Fumoto oil drain valve

[first&lastKJ]

Does anyone have the Fumoto oil drain valve?

 

[67Customs]

I'd like to know as well. Been thinking of switching to one.

More specifically, anyone with skid plates running one?

 

[first&lastKJ]

I posted this in the wrong forum, should have posted in general discussion. I was looking for a product review on the Fumoto valve when I posted this.
But anyway I think it would be ok as long as you don't do any serious offroading. It would be alot cleaner and quicker to change the oil.

 

[Lancer]

I have, and I have the skid row plates as well. Works well - makes oil changes a lot easier and less messy with no risk of thread stripping.

 

[tjkj2002]

I'll through my 2 cents in.............

Being a tech you do not want to do a oil chnage on a vehicle with one of those valves installed.The chances of failure are to great to take any chances with my job.Plus they drain so slowly and time is money.

 

[67Customs]

I'll through my 2 cents in.............

Being a tech you do not want to do a oil chnage on a vehicle with one of those valves installed.The chances of failure are to great to take any chances with my job.Plus they drain so slowly and time is money.

What specific failures happen with these valves?

 

[tjkj2002]

What specific failures happen with these valves?

Don't know and don't care to venture.I will not drop the oil in a vehicle with one installed.Same goes for those temp plugs also.

 

[67Customs]

:blah:

 

[tjkj2002]

:blah:

Well when your job's on the line chnages your whole perspective.

 

[67Customs]

Well when your job's on the line chnages your whole perspective.

I'm sorry. I just assumed when you said, "The chances of failure are to great...," that you had facts about the valve that I hadn't read before. No just, "time is money."

I personally haven't heard of any valve failures and the design looks pretty simple.

Also, I would assume that since these valves (seeing that there doesn't seem to be many, if any, documented failures) are pretty safe to use, they would be nice for you mechanics. Instead of you reaching for your wrench to loosen a bolt and possibly having trouble removing it because the last person that touched it doesn't believe in torque specs, you simply lift and turn a handle to open the valve. It would seem to me that there would be less failures with these. I've heard a lot of people complain about stripped oil pan bolts, but no Fomoto failures. I would also take into account the time for cleaning off the oily bolt before re-install and possibly for looking for a dropped bolt. There are no chances of those two instances with the valve.

Lastly, I can't see how this valve diminishes the oil flow that much seeing as how most vehicles that come in are at or near operating temp when you change it. The fact that the oil is at a thin viscosity at the point of the change, I would tend to think that a minimal diameter reduction in the outlet would only create nominal flow restrictions, in turn not significantly increasing the time it takes the pan to empty.

Just some thoughts.

 

[tjkj2002]

I'm sorry. I just assumed when you said, "The chances of failure are to great...," that you had facts about the valve that I hadn't read before. No just, "time is money."

I personally haven't heard of any valve failures and the design looks pretty simple.

Also, I would assume that since these valves (seeing that there doesn't seem to be many, if any, documented failures) are pretty safe to use, they would be nice for you mechanics. Instead of you reaching for your wrench to loosen a bolt and possibly having trouble removing it because the last person that touched it doesn't believe in torque specs, you simply lift and turn a handle to open the valve. It would seem to me that there would be less failures with these. I've heard a lot of people complain about stripped oil pan bolts, but no Fomoto failures. I would also take into account the time for cleaning off the oily bolt before re-install and possibly for looking for a dropped bolt. There are no chances of those two instances with the valve.

Lastly, I can't see how this valve diminishes the oil flow that much seeing as how most vehicles that come in are at or near operating temp when you change it. The fact that the oil is at a thin viscosity at the point of the change, I would tend to think that a minimal diameter reduction in the outlet would only create nominal flow restrictions, in turn not significantly increasing the time it takes the pan to empty.

Just some thoughts.

The oil flow coming out is about 1/4 of what it would be by removing the pan plug,more so if on a vehicle like a Subaru.Those valves are simple but no real stops to keep them from turning on there own,and there plenty lubricated.There are not many in use,well not many that come into a shop at least.

I look at it as the pan plug is less likely to fail then a valve is.One oil out and your looking for another job around here and paying for a new engine.Just not going to take that chance.With the comment "time is money" it's all so very true if your a tech.Unless you don't like making money to pay bills and feed yourself then those valves are no issue but when you only get paid 18mins to do a oil change you must beat that time or match it to make money.Going over and your loosing money.

 

[67Customs]

My other thought is that most people who buy and install these are the DIY type. I wouldn't expect people who own these to take their vehicles to an oil change business.

At any rate, I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase one. I'm about 2,500 miles away from my 60k service. While I'm changing everything else, I think I'm going to add one of these.

 

[first&lastKJ]

I'm about 2,500 miles away from my 60k service. While I'm changing everything else, I think I'm going to add one of these.[/QUOTE]

Let us know if you like it, I may get one as well.

 

[kidjedi]

My other thought is that most people who buy and install these are the DIY type. I wouldn't expect people who own these to take their vehicles to an oil change business.

At any rate, I'm pretty sure I'm going to purchase one. I'm about 2,500 miles away from my 60k service. While I'm changing everything else, I think I'm going to add one of these.

So how'd it go? I just ordered mine.

I'll through my 2 cents in.............

Being a tech you do not want to do a oil chnage on a vehicle with one of those valves installed.The chances of failure are to great to take any chances with my job.Plus they drain so slowly and time is money.

Though I would trust tjkj2002 with most anything on my vehicle (going from his posts on the boards), I think the Fumoto valve is more likely to be a benefit, as it keeps nitwit techs (not you, tjkj2002! ) from stripping out your oil pan... and I've definitely read about THAT problem many, MANY more times than a Fumoto valve failing (which I've never even heard of).

All that said, it seems like the valve is for people who are going to change their own oil anyway... no worry about confusing a tech!

 

[cplchris]

putting a device on your vehicle designed to drain it of any lubricant with less effort than a few turns of a wrench is like having a coin operated self destruct mechanism between the seat and center console, or a medical device that drains all of your blood with the push of a button. its a bad idea.

 

[jinstall]

And what facts do you have to back this up?

Because he facts show that it is more likely to strip a drain plug that for the Fumto valve to fail. At $500 for a new oil pan not including installation, the valve is a much more safer and cost effective alternative.

 

[cplchris]

common sense shows that if you fear stripping the threads on an oil pan with a regular drain plug i wouldnt want you touching shit on my vehicle, more moving parts=more opportunities for failure, the easiest thing to remember in order to keep from breaking shit is "tight is tight, too tight is broke", i have never seen or heard of someone stripping the threads out on their oil pan, i have seen people with a drain valve leak oil randomly and not know it until serious damage was done, and where are you getting a price of 500 for an oil pan??? and where are you getting statistics and records showing more failures on a plug than on a valve???? fumotos website?

 

[kidjedi]

i have never seen or heard of someone stripping the threads out on their oil pan, i have seen people with a drain valve leak oil randomly and not know it until serious damage was done, and where are you getting a price of 500 for an oil pan??? and where are you getting statistics and records showing more failures on a plug than on a valve???? fumotos website?

As mentioned earlier, I have seen a LOT of posts from people with stripped oil pan plugs, and some pretty detailed posts on what one has to go through to replace the oil pan. I have not read one single report of a problem with the Fumoto valve.

I follow your logic, and it seems solid, but the evidence points in another direction. I'm pretty sure the point of this thread was to find out from real world experience if the Fumoto is a good idea (and, from the original poster, if the valve works with skid plates in place), and from literally everything I've seen, the stories are all "pro Fumoto," with lots of stories of stripped drain plugs and replacing oil pans to go along with the reasoning.

I'm new to the vehicle, and thus have no experience... but I am trying to learn from other people's experiences, and this is simply what I've found.

 

[cplchris]

How many of those stripped drain pans are people who followed maintenance procedures how they should have? How many are people who overtightened the drain plug multiple times and did not replace the sealing crush washer when the change the oil? Or did they just keep tightening the drain plug to crush the washer more and more??? I have had my jeep for 4 years and plenty of other vehicles and ive never had any drain plug issues, why add another part to replace something that hasnt failed???

 

[jinstall]

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You mean these crush washers? Yeah some of us don't replace them or keep a dozen or so on hand. Some of us don't keep service records either.

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