BWD brand - Standard Motor Products.

[Charrlie_S]

Just a heads up. During the past year, I have had a really bad experiance with BWD branded electrical parts. In particular their chrysler voltage regulators R-296Z, and electronic distributor pickup, ME2AZ
I have found close to 1 dozen bad regulators on the shelf in the past year, and 2 bad pickup coils in the past week..BWD is the "cheap" line for Standard Motor Products". This company was a quality part supplier, at one time, but that does not seem to be true any longer. I am in the process of building some HEI/mopar ignition systems, and tried to purchase their premium brand ignition modules, LX301, but was unable to find any locally. One part store PEP BOYS, offered to special order them, and Standard told PEP they could only order the BWD brand. I was able to order the modules from Rock Auto, but it nuts, not to be able to get them locally. I guess I will have to see if AC Delco is still a quality brand.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Cuda 170 nitrous
66 Valiant Signet 225 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170

[Pierre]

I thought part numbers that ended in T were SMP's budget brand. I guess they have more then one now.

[DusterIdiot]

[KBB_of_TMC]

I found I need a new ignition module and ordered a Standard Blue Streak top-of-the-line "X" suffix rather than the much cheaper "T" suffix. The box arrived and said "Printed in USA" and "Made in Tiawan"; the module had printed on it "made in China" and no Standard part# or label. The overall appearance appears rather crude.

I asked to see the "T" module, and it's box said "made in China" and the module also said "made in China". It's appearance was slightly different, but overall looked nicer that the supposed Blue Streak.

My question is: How do I know it's a real Blue Streak part and not some cheap junk in the box? I've had other problems with boxes contents not matching the label.

[Charrlie_S]

[KBB_of_TMC]

Thanks. I sent an Email via the Standard website to them with the question "How can one tell that the part is actually Blue Streak";
they responded in less than 1 hour with photos of both and said:

"Probably the easiest way is the case:
Actually, the X version is going obsolete with the "Standard" now being the premium choice."

Meanwhile, my auto parts place ordered me another Blue Streak module; this one was made in USA and had their logo in the metal so there is no question about it and I'm much happier; it was the same price as the nolabel made in China part. It's getting very hard to find quality parts now.

[DusterIdiot]

[Reed]

It is threads like this that have me looking seriously into converting to fuel injection and possibly distributorless ignition. Parts are just going to keep getting harder to find for the original equipment on our vehicles, and the replacement parts out there are turning quickly into poo.

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Buy local! http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/ http://www.americansworking.com/tools.html

[Sam Powell]

Go to car shows and buy up all of this kind of thing. They are out there on tables waiting to be had. The best parts are the NOS parts in Mopar boxes. And there are dealers that deal in these exclusively. Reed, EFI is good, and will work, but I would not do it yet while there are still good old parts on venders tables at shows. But you gotta do it now.

Sam

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A REAL professional is someone who knows when to hit it with a bigger hammer.

[shadetree]

I live in fl. and was in the parts biz. for 25yrs 4 I moved here.
NO parts guys in my area order takers. But ocs parts greed and
stupidity have bee around for years. The usa is discounting
itself into bankruptcy. And cheap crap parts are a real
problem. Napa actually sells blue streak parts under
some of their higher priced lines also wix filters. I have a
DElCO store that has a GOOD parts dude and can get a
bunch of STANDARD and wire and cable if I wait 24. Hell
if I have to I will pay air frieght! I WILL NOT USE SELL OR INSTALL JUNK.

My 2 cents shadetree

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brass handled wrench,bfh and a BIG screw
driver. If it aint drawn blood you aint done.

[cw6er]

Is the "Wells" brand any good? I know it is after market, but is it just mediocre, hit or miss or just plain bad?

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'81 D150 with "Lean Burn"

[Volare4life]

well didn't buy it new, but i snagged a wells 4 pin ignition module from the boneyard and it tested good, we will see in a few how it holds up,

-Mike

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I am the Guardian, I hate helos, everything leaks.......

[olafla]

Here are some pics of the inside posts in a new Standard CH-410X cap, not exactly 'premium' workmanship!

Not much quality control here!

All the posts are just as bad.


And this is the inside of an ordinary Standard CH-410, the metal is a bit more yellow, the workmanship is actually much better. When looked at side by side, it looks almost like it is brass in the X-cap, and copper in the ordinary one, there are obviously two different copper alloys used. I have no inside micrometer available to measure the distance across between the posts, I will post the measurements here in this thread if I can find a way to do them.

Olaf

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Aspenized

[emsvitil]

At least they're not aluminum posts...............

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

[twentyshots]

i'm looking through old posts.......
is the consensus (20 months later) still that the standard distribution cap is cheap garbage?

_________________
-proud new owner of a '61 lancer 170
-previous owner of a '74 dart swinger (R.I.P.)
-coming here for some schoolin'