Automatic transmissions are the weak link on many FWD cars. Good preventive maintenance is a must.

What has impressed me lately is how durable Ford PSD and F150 truck transmissions are--most ranchers I know use them. I seen many seriously abused and still going strong. American products are under-rated.

I have called Rock Auto several times. They have great people on the phones and can probably tell the manufacturer on their toll free line.

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Originally Posted by txgreasemonkey

Automatic transmissions are the weak link on many FWD cars. Good preventive maintenance is a must.

What has impressed me lately is how durable Ford PSD and F150 truck transmissions are--most ranchers I know use them. I seen many seriously abused and still going strong. American products are under-rated.

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Well, American trucks are the American manufacturer's strong point, have been pretty much all along...

Yes, FWD transaxles are weak, especially Ford and GM, maybe Chrysler too.

What do you do for preventive maintenance on these apart from changing fluid and/or filters? How often do you change fluid/filters?

I drop and clean the pan, install a B&M drain plug, change the filter, and refill with Amsoil or Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF. I change the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles.

Here's a trick I use to service the heck out of my vehicles: leave the hood open, when they are in the garage. It beckons me to come over and check on things and get involved. It also encourages me to keep the engine compartments clean and check on things regularly.

Funny you mention the drain plug - American FWD transaxles don't have drain plugs, as if they know they won't last long enough for fluid changes to be worthwhile!

Wife's Corolla has a drain plug, pretty sure my mother-in-law's Honda Odyssey has one too.

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Originally Posted by txgreasemonkey

Here's a trick I use to service the heck out of my vehicles: leave the hood open, when they are in the garage. It beckons me to come over and check on things and get involved.

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Gettting married worked for me - any excuse to get out of the house. Garage is the closest place.

I'm sure she's on to you. Yes, not installing a transmission drain plug is pretty lame. Many imports are doing it now, too.

Santa (RockAuto.com) just delivered a package. Yep, it's a radiator hose (KM4635) I've been waiting for. Ford wanted $83, RockAuto sold it for $48.79. I told the Ford rep that I have never heard of a radiator hose costing that much money. He said he has some going for $200! This was the most difficult part I've ever tried to run down. Just finding out what the part no. was for the hose was difficult. Nobody had good information on this hose for my Duratec engine. I kept my fingers crossed that I ordered the correct one.

Yes, my car-modding phase began right after "I do" came out of my mouth, LOL.

What brand of hose is it?

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've said "how much did you say it costs?!"

I have to wait until the day after Christmas to see what Santa/Rock brings me in the way of O2 sensors. Just as well - now the ~ 2' of snow on the ground is becoming a slushy mess. Have to clean it up before it melts and re-freezes.

Motorcraft.

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Originally Posted by txgreasemonkey

motorcraft.

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Ha! :d

Just because I have too much time on my hands, I noticed in one of your other posts that you posted a link to Advanced Auto Parts' website. So I did some price-checking.

Advance wants $250 for THE SAME PART (Standard Auto SG911) that I paid $45 for at Rock Auto! They also claim the list price for the sensor is over $400 - not even the online Honda dealers charge that much for the sensor!

I guess it pays to shop around!

My O2 sensor is somewhere on a FedEx truck, to be delivered to me today.

Do you know if Rock sends items "signature required", or does it vary?

I want to run some other errands today, but I don't want to miss the delivery, especially if FedEx won't leave the package in my absence.

RockAuto (FedEx) has never required a signature from me.

Got it!

Looks just like OEM, but can't tell what brand it is. Made in Japan, has following markings:

Nearest the wires - "OHK:::563-H4, on one flange - "NTK:Japan, on the hexagonal/nut portion - "6F12".

NTK - sounds like a knock-off of NGK...

What's the verdict?

Would be nice if I could easily compare the markings to the original sensor that's on the car now.

It sounds like you got a coup for a fraction of the price. That's how it has been on all Standard products I've bought from RockAuto.com. They just put the components in their boxes and sell them much cheaper. I've never had any problems with their parts.

Never mind, I just googled "NTK", for some reason that's the name brand NGK uses for their O2 sensors.

Couldn't verify any markings with the part nos. on their website, but it looks as if I have an NGK O2 sensor for $50 (shipped)!

Thanks again!

http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/part_fi...uv/results.asp

And, it looks like you just saved me ~ $130!

What's your cut?