Topic: Review - The Quick Oil Drain Valve (formerly the Fumoto Valve)

[KWhale]

I just finished changing the oil on my Solstice this weekend.  At the previous oil change I replaced the stock oil drain plug with the Quick Oil Drain Valve. For those of you who do not know what this is, you can go to their web site and read about it, as well as order one -- http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

In a nutshell, this valve, which is solid brass ball valve is very solidly constructed.  They are made to match your engine.  There are 2 types to choose from for most models.  The normal type and a Nipple type.  I purchased the one with the nipple for the Solstice, and in fact have that type on my 300C and my Durango.  It comes in handy on the Durango as the nipple allows me to attach a short rubber tube to it, and drain directly into the oil pan without removing a 20lb skid plate.  The valve is operated by pulling down on the lever, giving it a turn, and the oil is released.  When the oil is done draining, turn back and it locks into position with a perfect seal.

This will allow you to drain the oil without using ramps as now you can just slide your arm in there, give the lever a twist, and you're draining!  Personally, I still put the car up on ramps so I can crawl around and look for leaks or bent things, but it's not needed with this valve.

My 300C has had one for 2 1/2 years, 75,000 kms, no leaks no issues no problems.

If you're interested, here are direct links to the 2 types that will fit the 2.0 or the 2.4 engines.  Note, you DO need to order the adapter, as the angle on the oil pan is too tight to use the non-adapter ones.

Plain (no Nipple) with adapter - $28.95 - http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=F107A
With Nipple and adapter - $31.95 - http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=F107NA
(shipping is extra of course)

The total cost to me in Canada with shipping and exchange rate ended up being about $40.  Well worth the price.

[DeepBlueGXP]

With our cars sitting so low, and the flap on that valve, I hope road debris doesn't flip it open for you.

[KWhale]

I was worried about that too Deep, but it's basically impossible to open that valve without performing 2 separeate motions at the same time.  You have to pull the level down and twist it at the same time and it's also spring loaded to stay in the lock position.  It would be a freak of nature if something you ran over was able to do that.  Like you said though, I was concerned about the car sitting so low with the valve right there.  On the 300C and the Durango there are belly pans or skid plates to protect it.  I've scraped the nose on the ground a couple of times now (  Damn crappy roads and driveways ) and didn't come close to hitting the valve.  The position at the rear of the oil pan helps as well.  If you're hitting the valve on something, you probably just destroyed the oil pan so the valve would be the least of your worries 

[sol_man]

Very cool!  Thanks for the post KWhale!!

[kennysabarese]

I've heard that most oil drain bolts are magnetized to help catch metal filings. Do you know if this quick drain valve would cause issues since you wouldn't get those filings out?

[Uranium-238]

Well, the drain bolts in our cars aren't magnetized. I can tell you that much.

[elff]

I've had one of these on my jeep for about 3 years now.
The oil pan is protected by a skid plate and this just made the draining process soooooo much easier.
Kwhale is correct, it's a decent amount of work to turn the lever.  I think you would damage the oil pan before you flipped it with some sort of road debris

Kenny,
I can't ever remember my jeep oil pan having anything stuck to the drain plug and I've changed the oil 16 times.
So I am not sure if it just doesn't have a magnet on it or not.  
Conversely, in the 5 times I've changed the oil in my axles, I've had about 1/2" of metal shavings ever time. Seems like the R&P in a jeep just never stops self clearancing itself

This is a good product for the DIY in you

[kennysabarese]

Yeah I know we don't have a magnet. Also isn't our drain on the side of the oil pan anyway? so i bet any metal wouldn't really stick to it anyway. If GM didn't make it magnetized I feel i should trust them and not worry about it.

on sol forum there were some folks saying they purchased magnetized ones at autozone for their car.

[kennysabarese]

I emailed the company and this is the response:

"It should not be a great concern, as most cars are not even equipped with
such magnetic plugs. The Quick Oil Drain Valve lets you drain the oil
the moment after you turn off the engine. That means that most of the metal particles are still suspended in the oil, and they will come out with the oil
before they settle to the bottom of the oil pan. Just make sure that the oil
is hot and do it quick."

[Sol Asylum]

The difference between your engine and transmissions/axles is that the engine has a filter.  If the metal particles are such that they can be suspended in the oil then the filter should remove them as the oil passes through it on it way to the bearings.

Now before anyone says yeah but what about the particles going through the oil pump?  There is a pickup screen that the oil has to pass through before it gets to the pump so if there are any particles that are such that they would mess up the pump they won't be able to get there.  So then the question is if the particles a too large to get past the pickup screen what happens to them?  The short answer is it doesn't really matter as they have little chance of getting into an area where they can cause damage.  The particles may get washed out when you change the oil then again they may reside in the oil pan until the next time a lower end gasket/seal needs to be replaced.  I have seen and heard of many things being found in oil pans like wrenches, rocks, dip sticks, hardware of all kinds, and even the caps from oil bottles.

The real question is if your engine is making large pieces of metal where is it coming from and why?  I don't care what type of filtration system you have if your engine is making large chunks of metal then it won't be long before its time to rebuild.  The damage is already done and extra pieces of metal won't make much of a difference.

[kennysabarese]

Amen brother! Sounds good to me

[Uranium-238]

I think that was part of the point for putting magnets in the drain plugs. If your engine was wearing you'd be able to tell from the fillings on the magnet, rather than they being trapped in a filter where you couldn't see them.

[FieroVin]

I've had one of those on my Fiero 2.8 for about 15 years.  I found it in a bin at an autozone or something one day.  I didn't know where to find them after that.  I've had no problems and it does make life easier if you change your own oil.

[Sol Asylum]

Actually I used to cut my oil filter open, at least for the first few times on a new vehicle.  We don't have to worry about opening it on the Kappa all we have to do is look at it when we remove it.