PCV Valve Replacement with Pictures

From Amazon, it's possible you might be shipped stock from the nearest warehouse holding stock for any seller who claims to be selling the "same" item.

 

Luckily I don't think we're at the point of counterfeit PCV valves and Aisin (oem) are labeled well enough to identify to confirm your have the correct part. I ordered from Amazon and it was identical to the markings on the part that came out.

 

just a point of reference. I have a 2004 Prius with 266k miles and it has the original pcv valve. I bought a replacement at 130k miles but didn't install it since I wasn't having any symptoms warranting a replacement.

I'm going to be under the car replacing all four strut assemblies soon (adding a lift kit) so I'll swap it out and report on the condition of the old valve.

 

BTW: I found a seller on eBay that will sell you a single 22mm Ratcheting Box End for $12.19 with free shipping. That seller sells any size from 6 mm to 32 mm a la carte. I have seen similar deals on Amazon, but not with Prime shipping. Cheaper than buying a Craftsman 22mm combo wrench, and then having the hassle of cutting it. Sure the $12.19 wrench is not craftsman quality, but tight can a PCV valve be? If it were a 22 mm body bolt, you would want a better quality wrench.

Alternatively, you might be able to fit a deep socket over the whole PCV valve.

 

That should hold us until the day counterfeiters get the idea of putting identical markings on their goods.

 

A deep socket works fine, and allows you to torque it.

 

I recently found a nearby Toyota dealer with a web store: https://parts.conicellitoyotaofconshohocken.com/. I can order online, and get the "web price" instead of MSRP, then opt to pick up the parts instead (Saves $14.95 shipping fee on most orders). So far, the prices on eBay and Amazon are not low enough to tempt me away from the "Web Price" of this dealer. Plus I can pick up the parts the next business day.

 

The named seemed familiar -- I bought oil filters from them via eBay a few months ago. I stick to Toyota dealerships for parts known to be counterfeited often. Although there are a few on eBay or Amazon, I no longer trust Amazon's chain of custody enough to order something like spark plugs there, even if the seller is an actual dealer. (Amazon seems to throw "equivalent" items from different sources in one bin for fulfillment, and also there are apparently fraudulent returns that aren't caught before being resold. Just my humble opinion, etc.)

 

That was covered earlier in this post so your humble opinion does seem to have good company. The Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council wrote about a shipping practice they think should be eliminated, and while they don't name the "at least one" marketplace engaging in it, I know of one time it unmistakably happened to me in an Amazon order. I had looked at several sellers listing what appeared to be the same product, and based on whatever information I could get, I deliberately chose to order the thing from Seller A, and when it arrived it was all in Seller B packaging. (Even better, it came with a damaged part, and when I reported that, a replacement part arrived from Seller C!)

 

The shoppers at Walmart swap filters and orings from the Toyota boxes to the offbrand packaging, leaving the cheap stuff in the Toyota box.

 

I had something similar happen to me on Amazon with a refrigerator part several years ago. Deliberately chose the seller with an OEM part, but received a generic *with another seller's barcode on it*. Lately the annoyance is getting tools that have obviously been used and still have the previous buyer's grease on them. (I thought everyone knew that's what Harbor Freight is for.)

I didn't know that Walmart sold Toyota branded parts. I see not only 3rd party vendors on walmart.com, but also "Shipped and sold by Walmart", and even available for pickup today at my local store. I'm shocked!

Return fraud could happen anywhere, but I suspect it's less likely with eBay vendors who are Toyota dealers. The person restocking is not also selling googoo dolls and shampoo.

 

My comment about the markings was more about getting the right part (assuming it's authentic). Amazon is full of sellers selling authentic items that are the wrong part.

No doubt a pcv valve would be easy to counterfeit. I just don't see the market for it. They're cheap parts that are replaced only when failed (on most cars) and offer no promise of power or mpg gain. Counterfeiting something that cheap would require massive volume in order to be worth someone's time. Maybe it's happening. I just sort of doubt it.

Unlike spark plugs that can be $50/ea and are replaced by some people every 20k miles in an attempt to "improve" something.

 

I purchased a new PCV valve and the new one clearly had a spring valve that, if depressed and opened the flow, would again close if the pressure was removed.

Are you sure that a clean/healthy PCV valve should rattle? My old one is gunked up and I was burning oil like crazy and things greatly improved when I installed the new valve with a functioning spring (and no rattle).

 

Well, I have a new Toyota PCV valve, part number 12204-21011, and it rattles. Certainly if your old PCV valve was gunked up it was past due to replace.

 

Just because it rattles, doesn't mean it's good.
I've cleaned them before, and they rattle. But the spring may be weak, or broken.
So the valve may not work correctly.
It's a $10 part, certainly worth replacing...