Schrader TPMS Sensors

RockAuto now offers Schrader Direct-Fit and Programmable OE replacement Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors. Schrader, an original equipment manufacturer, has integrated over 200 million sensors on global vehicle platforms since launching TPMS on the first production vehicles in 1997. Schrader Direct-Fit sensors are 1-for-1 replacements for the sensors installed on the vehicle at the assembly line. Programmable EZ-Sensors perform to exact OEM equivalent standards. Schrader Snap-In style sensors feature a snap-in TMPS valve to allow for easy installation with the same superior quality and air control features as other Schrader sensors.

Forum of the Month

MercuryMarauder.net is the Internet's most complete source of information about the 2003 and 2004 Mercury Marauder. Online since 2002, we offer technical assistance and sponsor local, regional and national meets. Whether you are an industry professional or just an average Joe looking for a little help with your 2003 or 2004 Marauder, we are here for you.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

A few years ago, I overheard a coworker talking about how her car needed new brakes really bad, but she couldn’t afford to pay a mechanic to do the work. Being the chivalrous young man that I was, I immediately offered her my confident assistance. I assured her of my mechanical prowess, especially doing brake jobs, especially since I had “done it a million times” by the time I was 25. She gladly took me up on my offer and before you know it, I had her car up on jacks and was installing new rotors and pads that I had purchased from RockAuto. A little while later, I was all finished. No charge even! But she did agree to a date the next weekend. She pulled away in her car, and as I listened, I didn’t hear any strange noises. All was fine, right?

The following day, I saw her at work. She then proceeded to tell me, in a most ardent fashion, that after driving for several miles, she heard a scraping noise coming from the brakes again. She pulled over at a local garage to have a mechanic look at it, and he discovered that the brake pads were installed backwards, with the metal backing rubbing against the rotors! How humiliated I was! I paid her for new pads, rotors AND for the labor of a professional mechanic this time. And by the way, I never did get that date.

Barry in California

Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder or unconventional fix. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes or share off-the-wall solutions that worked (at least for a while!). Please e-mail your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Tools & Universal Parts in the catalog. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!

Automotive Trivia

The Ford Mustang was originally going to be called the Ford Torino when it was launched in mid-1964. Why was the name switched from Torino to Mustang?

A. Ford discovered that in Quebec, "Torino" was ubiquitously used in place of  "baby strollers" much like the brand name "Kleenex" is used in place of "facial tissue."

B. Henry Ford II was about to leave his wife for an Italian woman. Ford executives did not want people to think the Torino car was named after Ford II's Italian sweetheart.

C. "Torino" was a trademark owned by Studebaker. Ford did not acquire the right to use the Torino name until 1968.

Answer below

Your Engine’s PCV Valve

Be skeptical if someone tells you your late-model engine does not have a PCV valve. Engines still generate gases in the crankcase that must be vented somewhere or the pressure will start causing oil leaks and other problems. Engines still have positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) systems that actively draw the gas out of the crankcase and feed it to the intake so it can be burned. There is still some sort of valve that controls the direction of flow and volume of crankcase gases. What has often changed is the design of PCV systems and the name, appearance or location of the PCV valve.

Typical PCV Valves used by GM and Ford in the 1970s -1990s

Newer Toyota, Honda and Volvo PCV Valves

On some engines, the PCV valve components are actually part of the valve cover or intake pieces. The V8s in Chevy and GMC trucks have PCV “calibrated orifices” built right into the valve covers. Replacing the PCV valve still may not require replacing an entire valve cover or major intake part. RockAuto’s manufacturers often come up with solutions that only replace the failure prone component. For example, the Dorman 917064 PCV “diaphragm” simply replaces the spring loaded device that most often fails on Audi and Volkswagen valve covers.

Audi/Volkswagen PCV Diaphragm

No matter what their official name is or how unusual they look, the RockAuto catalog still lists parts that perform the function of a PCV valve under “Emission” and “PCV Valve” in the catalog. The RockAuto catalog can be the place to find out what your engine’s PCV valve looks like. As the photos here show, it might be hiding in plain sight, but just look nothing like the classic PCV valve you are familiar with. After looking it up in the RockAuto catalog, I found the PCV valve on my Dodge V8 perched right on top of the intake between the valve covers. It was impossible to miss once I knew what to look for.

Newer Dodge V8 PCV Valve

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