Parts Department

[Cole Sanger]

Ok, I am realativly new to a lot of engine building. That is no secret. Today when I went to get what I thought would be a realatively easy part to get, I had to deal with the GM Parts department. Now I know the part I want, and I know I can get it from Scoggin Dickey. I see that Scoggin Dickey gets the part from GM Performance. That should be available from any GM dealership parts department right? Am I wrong on that? They should be able to order it right? Anyway, that wasn't my real problem. I go to the counter and this young kid is trying to help me. Now I just turned 30 last November. I always feel young when I go somewhere looking for parts. This kid couldn't have been 18. He couldn't find the part, no problem. I just felt that he should have been able to find it, or don't work in the parts department. I asked him if there was someone else in the parts department that was older, as they may have seen this part before and known what I was looking for. He said there isn't anyone else in parts that is older than him. WTF? He kept looking through his brand new books looking for this old part. What I was looking for was two 1/4" oil galley plugs with .035" holes in them (to oil the cam gears). I felt really old for the first time. I guess I really am over the hill, as my young wife keeps telling me. I am not worried though, time will catch up with her soon enough, and we will both be over the hill.

[BGMAN203]

Maybe the parts guy is new. I know all of us have struggles with new jobs in the beginning I just started a new job that requires some parts fetching also. Its tough, most of the time you can tell if they are new or not. Just put yourself in their shoes......give him a little break. Just my $.02

[Kachina26]

I feel your pain, there is nothing worse than someone who is too proud to go ask for the help they so obviously need. That's just your hobby on the line imagine all this time going by while your trying to make a buck and move on to the next ticket.:mad:

[shaun]

I dont really think age has much to do with it. A young guy could know just as much as a older or middle aged guy like your self. I do find more and more that places like kragen and pepboys higher people that definitly should not be working in the parts department. shit half the time it seams they dont even speak english all that well. One place i have never had a problem would be autozone. Those guys seem to be pretty good at finding things so far.

[fourspeednup]

Thanks for that post shaun, I'm 19 and have worked/apprenticed n the automotive trade 4 years. Parts guys are notoriously "slow";) people. A select few actually enjoy what they do and are eager to help you out. When work was slow I'd call up this older GM parts guy and try to stump him with part #'s, that guy knew his shit.

[wideopen545]

the part your looking for is the galley plugs for a 454 chevy they have the hole drilled in them to help oil the timming chain

[Moneypitt]

You mean all these years I've been buying pipe plugs and drilling them I could have been searching GM dealers for the same, ready to use plugs?? BTW, I drill a .060 hole, and in reality, I wondered if the holes really ever made any difference.........Moneypitt
PS: Don't accidently use the drilled ones in the back of the block, messy, messy, messy..................

[396_Z]

Originally posted by Shaun
One place i have never had a problem would be autozone. Those guys seem to be pretty good at finding things so far.
I was just at one Sunday, the guy attempting to help me didn't habla english and was having a hard time finding me the 3-1/2' of cinco-ocho hose I wanted.

[Kachina26]

Originally posted by Moneypitt
You mean all these years I've been buying pipe plugs and drilling them I could have been searching GM dealers for the same, ready to use plugs?? BTW, I drill a .060 hole, and in reality, I wondered if the holes really ever made any difference.........Moneypitt
PS: Don't accidently use the drilled ones in the back of the block, messy, messy, messy..................
Your plugs will never match the exacting standards of the factory drilled plugs!!!!! How dare you try to top the expert craftsmanship of some fine young man deep in Mexico! That's what I was thinking when he described what he wanted.
4Speed, it's tough to find a parts guy that isn't there just for the job. But sometimes you find one that has every 8 digit number for any part you need right in his head. Then when he moves on, you are stuck with a guy that has to look up the part you just came and got from him 5 minutes ago for another vehicle. I've found it's just easier to watch where they go get the part from and go grab it yourself and tell em to charge it out. Sometimes if they grab the same part 50 times for a campaign they will figure it out :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: OK gotta calm down.......... it's time to go work with these folks now.