Fumoto Valve, near disaster

[Spector]

Guess I have had the opposite experience, actually ran over a concrete median once with my Fumoto and it shaved some of the nipple off of the end but it held and kept functioning for years after that. I have used them for at least 15 years on many vehicles so it just depends on your experience with a valve. How many posts have I read where the drain plug came loose and spilled the fluid or the washer leaked etc.

Off roading is an issue with any underneath part, just a caution that something can be damaged when one heads off the paved road. It takes a unique motion and a hit to move that lever out of position. A real fluke.

 

[jaj]

I have Stahlbus drain valves on two of my cars. The valve is operated by a bayonet fitting (with the drain hose attached) that opens the valve when you plug it in, and closes it when you unplug it. The valve opening is covered by a screw-on steel cap sealed with an o-ring. The cap keeps the valve opening clean between drains and if the valve happens to leak, which mine have not, you don't lose any liquid until you take the cap off.

 

[dlundblad]

This is honestly the first issue I've seen about these, but it's exactly the reason why I don't want one.

Nothing wrong with a factory drain plug, wrench, crush washers etc.

 

[blupupher]

I guess I am lazy then.

Had one on my Jeep for 3 years with lots of off-roading (rocks, creeks, dirt roads, mud, grass, you name it). No problems.
Had one on my Elantra. No problems.
Had one on my Grand Caravan, with occasional dirt road and high grass driving. No problems.
Have one on my F150 (from the Grand Caravan) with frequent dirt/gravel roads, tall grass, big ruts etc. No problems.
Have one on my Scion. No problems.

I just don't see how a dirt road with grass would cause the valve to open, especially since it supposedly had the latch on it as well.

 

[gathermewool]

Can we get a picture of the OP's setup? It seems very hard to believe that:

1. He was driving in the conditions he was (tall grass broke the safety clip AND opened the valve???) or

2. We're not being told something very important - such as the fact that the valve is in a very bad position, making it an imprudent choice for this application

I've had them on several cars over the past 7+ years and never had a problem. I can change the oil in my Forester without having to jack it up: slide pan under --> reach in and open the valve --> unscrew the top-mounted oil filter and clean the area --> install new filter --> hang out for a bit, until the oil stops dripping (it does take a decent bit longer than normal) --> shut valve --> fill'er up and I'm done. Zero mess (I wipe the valve and get less oil on it than I'd get checking the dipstick.

What does this save me? Well, I live in a condo. It saves me from having to go to the auto hobby shop on base, with invariably doesn't have a lift working or available. I've had to wait an hour to change my own oil. With the Fumoto valve, I'm in and out so quickly, I don't even worry about my condo mates ratting me out to the board for doing maintenance in the lot.

 

[cb450sc]

I installed one on my 2011 Kia Optima after the first oil change. Those of us with Sonatas or Optimas can tell you that you have to take the engine guard off or the oil will run on to the top of the guard and eventually all over your driveway. I just attach the hose to the nipple and let it drain. No issues and no mess.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: cb450sc
I installed one on my 2011 Kia Optima after the first oil change. Those of us with Sonatas or Optimas can tell you that you have to take the engine guard off or the oil will run on to the top of the guard and eventually all over your driveway. I just attach the hose to the nipple and let it drain. No issues and no mess.


According to others on here-it means your lazy. It doesn't mean you want convenience and no mess. You know-opinions (even bad ones) are a "dime a dozen" on here.

I'm thinking about putting one on my wife's 2017 Santa Fe XL. It would seem since the oil filter is under the hood-it would make changing the oil REALLY EASY with a valve.

 

[jmsjags]

Have one on both my cars. When I do an oil change I simply drain the used oil right into a 5qt container. I only change my filters every other oil change. On the oil changes where I don't have to mess around with the filter, there is absolutely no mess.

The drain valves are well worth the price to not have to get oil all over my hands and socket wrench. Nothing lazy about it, just modern technology.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Have one on my Ram and on the girlfriend's Mazda and never a problem.

 

[Kool1]

I have a Fumoto drain valve on my CRV and thought it's the best thing since the invention of the wheel.

 

[user52165]

http://www.fumotousa.com/index.php

Opening is a 2 step process. Spring loaded, first compress spring, then turn.

Need much more info from OP - which model, where located, orientation?

If what he claims happened, then he also has massive other damage to undercarriage, exhaust, suspension, etc. Some cars should not use them, I doubt his is one.

Been using for 30 years. LAZY me has saved hours in clean up time alone. The nipple version with hose allow one to drain directly to a jug. That's when you change the filter.

Before you condemn something, learn the facts.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
A lazy mans accident waiting to happen. There will never be one of these on any of my cars.


Really? Sorry, but that just sounds like a lazy answer! Honestly. Work smarter. Hot harder. No endeavor succeeds by doing things the same old hard way, but instead by implementing time and labor saving methods. You wouldn't make it 6 months where I work. We don't stay on top of our industry by doing things the same old hard way, because that's just the way it's already been done.


Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Can we get a picture of the OP's setup? It seems very hard to believe that:

1. He was driving in the conditions he was (tall grass broke the safety clip AND opened the valve???) or

2. We're not being told something very important - such as the fact that the valve is in a very bad position, making it an imprudent choice for this application

I've had them on several cars over the past 7+ years and never had a problem. I can change the oil in my Forester without having to jack it up: slide pan under --> reach in and open the valve --> unscrew the top-mounted oil filter and clean the area --> install new filter --> hang out for a bit, until the oil stops dripping (it does take a decent bit longer than normal) --> shut valve --> fill'er up and I'm done. Zero mess (I wipe the valve and get less oil on it than I'd get checking the dipstick.

What does this save me? Well, I live in a condo. It saves me from having to go to the auto hobby shop on base, with invariably doesn't have a lift working or available. I've had to wait an hour to change my own oil. With the Fumoto valve, I'm in and out so quickly, I don't even worry about my condo mates ratting me out to the board for doing maintenance in the lot.


Spot on.

My mind immediately starts trying to do a root cause analysis on this. I'm trying to understand how something on the road would first snag and remove the safety clip that the OP says was installed. Second, snag the valve lever well enough to overcome the spring and lift the lever out of the notch, but not pull on it too much so as to break away when reaching the end of the 4 mm of travel. And third, at the same time rotate the valve lever 90°. Oh. And it has to do all this while the vehicle is in motion, but without pulling hard enough that the driver would be aware of severely snagging his car on underbrush.

We absolutely don't have all the facts here.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: BHopkins
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
A lazy mans accident waiting to happen. There will never be one of these on any of my cars.


Really? Sorry, but that just sounds like a lazy answer! Honestly. Work smarter. Hot harder. No endeavor succeeds by doing things the same old hard way, but instead by implementing time and labor saving methods. You wouldn't make it 6 months where I work. We don't stay on top of our industry by doing things the same old hard way, because that's just the way it's already been done.


He's retired and 72 years of age based on his previous posts.

 

[Colt45ws]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: UberArchetype
Those things have always been nothing but a lazy man's solution looking for a problem.


Utter nonsense. They have been on our industrial equipment for decades. I truly think they were never intended for automotive applications, just being sold that way.

I removed them from our fleet trucks because of the slow drain, we got some sludgy build up there. But they are an excellent product for many uses.

Yup, I service a lot of industrial equipment and a lot of the equipment comes with it. I usually drive it in the shop, gather the filters, open it and change the filters while its draining. Ive not had one slow me down with the slower draining because of chainging the oil & fuel filters at the same time.

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: MountainTortoise
Lets me drain my oil without having to remove the skid plate, which is a big pain in the d!(k!

But haters gotta hate!

No! Thats a legit reason!

Agree. Cars with belly pans are the perfect application for this.
I would not use one on my Crown vics because the oil pan is the lowest point on the car other than the diff pumpkin. Maybe in a different app I would use one.

 

[JustinH]

I do 2 oil changes a year on two cars, so 4 total per year.

I use rhino ramps and everything is right in front of me, spin on filter, and drain plug.

Never made sense to mess with anything but the factory drainplug, and new crush washers every time.

Doesn't really save me any time, takes me 10 seconds to open a drain plug with a wrench.

Maybe if you could get the filter and drain the oil without getting under the car, or without getting it up on ramps, that may save time, but with the ramps its easy.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
I do 2 oil changes a year on two cars, so 4 total per year.

I use rhino ramps and everything is right in front of me, spin on filter, and drain plug.

Never made sense to mess with anything but the factory drainplug, and new crush washers every time.

Doesn't really save me any time, takes me 10 seconds to open a drain plug with a wrench.

Maybe if you could get the filter and drain the oil without getting under the car, or without getting it up on ramps, that may save time, but with the ramps its easy.


Right, and this is how I used to think. Reach under and turn the valve 90*. Walk away for half an hour, if you want. No mess, no gloves, minimal cleanup. As easy as a drain plug is, the $26 for a Fumoto valve makes it a no-brainer for many of us.

 

[WhizkidTN]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I never understood why anyone would want a Fumoto valve. I mean, you add obvious dangers of the thing getting hit, add more chances of leaks all for a for maybe 2 minutes saved on an oil change because you don't need to remove a drain plug and then you actually lose time because it flows slower than with the plug removed. I like to see the drain plug and wipe it clean during an oil change and most are magnetic which I prefer over a non magnetic Fumuto. I understand it may be cleaner to drain the pan but you only have to "suffer" thru a messy oil change a few times a year.


Folks, Fumoto makes a $2 plastic snap-in that should PREVENT anything like what happened to the OP (glad he caught it). I've run them for years in three cars with NO issues or problems w/o the snap-in. They work great, with the nipple version it keeps you from having such a mess to clean up as well. Some of my cars have a protective bottom plastic panel that would prevent anything from getting up near the valve but installing the plastic snap-in would solve that issue for people whose car don't have such protective covers. As to drain speed, I have one on my 8.2 Qt sump for the Volvo. Drains just fine. By the time I've pulled the oil filter cartridge out (top-side), and replaced it with new, the old oil has drained out.

 

[zorobabel]

I've contemplated getting them for our cars so I could drain the oil hot - without burning myself. Due to the exposed location, I've decided to keep using the drain plugs.
As for cleanup, the filter is usually messier than the drain plug.

 

[4WD]

Hoping it's a solution to a problem - just ordered one to change oil in a Ford PTU - will drain - install - inject oil - close - fill syringe - inject etc ... I don't want to start this trickle via air vent method if this works better - and with it my syringe can suck the thick oil out next time - we will see ...
It's well out of harms way - you'd have to knock off the exhaust system for it to take a hit.

 

[artbuc]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I never understood why anyone would want a Fumoto valve. I mean, you add obvious dangers of the thing getting hit, add more chances of leaks all for a for maybe 2 minutes saved on an oil change because you don't need to remove a drain plug and then you actually lose time because it flows slower than with the plug removed. I like to see the drain plug and wipe it clean during an oil change and most are magnetic which I prefer over a non magnetic Fumuto. I understand it may be cleaner to drain the pan but you only have to "suffer" thru a messy oil change a few times a year.


I have posted this opinion many times. I consider the Fumoto valve a solution looking for a problem.