Counterfeit Parts, be an informed buyer.
 

Counterfeit automotive parts are a major problem and every one of us needs to be aware of the issue. Here is a good article that explains the situation and what we can do to help.

http://www.enginelabs.com/engine-tec...-knock-it-off/

I urge everyone to read it.

Thanks for posting that Steve. I actually almost got scammed a few times of coarse on ebay. A fake Momo steering wheel, Fake blow off valve, the other was a set of Aerocatch hood pins. I immediately contacted ebay and the real manufacturer.

The seller had the nerve to ask me to send back the fake Momo steering wheel to sell again and to remove my feedback calling him out on selling fake goods. I refused and cut up the steering wheel and trashed it. I hate when things like this happen.

This is why I always tell people to only buy their parts from licensed vendors. I witnessed a lot of this first-hand when I worked the parts counter at a local shop. I made it a point to explain to people the significance of making sure you buy from a reliable source, even if it wasn't the shop I worked for. Sure, it may cost a little more, but you're guaranteed the legitimate product that way. In my experience, trying to cut corners by going the eBay route has almost always cost more in the end when you have to replace a part, or you find out it's not what you thought it was.

One thing this article doesn't touch on that it should, is when domestic companies use chinese manufacturers for their parts and just slap their name on the finished products. Ironically that Aeromotive regulator is made in china and sold under several different brands. Same with many of the aftermarket in tank fuel pumps sold today. Holley, FAST, Aeromotive, AEM, all use the same pump with their name on it and its originally a copy of a Walbro pump. Then you have places like On3 selling turbos made in china using the same internals as Turbonetics (rumored). Or Precision selling turbos supposedly made here in America that have a very high failure rate with zero customer support.

Once these manufacturers start producing parts here again and stop slapping their name on whatever chinese part they can find and upping the price because of the name, I will start caring that they are losing money and business from it. You can't manufacture (or relabel) parts from another country and not expect those same parts to find their way on to the market under a different name.

It's a Shame that eBay doesn't do more to combat this as it seems like a large percentage of this Crap is being sold through eBay

That's the problem..."as long as it's being sold." Which, in turn, makes them billions and that's all they care about is if it's selling or not.

Met a guy on Racing Junk selling an RHS block for a damn good price. Called him and something just didn't sit right with me. Although, I would have loved to get the ultra, low, cost-saving price, but he could barely answer any of my questions I was asking about the block....mainly the part number. He may have very well been an honest guy and just a little dumb and not knowledgeable about the block, but I wasn't about to find out at the expense of my coins. So, I'll just pay the price from Jegs, Summitt, etc when I'm ready to buy. Simple, easy and above all else....a warranty.

This is the moral battle I'm fighting right now with my engine build. The only stroker cranks out there for the Pontiac V8's are all from the same place in China, and Eagle/Scat/Ohio Crank all use the same supplier.

I don't want that crap in my car, but what to do when it's the only option?

You have to suck it up and buy it. If people don't like China products then we couldn't use our phones, computers, tvs, cars, toilets, refrigerators, shoes,car seats for babies etc etc. There's no going around it. I know it sucks but it's the world we live in. The masses don't want to pay American production prices which is why jobs are shipped overseas. ...

I see your Point, but the Companies that are making the ^ Above ^ Products are Designing and making those products under a minimum of Quality Control and have some type of support after a sale. They are just using Cheap Labor & Tax Loopholes.

You can't really compare that to Counterfeit Parts or Parts that are Copied & Sold. Who knows what you bought!

The last thing is we aren't the Masses - we should be the last Hold-Outs since we are driving Old American Iron!

I wasn't comparing counterfeit parts to product overseas. He was stating that the product he wanted to purchase was a Crank outsourced by the vendors to China. If he wants the product from those vendors and they're built in China then there's no way around avoiding buying from the China supplier. They get our business regardless if we like it are not.

I do agree to try to buy American whenever possible but it's definitely not always possible.

Agreed. All the more reason why I research everything I'm buying. I'm actually looking at buying wheels from a local upstart company here in Georgia that is making a real top notch product, simply b/c I know my money is going right to the local economy.

You might want research the wheel company further, the vast majority of the barrels for wheels are made in China. Formula 43 is one of the few that actually make their own barrels.

You can always have a custom crankshaft made from billet by Sonny Leonard or other companines like that ? I'm not sure they ahve to be billet, and they may still need a certain forging to get started otherwise I don't know much about that level of build, but I do know a custom crankshaft will probably start at $2k. But it will be one fine crankshaft.

I believe their barrels are from BBS, but I could be wrong about that.

Travis would tell you otherwise :D

OH! Sorry, I meant the company I was talking about based in Atlanta haha.

My bad for the confusion!

lol, my bad Peter :cheers:

The time is approaching where nobody will be able to afford American made parts. Americans want to be paid too much money and want tons of benefits, Taxes are rising...Its just simply cheaper to make things overseas.

My wife just ordered the new IPhone 6, shipped directly from China. Crazy how the phone can be produced overseas and shipped across the Ocean and the profit is still higher than if it was made here.

I'm sure more than you know of is made in China

Hey it's all good! Neat video, BTW.

I am not American, but I try to support "our" part of the world, it is not only America that has an ever-growing import problem. But the whole "West". Our greed is our downfall maybe...

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When people at Mcdonalds think they deserve $20 an hour, what do you think comes from people who actually have an education and marketable skills?

I actually checked their advertized Salary here now, it was more than I expected, base salary is about 75% of my own an hour, and I have maximum possible ("expert"-salary and years of employment and such) where I work as an Mechanic or "tech" at an VW/Audi dealer.

But I see what you are saying, it is the same here. We also have an very big welfare problem where people dont work but get money from the government/social-welfare, and they get more from them than the lower paying jobs... So why work?? And lots of foreigners from other countrys that exploit this hard, that get extra for every kid and family members they have.. Or say they have..

But of course I would also like to work less and earn more money at the same time.