A professional mechanic (@ultraELLAZAR) found himself frustrated with the lack of quality of an AutoZone part for a Jeep Wrangler he’s repairing.

It was a vent session turned valuable PSA for mechanics or people working on their own cars.

In the TikTok with over 4,400 views as of this writing, the mechanic reveals his irritation with an AutoZone part. 

“I’m replacing a water pump on a Jeep Wrangler. I’m using an AutoZone part. The gasket failed on this old water pump. That’s why I’m replacing it,” he started. 

The frustration is barely contained.

“I was doing a visual on the new water pump,” he continued. “Look at this BS right here. The heater hose pipe that threads onto the pump — there’s cracks in the threads. What is this? These cracks might not just be in the threads; might be deeper than that.”

When looking inside the AutoZone part, you can visibly see the cracks within the internal threading. 

He reiterated, “This part is brand new out of the box. [Is this] the quality of the parts they put into our vehicles? Our customers’ vehicles, man. What is this, man?”

What Happens When A Water Pump Fails?

If a $40 water pump fails, the repair ticket can easily hit four figures. Overheating engines warp heads, blow out gaskets, and strand drivers on the side of the road.

So what does this mean? What happens when a water pump fails? 

According to Dobbs, the first signs will be seal leaks and bearing failure. You’re going to see coolant puddles in the front center of your car. There will be a whine or grinding noise from the bearings as they wear out, which gets louder with acceleration.

Eventually, steam will be produced by the leak hitting a hot engine block, and your heater will stop working properly. This symptom occurs because the pump circulates hot coolant to your heater core; a failing pump could cause your cabin air to blow cold.

No, with this mechanic’s case, let’s say he wasn’t a true professional, didn’t inspect the part, and put it on. If the water pump threads are bad, the bolts will fight that mechanic, and if they force it on, they risk stripping the threading in the engine block itself. Stripped engine black threading requires drilling and Heli-coil inserts. What should be a two-hour job becomes a two-day situation.

Also, a hairline crack in the casing will become a significant issue under high pressure. As soon as the engine heats up, the metal will expand. The crack will open like the Red Sea, dumping out the coolant. (FYI, a crack can be fixed, as long as it’s not too crazy.)

The real issue, though, can be explained in part by one word: AutoZone. And the comment section had much to say.

That’s Duralast For You

Viewers went to the comment section to share that they aren’t surprised by the quality when seeing this is a Duralast product. 

“It’s a bad casting. And that’s why you always inspect parts,” one person noted. 

“Good catch. It is AutoZone for ya. That’s why Duralast has lifetime warranties lol,” another added. 

“That’s Duralast for you!!!! I’ve had many many problems with Duralast. never again,” a third shared.

One person noted the price point. “Well, it’s an AutoZone part; it’s going to be the cheapest you can buy.”

A commenter provided a key reality. “That’s not new; that’s a remanufactured,” he said. The completely new one (OEM, as in from the maker, or new aftermarket) will be more expensive.”

Issues Need Tissues

“Remanufactured” means exactly what it sounds like. It is a used part that has been disassembled, cleaned, and inspected. The wearables, like seals, gaskets, and bearings, are replaced with new ones, but the hard metal housing is reused from another vehicle.

Here is a breakdown of the three levels.

Cost Breakdown: Jeep Wrangler Water Pump (Part Only)

Here, a person on a budget can see why going with a cheaper option would be ideal. 

Remanufactured parts are often cheap and effective, as long as the mechanic does their due diligence and checks the part. AutoZone’s Duralast brand also offers a lifetime warranty, likely reflecting the company’s understanding of the consistency issues that can arise in mass production and reengineering of old parts.

As always, use at your own risk.

MotorBiscuit reached out to @ultraELLAZAR and AutoZone for more information

@ultraellazar Poor Quality New Parts #waterpump #jeep #wrangler #jeepwrangler #newparts ♬ original sound – ultraELLAZAR