parts. I hope you find the information helpful.
Thank you for watching!
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Stay Dirty
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Oh man does the advice of "If it's too good to be true, then it probably is" rings true for almost every aspect in life.
Always brotha
It gets worse though. I bought a set of OE Bosch spark plugs from a reputable parts supplier's eBay store. All failed within three months and one actually cracked and left ceramic in the cylinder. These were only about 5% less than dealer prices but it was the expedited delivery that swayed me. Ended up buying AGAIN from the dealership and could see some telltale signs when comparing the two.
And yet TH-camrs openly take sponsorships from websites that sell counterfeit computer software.
AISIN is factory Mitsubishi, too. They're quality. No doubt about it. All the other brands are no improvement. I've bought "remanufactured" hydraulic master cylinders, opened the box and found a PLASTIC part instead of the aluminum one that should be in it. If it was remanufactured, why is it plastic? More shenanigans!!!
Wow JAFRO!!! I ENJOY your uploads man! Glad you fixed the elantra suspension problems! Im big fan from the middle east👍
Mitsuboshi, not Mitsubishi.
@@wiimaster2847 as John Cadogan says Bitsushiti 😂
@@AdelJeffreyJeffreysAuto There was one oversight in that job, but I'm making the part to fix it. On a brake lathe. lol. Maybe. I have something else that also doesn't quite work right, either... that I might try... You know me. Nice to see you here.
@@Jafromobile good luck with that! Keep us posted! 👍 Cant wait!
I once got a counterfeit Dorman part, it never failed.
20+ year shop owner/tech.
Customer brought in Amazon Honda timing belt/water pump on Honda Odyssey. I said I would install them but no warranty on parts failure of course. Came back within 2 months with broken timing belt (broke in 2 places) Luckily valves did not bend but I did have to charge them again. I researched it and found the Chinese supplier online selling the counterfeit Honda water pump for $8 each.
NOTE: I also highly trust Aisin and never have had a failure from them.
I once accidentally bought and installed a £500 LUK clutch and dual mass that ended up not fitting and was fake. After much deliberation my mechanic ordered a genuine VAG kit and swapped the parts sending them back to VAG for a refund. He never charged me for the labour of removing and installing the second genuine part and he got me the genuine part for free! Legend
It's nice to read stories about good customer service.
I’ve bought what was supposed to be genuine Honda spark plugs off eBay back in 2015. It was a way to save money and the packaging look just like the same box we would get at the dealer. I installed them, maybe less than a week later the civic ran like crap. I pulled them out and found some with deformed electrodes and some on their way out. Went to my local auto parts store and bought some NGK Iridium then BOOM no problems. You hear a lot of counterfeit handbags, shoes etc. You never would expect counterfeit auto parts but they’re here now.
give China sufficient time and they will flood any market with counterfeit products
Honda or NGK spark plugs ???
That Ford make you loco tech guy had a vid on spark plugs a couple years back.
Now? I worked in GM parts from 92 to 99 we dealt with counterfeit AC Delco stuff all the time
With Honda I stick with NGK or Denso plugs. I believe Honda dealerships sell NGK and Denso as well.
Hi Eric! First, today, January 20th is my 64th birthday so thank you for the cake. I am a retired Mechanic, Counterman (with Catalogs) and Parts Runner 14 years for Tilcon CT. I have worked in Wholesale, Retail and Distribution but I retired in 2008 on a Disability. I like Rock Auto. Advance Autoparts Sponsors our Bethel Speedway of which I am the "SuperFan" and blogger/Journalist. I have found NAPA (I also worked for ECHLIN in the '80's) to be the most reputable if I need something of higher quality and I'm willing to pay the price. Rock Auto does sell AC Delco OEM. I now have a 2007 Saturn VUE AWD (except some bone head took the rear driveshaft) and the Honda 3.5 and 95K from my ex wife who I bought it for in 2006.
Happy Belated Birthday!
I have done 2 timing belt changes on our 2003 Honda Odyssey. First one was not even a kit - bought individual parts (tensioners, belt, water pump) mostly Gates parts from rockauto. Second time got the Aisin kit from rockauto. No issues so far, knock on wood.
AISIN is oem for a lot of parts on my 87 4runner. Good stuff
i deliberately put counterfeit parts on my 2005 mustang 4.0. specifically, plastic thermostat housing. oem version was plastic, lasted for 50k miles before it cracked and started leaking. replaced with another oem housing, another 50k miles it cracked again. found someone on amazon selling 'counterfeit' ones made out aluminum, and never had another issue with it. actually it was a nicely made piece...
That's because you drive a ford and their parts are usually crap anyways...just like VW.
That was not OEM counterfeit part, that was a small entrepreneur-manufacturing a more durable replacement part. Since it such a niche part I doubt it is popular enough to have been counterfeited with a substandard part but it is possible,
Late 90's Ford's with 4.6L engine, had that Plastic Intake Manifold that would fail early. GM's 3800 series engines, 1998-2004, had a plastic manifold slapped on them, resulting in widespread upper intake manifold failures and lower intake manifold gasket failures just a few years later. Toyota's 2.4L 2AZFE engine had a plastic/foam exhaust that would cause a blown head gasket. Lots of planned obsolescence being injected into cars.....
Was it cheaper than the original plastic housing?
This was why back in the day, MOOG suspension parts were called "The Problem Solver." They looked at OEM suspension parts that didn't last, came up with something better, and sold it that way. Now many of their parts suck too.
First time in a long time that my birthday has landed on an ETCG1 video. Thanks for the cake Eric.
I've called Amazon before when I've had problems and they do resolve the issue. Including getting your money back from price gouging suppliers and other issues I've had. Thank you for the heads up on those water pumps.
If only the manufacturers could do more to limit the distribution of these counterfeit parts by working with the likes of "Amazon". Lately it seems Amazon is happy to let people sell trash.
Great video as always Eric, in hindsight it couldn't have happened to a better person with your exemplary experience as a Honda technician.
I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado. About a year ago, the power steering pump cooler failed. 17 years and 186k miles, not too shabby. I got a cooler from Napa, rebranded Dorman. Leaked from the day I got it from the hoses. Finally got sick of the leak this weekend and got an original GM cooler. The hoses are properly crimped to the cooler. I expect another 16 years out of this one!!!
Yep, people complain all the time about stuff like this.
But neglect to realize there was a reason why the car/truck was so expensive new and that the original part lasted 20 years!
Chevy and power steering problems... yep.
I have to assume it was a design flaw given how many have problems. ...and Doorman just made it worse.
This video hits home considering my $50 fan bracket on my 4runner blew up earlier. Bearing separated from the housing, all the belts flew off and it ate up my radiator. I knew i should've bought the oem for $130 but im broke quite frankly. Now ive got about $250 in repairs
Maybe five years ago, the starter on my daughter's Honda gave up--after 250k miles, it was great that it had lasted that long--and I took it to my usual mechanic to get it replaced. Then, a month, later, the new starter literally burned up, flames coming out, lots of smoke, etc. My mechanic said the electrical damage was too great for him to fix and sent me to a specialist--who, a few days and $700 later, told me the cause of the fire was, and I quote, "the cheap-sh1t made-in-China starter."
The epilogue is that my (now former) mechanic refused to stand behind his work and stuck me with the $700 bill to repair the damage his original installation had cost me. The moral is that you can't seem to trust even the professionals not to use fake parts. (The secondary moral--for my former mechanic--is that he lost my business which, with me, my wife, and my three kids, was the loss of six cars worth of revenue.)
Sorry you had to deal with that. It's an unfortunate situation for sure.
Thanks for sharing this, definitely a good story and one to make me think about my current mechanic
lol he knows as a mechanic that sometimes brand new parts are junk, brand doesnt seem to matter when u work on enough cars nothing will seem to crazy to be true
I know most mechanics don't like customers bringing there own parts but it seems like in the situation where you want to be sure you get say a genuine Toyota or Honda part there isn't a better option.
@@MrMikey1273 all parts are subject to defect. there all made in mexico or china. i buy house brand over moog now because of part falures
Yep! Counterfeit parts are a real problem. The old saying, "I got a guy that can do it cheaper" comes to mind. They decline your quote to do the job correctly with the oem parts. You may never see them again because in their eyes you charge too much. Or they may have their car towed to your shop months later only to find the cheaper parts repair has failed. Ive seen aftermarket tensioners fail after just short use. One only lasted 45 minutes before it completely blew out. This synario has played out over and over and over.
I appreciate how Eric, unlike these counterfeit parts, remains genuine after all these years. There're other car channels I've stopped following because as they've grown in numbers, they also have grown disingenuous. But Eric has always kept it real! Thanks, and keep up the great content! 👍
Thank you!
Bought a Honda TB kit off eBay back in 2014, when I had no idea how prevalent fakes were. Installed it on my MDX and lucked out I guess. Did the next TB in 2020 using AISIN kit off Rockauto. The components I installed in 2014 held extremely well, no issues with hydraulic tensioner, pulleys, water pump or the belt itself (no cracks, belt in great shape). So I guess the parts were OEM as advertised. I'm super happy I was lucky.
Some dealership part departments actually have online stores on eBay, a quick phone call to verify it's them will remove any doubt of counterfeits
Hows the aisin kit holding up? I have a 2014 tl and used the aisin tb kit from rock auto. So far it'd been good but all these comments have me worrying a little
Also learned a lesson on avoiding ebay parts after I completely tore up 3 counterfeit motor mounts on my 2
4L Accord. They all sounded amazing when they were first installed except the front mount didn't use hydrolic fluid like the OEM does. Of course they did not last more than 10,000 miles and that was mainly my fault for driving it hard like an Integra Type R. So I bit the bullet and put on OEM mounts all the way around and to this day I still drive it harshly from time to time but the mounts themselves have held up way better despite me dishing out the abuse on them.
Eric, you are so right about counterfeit parts, I just installed a water pump on a 1997 Isuzu Rodeo 3.2 engine and right from the start a very loud noise came from the water pump location, the original pump was a GMB part which lasted me almost ten years without any problems and the reason I replace it now was due to timing belt replacement. The new pump came in a very odd-looking package which immediately got my attention not to mention the very low price paid. After watching your video I'm certain this was a counterfeit item, and I will now have to replace the water pump once again. Thanks for the amazing information provided in each and every one of your posts. Stay Dirty!!!!
I bought a $14 starter from eBay for a 2.2 S10 for a temp fix, it's been on the truck for 6 years now still going strong.
Bought an $8 clutch master cylinder and it's been good for 6 years so far heavy use and aftermarket clutch!
I did a timing belt water pump replace,ent with a new idler tensioner and like always with aftermarket parts the idler pulley failed after just a year. Went and got OEM Honda and no issues. Great advice Eric...
Yes. Oh boy.
Bought a “rear main seal” for my 92 4Runner. Thought , “well, a seal is seal”
2 months later I had to drop the trans and do the work all over again. Second time I went OEM. Original TOYOTA. Have not had an issue since 5+ years now
I've had fake Moog parts that were bought from Amazon. I switched to Rock Auto for most things now.
In my opinion, Amazon probably is the LARGEST hub of counterfeit parts! They are an ideal place for everyone to sell their products, even the fake ones.
You GET what you pay for, and if you don't vet the seller, you'll lose...
It's all the retailers. I bought a fake guitar strap from Amazon once. Someone I know got fake diabetes test strips from the walmart website. Ebay is full of counterfeits. I wish these places would figure out a way to clean up this mess.
I buy ebay a lot, and it's always fun buying amazon through ebay...
@@JohnBrown-z2u They do, based on violation complaints. (no complaints - no action)
They ban the sellers, who in turn, start all over again with a fresh account.
@@zarkeh3013 The free shipping is awesome!
I bought Amazon heavy ten years ago but it seemed like the stuff I was getting was used lol. I wouldn't buy auto parts off Amazon. I don't even trust the fluids you can buy on these sites
Gates timing belts are the top of the line, they been making great rubber product for years
I used your element videos to work on my Honda CRV. I found out the hard way that if it bolts to the engine, you want to use OEM honda parts. No exception. I installed a dura-don't-last water pump on my CRV and it only lasted 28k miles before I saw coolant leaking from the weep hole. I replaced that dura-don't-last with an AISIN water pump and so far it's been working.
Another great video Eric. I was taken on a set of spark plugs, I thought they were NGK .Thanks to a TH-cam video.. I called NGK and they were counterfeit Did get my money back $26 .Ended up getting them at local parts store for $50. Eric you are one of the best on TH-cam. Thanks again.
Yup, those damn counterfeit NGKs got me too. Car didn't feel right and I lost a ton of mileage. Performance loss was so bad that when my dad drove the car and asked if I had taken the tune off it.
Had the same problem. Ordered a “Genuine Honda” timing belt kit from eBay. Lasted about a year and a half. Luckily motor did not get damaged. Replaced it with a Continental Timing belt kit w/ Aisin Water pump.
I bought a OEM PNP switch for a BMW from WorldPac and what I got was a used part that been glued together lol
Please tell me you reached out to them to fix this. Holy crap.
@@ShahabSheikhzadeh Yeah of course. I realize this problem as soon as I got it out of the box.
never before have I been happier to pay retail
In the cellphone repair industry I have a handful of customers tell me the OEM part costs $15 on “Amazon/eBay” and in the title and description it says “GENUINE OEM APPLE PART” or something along those lines and I know damn well Apple isn’t selling them there nor do they even make the parts as easily and readily available to consumers and third parties.
A customer brought me a timing belt/water pump/serpentine belt kit that appeared to be genuine Honda just like the parts in your video. I installed it in his odyssey van and about six months later he called me and said his engine was making a noise. He brought it over and I found that the new serpentine belt had chunks missing out of it which was causing the noise. I could see where the printing on the back of the belt with the Honda part number and Honda logo was all but gone. This got me really concerned about the quality of the other parts in the kit. I did some research and found other people having similar problems and learned about the Chinese counterfeiting. The customer looked up the eBay seller he bought the parts from and the seller was based out of Guangdong China. He bought genuine Honda parts from the local dealer and I replaced all the Chinese counterfeit parts with genuine Honda. Lesson learned
Good video! Most everyone has been burnt by counterfeit parts that's in this business, but some folks aren't savvy enough to know it was counterfeit. When you get into high performance aftermarket, the problem is even worse. Bad parts + good installation = bad. Good parts + bad installation = still bad. Good parts + good installation = success. Cheaper parts have their place, but knowing when and where to use them is the absolute key as you said. Don't be the guy that keeps returning "defective" calipers but yet didn't replace the brake hose...
Good video Eric. I went through similar situation as this, from Ebay. I purchased 2 Camshaft Position and 1 Crankshaft Position sensor(s). They were packaged in a small size zip lock baggie, with Nissan labels. The sensors had no markings whatsoever, other than a painted green dot on each. I contacted the seller; he stated it was the same manufacture as OEM Nissan. 😲 I returned all 3, purchased at a dealership for substantial more money, but she runs like a champ.
I actually had the opposite happen to me. I needed an ignition control module for the Hitachi distributor on the engine in a Civic I had but couldn't afford the dealer/OEM part. since it was an easy part to change and had a lifetime warranty I figured it was worth a shot buying it from advance auto parts and when I opened the box it was an original Honda part still in the plastic bag with the Honda Japan label on it. sometimes aftermarket brands just purchase OEM overstock for pennies on the dollar and re-box them as their own.
I’ve purchased parts from Amayama & Partsouq for years. They have all the Japanese car parts. A lot cheaper than the dealer and it’s original equipment. The only thing is that it takes a while for it to arrive. They source their parts from dealers in Japan & UAE. I’ve bought a pair of OE headlights for an 08 Prius for $150 shipped, meanwhile the dealer want $150 each for a headlight here in the states.
I have a 1999 Acura Integra GSR and had oil leaks for the longest time. It wasn't that I didn't know how to fix it, I was just not willing to put the time and money into it for a while, lol. It was running fine, just losing oil at a faster rate than the b18c1 already burns it. One of the oil leaks was from the valve cover gasket. I bought 2 'OEM" valve cover gasket kits from Ebay and both of them continued leaking - this was after I rebuilt the engine and transmission last year (did the labor myself for both), so the valve cover gasket was the last remaining leak. I ended up buying the valve cover gasket directly from Honda/Acura and no more leak. I definitely noticed a difference in the quality/material of the one I got directly from Honda/Acura. If there's no Honda dealership near you, I've found AcuraOEMParts and HondaPartsNow to be good sources for OEM parts online. Both of them are dealerships that sell parts online, as well (at least, that's my understanding). Anyway, I rarely comment on videos but since I had a similar experience to yours, I figured I'd add my 2 cents.
Eric, good point about counterfeit parts. Some OEM have good videos how to tell the difference such as with spark plugs. Think it was either NGK or Denso plugs. Another point is aftermarket. One example is that my brother's wife had a Celica water pump go out at about 130k. So he buys non OEM from a national chain with a lifetime warranty for about $30 at the time. OEM cost about $65. The first one lasted about 30k miles when it leaked. He could not find the receipt for warranty so he buys another one. The 2nd lasted about 20k when the bearing went out.
that's why i buy OE parts yeah they cost more but it's better than having something like this happen
I once got some cheap off-brand breaker points for my parent's old Buick. A few days later, it had problems with stalling and running rough. We ruled out the points since we had just changed them. After checking out everything else, I went and got an official AC Delco part, put it in and the problem was solved. I learned my lesson.
I've had several parts from both eBay and Amazon fail to last as long as they should have. They're getting so good at cloning parts these days it's nearly impossible to discern between genuine and counterfeit. I err on the side of caution and buy OE parts from an OE parts supplier. Paying a 10% (or more) higher price for a part that's genuine is WELL worth the headache-savings for me.
I had a similar experience with a cam bridge for a German car. In fact, it was sold by a website that specializes in these parts, and advertised the one they sent as "OE", as in made by the original equipment manufacturer but without the vehicle brand packaging. When I got it, it was stamped "Made in China". I sent it back and spent $30 more for the actual OEM one, which was stamped "Made in Germany". I notified the website and they didn't correct the issue... in fact they still sell the other one as "OE" and claim that the part is the same even though it isn't.
What vendor?
@@ShahabSheikhzadeh This, name and shame them.
Great video thanks for the info, I watched a similar video in the Ford / Motorcraft realm on FordTechMakuloco, its amazing how similar parts look. I think the other takeaway from this stuff is thank goodness for you guys and your channels, I don't think a DIY'er without the years of working experience would discover counterfeit parts like you seasoned experts. Thanks for sharing !
I used to work for ysk. I worked on the accord/ crv differential housing line. Last year I did a head swap on a d16y5 to a y8 head. I was excited to see ysk stamped in there. I know ysk makes great parts.
I'd love to see a vid about everything on Hondas you believe should be OEM without question. I know alot of yours from watching for years like fluids. Hondabond, certain gaskets, sensors, etc. I always take these to heart in the work I do and it hasn't let me down so thanks!
Ngk / oem spark plugs for Honda odyssey, from Amazon. Every month one failed, with crack in porcelain, went to smyth, bought same plugs, replaced all… no problems since👍
Good advice Eric! Buyer beware. I was a Toyota tech for a few years and it’s preferable that you stick with OEM. However, owning older Toyota daily drivers now I don’t want to spend the premium price. I had to deduce multiple Auto parts stores and even narrow it down to specific parts guys who are knowledgeable. They can help identify and stay clear of the garbage.
Counterfeit parts can be an issue in the aviation industry as well. Components that make up an airframe or powerplant have to have a legitimate papertrail preferably back to the "birth" of the component documenting repairs, overhauls etc.
It also helps with tracking and identifying defects.
Thanks for this information Eric. this had happen to me many years ago with buying a headlight for my chevy truck on ebay. the seller claim it was oem part. I had a hard time installing it and couldn't understand what I was doing wrong. so I had went to a auto body garage. He told me, even though the headlight looks oem, it was not.
great point ETCG- some parts dont matter- filters suspension etc dont need to be oem but as someone driving a 98 integra that had the original everything when it bought it three years ago Im convince if the originals lasted that long then they will last long again
Yup, when it comes to Honda, Honda or Aisin r belt kits only. Out of many kits we’ve only had one of the included Koyo bearings go bad resulting in having to pull the heads and repair/replace the damaged valves. Aisin refused to foot the bill, but it was one out of many and there aren’t any other really good options. Thanks for vid.
I did a timing belt and water pump on my friend's 2005 Honda Civic. The belt and water pump was still ok but I told her it was time. I gave her the choice of getting a OEM Honda part from the dealer from Rock Auto. Her brother in-law suggested Ebay but I told her to avoid Ebay because it maybe counterfeit hence the cheap price. We went to the dealer.
I bought an "OEM" filter for my dsg transmission on my Passat. When it came in the mail it was very suspect. In fact the filter media was a wax compound. I'm almost positive this would've ruined the transmission. I only buy car parts from rock auto now. Hopefully they have protections in place on their end
Shit auto really
This is a super common issue with Motorcraft parts too.
So easy to buy something off eBay or Amazon advertised as Motorcraft OEM and it’s not.
Tell tale is when it’s not printed or stamped on the part and it’s just a sticker. Usually the sealed Motorcraft bags are ok but it’s still a risk sometimes not buying direct
Good video Eric on point with that part cuz I had a similar issue where I bought some Hyundai spark plugs and they were counterfeit.After putting them in car it ran like crap took them out and put some NGK in there and no problems since. So counterfeit parts are everywhere. Do you research good work on the video keep up the good work peace out.
This is a real problem within the industry now. I used to work for a large european parts wholesaler and can tell you first hand that it more or less started with european auto parts. I've been working on and buying "aftermarket" parts for VW's (a little different because the oem suppliers for VW/Audi were so widely supplied and supported in the aftermarket unlike JDM like Honda/Toyota) etc. But it has reached a point where manufacturing has become "better" overseas, and in some cases these OEM suppliers actually make a new slightly different logo and then their old logo gets sold off to some chinese vendor. In other words, they have become so sneaky that it says the inferior manufactured stuff sometimes has the oem suppliers "old" logo stamped on it...other times its a blunt copy in a shittier quality casting or packinging, and sometimes its a genuine piece with the oem logo rubbed off. It's a racket out there and you have to be vigilant as ever today and pay very close attention to all of it now.
in the nearby auto parts store I changed the track belts twice the exact number but 1 inch shorter I finally bought gates and no problem just fit
I spent more money than I wanted to but I thought of the long run so I went ahead and bought a NPW Water Pump, Mitsuboshi timing belt, Koyo idler tensioner/bearings, Aisin hydraulic tensioner, Tama thermostat all made in Japan for my 04 TL and yeah I could go with these online kits but they seem shady. Hope you get your TL back on the road!
I put an AISIN kit in my odyssey from Rockauto. So far so good.
That's why I only get the parts from a dealer online. It sucks but it is the world we live in now.
I have purchased less expensive parts many times otherwise I couldn't afford to keep a vehicle. The time I don't is when the labor is extensive or at that moment, I can afford the real deal.
Amazon was even selling counterfeit Motorcraft parts as well. Summit Racing was finding counterfeit parts of theirs too. If in doubt, ask your dealer about the current packaging or weigh the old OEM part to the new part. The counterfeit parts usually weigh less.
Couldn’t agree more Eric. I have a ‘98 TransAm with electric flip up headlights. The original motors lasted fifteen years. I couldn’t fine OEM new after that until two years ago. The replacement motors were lasting two years and shorting out. Not cheap either. Found a set of new still in the OEM boxes and I feel my problem is solved. Be well. Big Al.
Threw a Gates timing kit in my moms Honda just yesterday. I hope it hangs in there.
I work in IT and people balk about the cost of things because 'It's so much cheaper on Amazon!'. Nearly everything on Amazon that says it's OEM but that isn't reasonably close to OEM price (and sometimes even then), is counterfeit. Some try really hard to pass off the parts as OEM, but others just use a picture of the OEM part and send a blatant knockoff.
Twice at the dealership I've had customers bring in "Honda" roof rails they bought online, and they were counterfeit. They had different hardware, slightly different design, and didn't even have the mounting holes for cross bars, making them useless. I did not install them.
I just had a MDX water pump fail after 30k miles, bought it off ebay with timing belt for $138. Seller claimed genuine Honda OEM. Belt was on way to failing when I changed it to parts from Acura parts dept ($200 for pump by itself). Expensive lesson! Luckily I got it before belt broke or slipped.
The local motor factors is the safest bet! In our case ECP is the go to! INA/Schaeffler or Continental are all that I'll fit! Not worth the hassle of a breakage! Too many counterfeit parts flying around to risk a few quid discount 💰💰💰
Problem with buying legit parts from dealerships is that if you are buying for an older vehicle that the parts may have been sitting on shelves for the last 15 years. They are wore out before putting them on your vehicle. I don't think there is a good scenario to buying parts for older cars. No matter how you roll you are going to get junk. This just has to be an understanding when restoring older vehicles. Be prepared to buy everything 3 times on your project.
How do Auto parts go bad? They're not food. A water pump sitting on a shelf isn't going to have bad bearings because it's been sitting for years....
@@samholdsworth420 Seals and rubber dry out from not being used.
Great video, this is really important information especially for components as critical as timing belts, water pumps, tensioners, etc,
I once bought an aftermarket Clutch Master Cylinder for the 8th Civic Si that I used to own. Went through the process of installing, bleeding it, etc. Everything seemed great, it lasted 2 whole days before one of the seals broke and left me stranded on the side of the road 😂 Fun times!
I’m with ya, there are some areas where it’s ok to save money but others where it’s just not worth it.
I just bought the Aisin timing belt kit with the water pump. For what's at stake I'm not taking any chances.
100% agree Eric if you want O.E. parts get them from the dealer or a O.E. web sight.Great video Eric as always.
Another saying that rings true is; "Buy once, cry once".
It makes no sense to buy cheap parts if they fail prematurely and you need to spend your money and time purchasing replacements.
I learned the hard way when I bought discount struts for my Honda Accord that turned out to be absolute garbage and had to do the entire job over, only to end up purchasing top tier parts as replacements for the cheap stuff.
Lesson learned.
On a critical set of parts such as these that go on an interference design engine, go OEM for sure. 😎
AGREED.
The problem is not going OEM, the problem is being fooled by fake OEM.
@@HelmutHare That's true, but that doesn't help all the people who *have* had severe engine damage after a counterfeit belt snapped.
Correct, I do buy car parts from Ebay and Amazon frequently, however, engine parts like cambelt and such like, I only buy OEM from local dealers even though they are hellish expensive, the consequences are too risky to take a chance. Even though they can refund the part , what about the consequential damages.
Spot on!👍👍👍
Hey eric, im an acura tech and we were recently told that the timing belt idler pulley and bolt need to be replaced during said repair. So maybey the aftermaket kit had a used pulley and bolt. Justf an fyi. Love the videos.
Pronounced I-Uh-Sun, worked there for 10 years. Thanks for your video!
I was a GM parts for 40 plus years... AC Delco or GM parts are good to use.. Some Napa parts good but if a sensor or electric parts keep with original parts... I also was a Volvo truck man and same rule should apply. Also did some Carrier Trans cold part that goes in refrigeration unit.. Always keep with all OEM parts for best luck. They are costly but they work well.. To not be broke down along the side of road...
I used to have a 2006 WRX wagon; I did all the maintenance myself - for the big stuff, like a timing belt job (belt, idlers, waterpump, gaskets etc.) or the clutch job (clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, etc.) - OE from a trusted source, or aftermarket from a trusted source. Exedy is the clutch manufacturer for Subarus of that era, since my car was modified I went with an exedy "stage 1" clutch which is the organic disc with a stiffer pressure plate, but from the OE manufacturer, went with an Subaru flywheel though. I went with Gates for the timing belt (can't recall if they are the OE supplier, or just trusted aftermarket, it's been ~7 years), also went with a Subaru water pump (Aisin might make these) & gaskets. I had zero issues, and sold the car in late 2019; it was still running great.
OE/OE supplier may cost more, but it's worth it - I work on my in-laws stuff (Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Subaru) I don't want them stranded because I tried to save a buck. There are areas where I stray from OE - cabin air filters, pads & rotors (again trusted aftermarket though), or performance mods (Suspension components for my own car, downpipe etc.); but for timing belts, even O2 sensors, yeah staying OE as much as possible.
Bought a timing belt for an MR2 that turned out to be fake. It even had Toyota printed on it with the original part number. Only found out that it was fake when it snapped and then other people mentioned that fake ones looked like mine.
Thanks For The Info , Eric , I am Shocked , My Son has gotten some Toyota parts that did not work ,{E Bay Stuff} He took them to The Dealer's Parts Department & They showed him that they had also been Burnt ! The Fakes are hard to tell from Real Stuff.
Hey Eric. I have an experience with the same kit that blew up in your Acura.
I found a ad on ebay advertising themselves as a dealership liquidating old stock parts. So I jumped on it and installed it myself and the parts looked normal to me. One red flag was that I really had to finagle the belt over the tensioner before I was able to pull the pin. It was almost like the tensioner was too big or the belt was too short.
Anyway, I got it on. Had it running in my Odyssey for about 3 months and drove it about 1000 miles.
I was doing some scrolling one morning and a news article popped up in my feed which was talking about counterfeit OEM honda parts being sold in the United States. Well, low an behold.. all the things they were describing were checking out. Contacted one of my buddy's who works for Honda and scheduled him to come take a look. I had a new Aisin kit in hand so he could change it out if it was counterfeit.
When we opened it up, the belt was rubbing against the block in some spots, slowly shredding the belt. The water pump impeller was ever so slightly longer, slightly machining out the block where it was actually rubbing the block. The tensioner would not rotate easily on its pivot point and was actually machined incorrectly (slightly canted), and in that 1000 miles the hydraulic portion of it began leaking.
This was just before I went on a 3 month-15,000 mile cross country road trip. Seeing that news article saved my van, and saved my amazing vacation. That sucks you got burned.
I took my situation as a learning experience. But I am smarter and wiser as a result of it.
I love the content you post.
Thank brotha.
I've found that if you search the internet for a dealer, some have gotten smart and sell to the internet. They aren't t the cheapest , but cheaper than your local dealer
On D and B series water pumps, the new aftermarket pumps have different fins and they don’t sit as close to the water pump case like the original equipment or the higher end aftermarket ones. The newer junk also have a tendency to make the engine run hotter and overheat in my experience.
Yup. Bought the exact same "Genuine Honda" kit on eBay for my 07 TL. Thankfully I found a forum posting where someone showed how to differentiate between counterfeit and genuine Honda parts. I didn't install them and was able to get a refund. I used an Aisin TKH-002 kit instead.
It's amazing what can be counterfited and how convincing the part and packaging can be. Thanks for sharing Eric.
AISIN is The Oem Maker For Toyota Cool to see Honda Uses them Also never had a issue With Aisin have had a Aisin Water Pump and Fan Clutch last 23 years before they needed to be replaced very impressive quality @ETCG1
I haven't had any problems yet. Bought a radiator for my 01 Silverado off Amazon for 70 and so far so good. The water pump I bought at the local parts store. Now for suspension parts I always go to the local parts store same with electrical parts depending what electrical part it is. If it's a important part to the car running I go to the parts store.
If a single layer shrink wrap can bend the metal, that should be a red flag right there.
So which part failed? Tensioner? Belt snapped? Waterpump or idler bearing seized?
I used to work on helicopters and counterfeit parts were definitely a problem.
We once had to pull the main mast from a huey because it was suspected to be a counterfeit part.
I also heard that there were concerns in the industry about rotor blades. Some company had bought some time expired blades. They repainted them, rebadged them and sold them as remanufactured.
That's one of the main reasons I didn't get into aviation repair. Too much at stake. Not that repairing automobiles doesn't have its responsibilities, but it seems like it would be a lot scarier falling out of the sky than your engine quitting on the highway.
Thanks for sharing with us. I experienced something similar with fake NGK plugs off eBay. The good thing is I was able to get my money back and realized they were fake before installing them.
I rode a BMW /5 VERY hard, and replaced a bunch of parts on it the 40,000 miles I had it. There was one supplier in Virginia that you had to inspect all their parts closely. If the part was in the orange BMW "Original Teile" packaging, it was usually a good part, but the company was notorious for going to the OEM suppliers and buying components that had never been inspected. For instance, their throttle cables were half what they cost from a dealer, but I would not trust them to go 10,000 miles so I replaced them at 6 month intervals.
Eric, you get what you pay for, I personally shy towards the high dollar parts,not that I can really afford them , but like you, doing the job twice or more, I don't have the patience or time for such crap, good luck.
The problem with "pricing" parts today: Honda has a suggested list price. Many dealers have a "matrix" price which is over list (got burned on wiper blade inserts @ 60% over list - not an amount to lose any sleep over). Dealers now have matrix, list, and maybe 2 levels of wholesale pricing. I have found Majestic Honda online to be a great source.
I don’t mind buying certain parts (especially Honda/Acura Parts) online. But I have been burned by buying NGK spark ⚡️ plugs recently from eBay.
& when I did my timing-belt on my 2010 Acura TL… I didn’t play around & bought everything I needed from the dealer. It cost me around $600-USD, but it was worth it (since I did the job with a friend).
I have had luck with things like double DIN trim faceplates, Bluetooth retrofit modules, interior LED bulbs and the like. What those parts have in common is that they aren't safety-critical, and they won't destroy the drivetrain if they fail. I'd never get drivetrain, brake or suspension parts from Amazon because those can be dangerous if they fail.
Sorry that happened to you, Eric, but stoked for you that no valves were sacrificed to the timing belt gods.
I bought a "genuine OEM Honda" MAP sensor off of Amazon, and when it arrived it wasn't even in Honda packaging. I filed a return w/Amazon and had it back in the mail the same day, then jumped online and ordered the real Honda part from my favorite online dealer. Paid half again as much for the OEM, but it's worth the peace of mind.
To the contrary, I did purchase an OEM Honda / Denso IAC valve on Ebay for a quarter of the Honda parts catalog price. It was the real deal. Some guy had a line on them from Japan, I believe, and was blowing them out for $99 each. Same part from the Honda parts stream runs $392.
As I've slowly restored my Civic, there's been many times I had to bite the bullet and pony up the dough for Honda OEM parts. However, their quality, fit, and finish is second to none, and now I can drive my '98 Civic anywhere with confidence.
It happened to me, I purchased a set of Denso plugs for my 2007 Toyota Avalon on eBay. Not even one year later 2 I got misfire codes. The electrodes were completely burned down to a nub, on All 6 plugs... mind you these were supposed to be Denso Iridium plugs 100K + Long story short they were counterfeit Denso plugs. They looked nearly identical to the OEM Denso. I bought them at a substantial discount thinking maybe they were deadstock, old stock. Just like you said Eric if it seems too good to be true it probably is! Thanks for this video.