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parts store employees.......

old popper

old popper

Well-known Member
Need a set of spark plugs for an "H" Farmall that I am taking on a tractor ride next Sat. Stopped at the local O'Reilly's parts store yesterday to pick up same. I have no idea what plug goes in a Farmall, being a dyed in the wool JD man. This kid about twenty looked through three or four books about six inches thick, and finally sold me some plugs. Well, I drove to my brother's this morning to install said plugs. They were'nt even close to being right. I took them back, and got my money back. He could not find any other plug for an "H". Tell me, is it the help? Or is it the books they look in? Who can tell me what plug I need for an "H" Farmall.
 
You could have checked the internet before going, just to make sure its the correct plug when you got them......or pulled a plug out, then look it up on the internet to see if its the correct one.......

I believe AC C86 or Autolite 3116 or Champion D18/D21 will work for an H

bob
 
(quoted from post at 20:42:44 09/05/10) Need a set of spark plugs for an "H" Farmall that I am taking on a tractor ride next Sat. Stopped at the local O'Reilly's parts store yesterday to pick up same. I have no idea what plug goes in a Farmall, being a dyed in the wool JD man. This kid about twenty looked through three or four books about six inches thick, and finally sold me some plugs. Well, I drove to my brother's this morning to install said plugs. They were'nt even close to being right. I took them back, and got my money back. He could not find any other plug for an "H". Tell me, is it the help? Or is it the books they look in? Who can tell me what plug I need for an "H" Farmall.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be too hard on the kid. In the minds of some kids anything older then 1995 is ancient, let alone a classic tractor.
 
Might be the partsman, the book, or in this case the customer. Why would exspect a guy working in an auto parts store to know about tractors? You don't go a JD parts house to buy plugs for your car do ya? Here's an idea, how about taking an old plug with you when you go.
 
It is the kid not the book I know because I have an O'Reilly's in my area and it is the only store so I buy 95% of my stuff from them and there books do in fact list the Farmall H and many many others even my 1935 JD-B is listed in the books
 
Best bet is to take an old plug or look up plug / part numbers before heading to store (and keeping a note for future use). Even with all the catalogs, computers, etc. some of these parts are not easy to find. For the employee or us. Especially true with older equipment. Of course we could go to farm / implement dealers and pay a bit more if need be.
 
Be wary or the parts person when you ask for an Autolite 3116,216, 437 etc.
Those are a non resistor plug and the parts person with 9 times out of ten sub the number to a resistor plug.
Unless you are listening to AM radio on the piece of equipment. Go with solid core wires and non resistor plugs.
 
Mills Fleet Farm stores in the midwest have catalogs hanging by the spark plug rack that have all the info you need including cross reference. You need to find a store like that. Tractor Supply probably has something like that. I've never been in a TSC store. The nearest one to me is about 2 hours away.
 
Thank you so much. Taking an old plug with me wouldn't have done much good as they have a coat of paint on them. that is why I wanted the parts store to look them up. Thanks again for your help.
 
Back when I was a kid working the parts counter at the family's Farmall garage, the "universal" letter-series Farmall spark plug was the Champion D-15Y...a replacement for the old D-16.[Also fits the 300, 350, 400,and 450 gas tractors.] If you knew that info, it's easy enough to use a crossover chart to get the brand of plug you prefer.

BIG part of the problem is that places like O'Reilly's pay doodly-squat, so you only get counterpersons who'll work for doodly-squat, and who know LESS than doodly-squat. A couple of years ago, I applied for a position at my local O'Reilly's...with my associates degree in automotive management and my 30+ years of parts experience, they were willing to start me out at a generous $8 an hour. When I told the store manager that I was making $11 at my then-current job, he exploded that HE didn't even make that much! I refrained from making any further comments, except that it appeared I wouldn't be working for them.
 
I was not the least bit surprised at your reply. It's all about finding somebody with a pulse that will work dirt cheap. Management at the store does not want somebody with a brain that might be a threat to replace them. As stated in the earlier thread about auto dealerships nearly all these places are not interested in training new employees. You come in and either you sink or swim. It's not going to get better anytime soon.
 
Be glad you don't need a job bad enough to have to work a job like that.

I'm sure it ain't all "rainbows and unicorns" from the underpaid/undertrained employee's side of the counter, either!

Most of the parts lookup software in use today at the autoparts stores only goes back to 1985 (IF that far) and for older stuff or ag stuff it's necessary to dig out an actual paper catalog which they probably haven't been trained to take the time to do. or shown where to look!
 
I've had pretty good luck at NAPA for old stuff, for either cars or trucks. The books seem to be pretty straightforward, and usually correct, for tractor filters. Have diesel tractors, so don't know about NAPA for plugs.
 
You are right, it's just that it is 18 mi to my brothers where I keep my tractors and I was a bit disapointed when they were the wrong ones, but quite a bit disapointed when he could'nt find any other reference to find the right plug. I know what new low paid help is like, as I am employed at a Tyson Foods Facility. Just completed 42 years.
 
Yep that is why most new people in the local store here either learn fast or at times I even go behind the counter and hand the new guy the book and show him how and where to look. Shoot some of them in the past would see me coming and head to the back because they know I buy the odd ball stuff that is hard to find. But I have used the same store now for 30 plus years so they do get to know you
 
the only parts stores that will be any help would be a napa or carquest that is a old established store, these are indepentantly owned franchises and the owners who have owned them for years know to hang on to the old books, as most comupters only go back to the mid '80's new stores and "short line" stores most likely will be lost, got to give the kid kudos , for looking at all, remember if he's in his 20's farmall was long gone by the time he was born your lucky the kid knew what a farmall even was, i was in a autozone looking for plugs for my ford jubilee, that kid didnt know ford made tractors
 
We have a NApA store here I use exclusivly.Buddy of mine got into it out of highschool now has owned his own store for 25yrs.Has all NAPA stuff on computer and everything else in parts books and a seperate computer.Even has a Steiners cat.along with several others.He can get ANYTHING!He got my liners and pistons and gasket set for my 830 deisel com way cheaper than local Case/Int. shop. Hoss
 
Not to be contrary, but taking one out WOULD have helped. It would have eliminated the "not even close" scenario. You would have been able to compare threads, reach....ect. Other thing is...if you have the ability to post your complain here, you had the ability to look up your plug before you left. Asking a teenager from a lower tier parts store to come up with a correct part for something 4 times his age is a HUGE leap of faith.
 
what if it had the wrong plugs in it? It wouldn't do you any good to take one along.People will stick any plug in it they can find. I've seen them with 3 different plugs.
 
Yes looking it up before going out might have been better for you but I have enjoyed reading this thread and the wonderful stories:)
 
When I went into the auto parts store recently for a timing chain and tensioner for a 2.2 GM the manager told me cam-in-block engines did not have timing chain tensioners. I politely asked him to look again. He said "Well I guess they do". Another time an employee at a big box store looked at me like I was nuts when I asked for a colder plug for an engine I was working on. He told me they were all the same temperature.
 
I will add a story my cousin told me yesterday. He changed the trans fluid in his truck for the first time. Went to advance auto to get a filter and fluid. He asked the kid at the counter what fluid he needed. Guy looked it up and said Dextron 4. He went looking for it. They had 2,3, and 6 on the shelf but no four. He told the kid he couldn't find it and there was not a spot on the shelf for four. Kid said yeah we have it, it's marked VI for some reason. I guess they don't kids don't learn roman numbers any more,,,,
 
In my area (eastern Nebraska) all the major auto parts stores (NAPA, O'Reilly's, Carquest, Autozone) advertise that they carry parts for farm tractors.
 
I was a professional parts man for many years.
You need some mechanic experience to be good.
With the books we had then, i could get almost anything- and right. Impossible things take more time.
 
Any one heard of a 8 commercial champion spark plug. Was the plug of the day in the 50's. All the parts houses subbed to the D-16. I had some disagrements with them so wrote to the champion spark plug company and they verified my claim the 8-com was slightly different than the D-16 in heat range but apparently IH had a lock on it so they didn't supply them to auto parts stores. Still have that letter some where in my old files. The D-15Y was the one that IH went to to replace it for normal service and D 18-Y for lighter service. I use the D-21 in a lot of the engines now that don't work hard for any length of time with good results.
 
After a few years of accumulating old parts catalogs for engine identification, I"ve found it"s not that unusual to find parts catalogs that don"t agree on the engine ID...
Sometimes an engine is announced/advised, but prod or delivery poor, and another substituted, or unit upgraded or downgraded with different engine during prod (Cletrac HG went from Herc IXA to IXK3 to IXB3, and most catalogs only list one or at most two of the three).
Then there"re the occasional misprints...I"ve developed a lot more respect for parts counter people.
 
The regional Murray's Auto Parts was bought out by O'Reilly a couple of years ago. Now Murray's wasn't a great store by any measure, but as soon as O'Reilly took over their stores turned to pure crap. I've posted before about my experiences with this chain. I now stay away from them for all but the most basic purchases.
 
if you went to o"reily"s and there is not a girl on the staff it is suprising. all the o"s i"ve been in have girls/young women and they have been great help. one this spring order me the filter for my hydro 86. maybe you should look for the girls to help you.
 
parts cataloging tip...You can go from OLD to NEW, But you can't go from NEW to OLD!! newer catalogs don't go back as far in year on many applications. They may have general plug listing, but not a lot of detail listings. So a good auto parts supply house, usually keeps a set of OLDER catalogs in a seperate rack for older applications. As far as older plugs... a lot are deleted by manufacturer, and upgraded to a newer part number.I work at a napa and we have a LOT of old deleted plugs in stock. Don't sell many at all. Get me the original PN and make of plug, we probably have them. Not newer made plugs, plugs that are true champion made from 30+ years ago.
 
$8 an hour doesn't often buy a good parts counter person. When it does, it rarely keeps them long term.
Now you know why I have heard them referred to and agree with as "O Really Stupids".
 
A lot of times an O Riellys has come to a town and run other good stores out of business.So they sell parts for tractors,they ought to teach their people how to find these tractor parts in their store.A few years ago someone said O Reillys was trying to be the Wal Mart of auto parts.Now I notice they are higher on some stuff like oil and things you can get somewhere else.

Usually there is a good parts person or 2 somewhere in an ORiellys store.Maybe in the back taking orders from truck companies and car dealers who have shops.Its too important to keep those people happy because they will quit buying from them if they dont get good service.However they will put some idiot on the front counter,especially on the weekend or a holiday,and he will pi$$ more people off in 2 days than they can get to come in there in a month.Or a girl.The one I go to had an obnoxious girl there,and she would tell people they didnt have something when you could see the part standing there!
Yeah they are saving a lot of money on labor though!They might have more people "working"there than any other parts store I ever saw,and a decent price usually if one of them can find it!
 
Champion D-16 if the engine is in good shape, D-21 if it is using a little oil, D-23 if it is using a lot of oil. JD A's and B's and possible G's use the same plugs. Wisconsin air cooled use the same plugs and I also think old Oliver's also use these 18MM plugs.
I would like to find the genius at Champion who came up with the "STOCK NUMBERS" on their plugs that ARE NOT the plugs TYPE number.

Kent
 
For Trucker 40& Old.We have 2 O'Reilly stores near us and if they make it another 6 months they will be lucky.AZ,Advance,Parts Plus and Ind's each do more sales in 1 Hr.then they do in a week.Most shops I know of say NEVER AGAIN.They must own Junk yards somewhere as a lot of their parts are used,not rebuilt because they want your no.and call you in a day or two and the parts are always used.If you want used,then you can go to the yards yourself.
 
The best parts person at the local CIH dealer is a lady. She has been there all my life and the few older red things I have she don't need the book to find the bearings I need.
 
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