Gaskets with Integral Diesel Fuel Injection Connectors by Magnum

Magnum Gaskets by MSI has further expanded its coverage for the rapidly growing diesel pickup truck market with part number VS25182 for 2006-2011 Dodge and Ram 5.9L and 6.7L diesel trucks. Magnum’s USA-made, precision molded MaxDry SS gasket replaces Cummins OE number 5264950.

These Dodge/Ram truck engines, part of the Cummins ISB inline six-cylinder diesel series, have a very long life expectancy with proper servicing of the fuel injection system. This fuel injector service requires replacement of the valve cover gasket, which not only must seal the valve cover, but also becomes a critical link in the fuel injector electrical connections.

In fact, a diagnostic code that indicates a fuel injector problem can actually be the result of a wiring harness failure due to heat cycles and vibration over a period of time. Therefore, the durability of the gasket and integral harness is critical. OE gaskets for these Cummins engines have commanded extremely high prices, but Magnum now provides major-brand gasket engineering and USA-made quality at a reasonable price.

Some of the Features and Benefits of the Magnum MaxDry SS VS25182 Gasket:

• Bend-resistant connector pins to prevent accidental installation damage
• Wiring harness connector at the gasket end is sonically welded in place, rather than pushed in place, to eliminate potential disconnection
• Precision molded rubber-on-plastic technology with reduced sealing bead compression set for leak-free gasket performance
• Market-leading combination of high quality and competitive pricing

VS25182 Valve Cover Gasket for Dodge Ram

VS25182 for Dodge/Ram diesels is just one example of Magnum’s broad gasket coverage for the light duty diesel market, which includes very popular Ford Powerstroke engines. Magnum’s valve cover gaskets for Ford 7.3L diesels also feature precision molded designs with integral electrical connectors. Part number VS25013 with two connectors fits 1994-1997 Ford trucks and VS25004 with one connector fits 1998-2003 Fords.

Magnum Gaskets prioritizes manufacturing and sourcing parts and materials in North America and has coverage for more than 100,000 vehicle applications. You can find valve cover gaskets listed under the "Engine" category in the RockAuto catalog.

USA Standard Gear Kits & Rebate

RockAuto offers the widest selection of differential installation and bearing kits from USA Standard Gear. USA Standard Gear kits include Differential Rebuild Kits, Bearing & Seal Kits and Ring & Pinion Rebuild Kits. The Differential Rebuild Kits are the most complete kits on the market and are specially tailored for each application. They come with bearings and races, seals, shims, ring gear bolts, thread locker, marking compound and an instruction manual.

Bearing & Seal Kits are perfect if you have shims on hand, while Pinion Bearing and Shim Kits are a terrific cost saver for gear swaps where the carrier will be re-used.

Through June 26th, you can receive $12 off these kits, $12 off USA Standard Gear axle shafts, $20 off USA Standard Gear ring & pinion sets and $30 off all Spartan Locker differential lockers. You can find these USA Standard Gear parts under the “Drivetrain” category for vehicles ranging from the 1970 American Motors Hornet to the 2011 Nissan Titan. Capture additional savings on top of RockAuto’s reliably low prices today.

Forum of the Month

TrailVoy.com is a website dedicated to the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. The site contains a wealth of information in the forums, member gallery, tech tips, TrailBlazer SS Registry and other sections.

Visit often for vehicle updates, recalls and technical service bulletins in the continually updated and in-depth members resource section.

Register today. It’s FREE!


If you are the administrator or member of a forum and you would like to see your website featured in an upcoming newsletter and receive a discount code to share with your members, contact flamur@rockauto.com.

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

I recently decided to install a new turn signal stalk in my 1998 Mustang with help from my brother. The replacement was easy and went smoothly. Before buttoning up everything, we decided to test the new switch. I reconnected the battery while my brother tried all the turn signals, lights and high beams. He then turned the car off, but when he took the key out of the ignition, the door chimer stayed on. Something must be wrong! He said his car does this occasionally, and he remedies it by wiggling the key in the ignition switch to make it stop. No luck of course. Now we had a new problem to fix.

I disconnected the battery again, and we removed the ignition switch. No luck stopping the chimer. We traced back the wire to find the chimer, and I told him there are a bunch of wires that go to it. He said, "Yeah, they are for the seat belt and lights if you leave them on." Only then, it dawned on him that he had left the lights on for the test, and that had caused the chimer to stay on. There was nothing wrong with the ignition switch. So an easy, simple job ended up taking most of the afternoon, only to find that nothing was wrong, other than forgetting to turn the headlights off! I told my brother this is a RockAuto Blunder for the newsletter for sure.

James in Connecticut

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

What is an open differential?

A. An open differential lets the outside wheel on the axle turn faster than the inside wheel when the vehicle is cornering.

B. An open differential sends 50% of the torque to each wheel on the axle. Torque is split 50/50 even if one tire is spinning on ice while the tire with more traction is not moving at all. It just takes very little torque to rapidly spin the ice tire while that same small amount of torque cannot move the tire that has traction.

C. An open differential is the standard differential on most two wheel drive vehicles. It cannot send more torque to the tire on the axle that has the most traction like a limited-slip or locked differential can.

D. All the above.

The Root Cause of a Problem

My teenage son recently joined the Explorer program at a local police department. This has created some tension at home. It is the same police force that once pulled my wife over for driving her Ford Tempo with burned out license plate bulbs. I replaced the bulbs and my wife has stayed out of trouble since then, but it is still a little awkward having her own son be a constant reminder of when she and her Tempo were on the wrong side of the law.

For car people, it is natural for a law enforcement discussion to transition to talking about police cars. My son is looking forward to ride-alongs in police cruisers with cop motors, cop shocks, cop tires and other heavy-duty cop parts real or imagined.

The most prolific police car in history was likely the Ford Crown Victoria. Although 2011 was the last model year for the Crown Vic, they linger on at many police departments and in taxi fleets.

After numerous miles and years, fleet managers and mechanics get to know the quirks common to their vehicles. The transmission in the Crown Victoria (Mercury Marquis, Lincoln Town Car) has a design element that is a great reminder of why it is important to at least try to determine what caused an old part to fail before installing a new one.

It would be reasonable to assume that a fleet vehicle with a lot of hard miles on it simply needs a new transmission. However, not delving further could be a costly mistake. The Ford transmission oil cooler has a thermal bypass valve built into it. (The oil cooler was part of the A/C condenser during the Crown Victoria’s last model years.) The transmission thermal bypass valve has a function similar to that of the thermostat in an engine cooling system. The valve lets the transmission fluid warm up to the correct operating temperature before it opens and allows fluid to flow through the cooler.

The Ford transmission oil cooler has a thermal bypass valve built into it.

Unfortunately, if the transmission bypass valve breaks and never opens, then fluid never makes it to the cooler and the transmission overheats and eventually fails. The valve is permanently built into the original equipment condenser/cooler. That police car needs a new $80 A/C condenser/transmission oil cooler to keep a new $1,300 transmission from being damaged (approximate current prices at RockAuto).

A bad pulley can damage a serpentine belt. Worn out motor mounts can lead to badly worn tires. A new valve cover gasket will not seal a badly warped valve cover. Looking for the root cause of a problem can help ensure success and prevent repeating a repair. I never did discover what caused all the Tempo’s license plate bulbs to burn out. Maybe they had been burned out for years, or maybe my wife did not tell the whole story of what she was up to that dark night when she ran afoul of the law.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

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