Is AC Delco still the "standard"?

[doncaruana]

My buddy who runs his own garage says he like to use Standard (SMP) for replacement parts (vs any "store" brand for sue and others as well). I don't think he would pick them over OEM, but I'm looking at a relay and the AC Delco part (which I think a new one actually went bad on me already) is only $7 and the Standard one is $17 at O'Reilly. The prices are much closer elsewhere but Standard is still more expensive. Standard is 30amp, ACD is 35amp. Honestly, based on my first ACD (bought at Autozone with only 1 year warranty), I'm leaning toward the Standard (Limited Lifetime).

Did I just get unlucky with the first one? Or is AC Delco quality not what it once was? If they were the same price, which would you buy?

 

[B-train]

AC delco has gone the way of cheapness on some parts to stay competitive. There are different levels of ACD parts, similar to Napa silver, gold, etc. I stick with GM OEM parts for items that really need to work properly - electrical comes to mind.

 

[doncaruana]

AC delco has gone the way of cheapness on some parts to stay competitive. There are different levels of ACD parts, similar to Napa silver, gold, etc. I stick with GM OEM parts for items that really need to work properly - electrical comes to mind.

Isn't AC Delco GM OEM? I thought they were actually the same. Even at rockauto, the standard relay is more expensive. AC Delco 15-81106 vs SMP RY-604.

I see the "OEM" part listed at 21997408 and that's what's printed on the AC-Delco version. Would they be different somehow?

 

[OR VietVet]

I stick with Genuine GM parts whenever they are available. Next would be AC Delco Gold and then professional. I think there is also a silver and advantage line mixed in there too. Hell, I don't know for sure and when you try to google it, it is a bunch of mixed up crap.

 

[B-train]

Isn't AC Delco GM OEM? I thought they were actually the same. Even at rockauto, the standard relay is more expensive. AC Delco 15-81106 vs SMP RY-604.

I see the "OEM" part listed at 21997408 and that's what's printed on the AC-Delco version. Would they be different somehow?

There are some things where ACD is almost as good as OEM, or close to it. However, ACD does have its value line for suspension and brakes that I know of. I think most electrical things listed as ACD are actually quite good, I have living proof of that. As @OR VietVet stated, there are many 'grades' of ACD. It has confused me for years as well. If the package says Genuine OE, then you know you should be getting similar or exact of what your truck came with new.

 

[doncaruana]

This is weird...
ACD - Autozone $6.59, 1 year warranty. Oreilly same price, limited lifetime for ACD and Standard. RockAuto $3.24 for ACD (2 year warranty), $4.81 for SMP (3 year warranty).
I think I'll just pick up the the ACD one from Oreilly. The description on it says "GM Genuine Parts".

 

[OR VietVet]

I hope I don't jinx myself on my ongoing, "bringing up to my standards", work I am doing on my girls 2002 TrailBlazer with 70k miles on it. I have never gotten a part out of any Genuine GM part box or any level of AC Delco box, that was bad out of the box. I have experienced that with Dorman and also Standard, when I ran shops and there are other generic parts out there that I just refuse to install. I work on rigs on the side for extra money and make no money on parts. I have told some people that I just will not install a part they handed me. Crap is crap and I stand behind my labor but not their crap parts.

 

[tom3]

My experience with a fuel pump relay. Critical part, wanted the best, ordered the AC Delco part with the OE factory part number. What I got:

 

[doncaruana]

My experience with a fuel pump relay. Critical part, wanted the best, ordered the AC Delco part with the OE factory part number. What I got:

View attachment 389609

From what I searched that IS the OE factory part, sadly. Or at least it looks like it. Everything is made in China. They get an E for presentation for sure. Did the relay work okay?

 

[tom3]

Did a complete brake job on my old truck last year. Pads, rotors, hoses, shoes, drums, hardware. Wanted good stuff and looking for low dust pads. Went with AC Delco for all parts. Wasn't impressed with these rotors:

 

[Doubeleive]

Did a complete brake job on my old truck last year. Pads, rotors, hoses, shoes, drums, hardware. Wanted good stuff and looking for low dust pads. Went with AC Delco for all parts. Wasn't impressed with these rotors:
View attachment 389610View attachment 389611

there are lots knockoff autoparts out there especially ac delco, always try to purchase from a good source, dealer, well known store, etc
I have personally had bad luck with "standard" brand auto parts

 

[Eman85]

Warranty time is just a game they play to make believe the part is good. They're betting most will never get returned. The only thing consistent with parts today is the color of the box and the logo, what's inside is a different story. Standard is good stuff, they're still a separate company that hasn't gotten purchased by the big groups. They are in business to make money so they do have stuff made in other countries but their quality control is good. They own other brands of ignition/electrical but their Standard 1st line brand is good stuff, they do have a 2nd line usually in green boxes instead of red. I used their plug wires exclusively when I had my shop and nothing compared for a daily driver.

 

[Stbentoak]

Did a complete brake job on my old truck last year. Pads, rotors, hoses, shoes, drums, hardware. Wanted good stuff and looking for low dust pads. Went with AC Delco for all parts. Wasn't impressed with these rotors:
View attachment 389610View attachment 389611

When you see how fast they slam these thru Lathes in factories with low paid labor etc, you'd understand the last thing they are worried about is balancing the machining to the raw casting. The machine is set to cut exactly the same thing over and over, and the casting can vary, be loaded in the chuck improperly, or the chuck could be full of chips and the part is not seating in the jaws. Plus, cast iron is some of the nastiest crap out there to machine both for operator and machine itself....

 

[swathdiver]

As of last year, current GM OE calipers and rotors for our trucks are made by Akebono, a Japanese company. My original calipers were made by PBR, an Austrailian company.

Expensive? You bet.

 

[tom3]

On the relay I would have liked to pop the cover off and check the size of the contactor pads, new vs old. Didn't want to risk cracking the plastic and killing any warranty if it didn't work for long. Is working ok at this point.

 

[doncaruana]

Just picked up my relay from Oreilly. If you look up either of those part numbers from the package, 9 times out of 10, you'll see a picture of an Omron relay with the number 21997408 on it. They're all the same thing functionally (21997408, 15328865, 13503103). This is the Delphi version, made in Korea. I'm not sure exactly where the Omron relays are made (still in Canada?), but I'll take Korea over China. I'll let you all know how it works out.

They have the ACD OE version of the other relays for only $8...I may replace them just because...25 years and 300,000 miles is a long time...

 

[Hoesgottaeat2]

IIRC, the fuel pump in my ‘96 was replaced with an aftermarket one a few years ago. An instant drop in fuel economy was noticed. Was down approximately 2MPG.

Circled back and replaced the newly installed aftermarket with OEM and the fuel economy was right back to normal.

Only confirms what @B-train eluded to…
Don’t get your hopes up if you compromise on the electrical components.

 

[Alex_M]

Delco stuff has gone way down in quality unfortunately, at least for the entry level stuff. I got a Delco fuel pump for my Silverado about 4 months ago because I didn't want to have to drop the tank again for years. Opened the box to find the exact same fuel pump I had just put in another vehicle which was a parts store house brand pump, right down to the paperwork that came with. Just a different box. The truck was already hard starting (after sitting overnight) again after about 2 weeks. It's still running, but I'm going to have to drop the tank again sooner or later.

 

[Hoesgottaeat2]

Delco stuff has gone way down in quality unfortunately, at least for the entry level stuff. I got a Delco fuel pump for my Silverado about 4 months ago because I didn't want to have to drop the tank again for years. Opened the box to find the exact same fuel pump I had just put in another vehicle which was a parts store house brand pump, right down to the paperwork that came with. Just a different box. The truck was already hard starting (after sitting overnight) again after about 2 weeks. It's still running, but I'm going to have to drop the tank again sooner or later.

So discouraging to hear stuff like that. Getting more and more common.