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Fomoto oil change valve
I am considering purchasing a Fumoto oil change valve to use with my 97 Pontiac Grand Prix. From what I can find out it seems like a pretty good product. Has anybody had any experience with this valve? Thanks RLW
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Anyway, I highly recommend them.
I guess these are OK....still, is unscrewing a drain plug once in awhile such a big deal?
What am I missing?
Come to think of it though I might try one on my Toy truck which really can not 1accomodate a torque wrench.
Just wondering how long you have had them. How would they hold up after say 10 or 12 years? Is there a seal or something that could go bad after some time?
thanks
and click on the suredrain picture for a better view of the Fram version
http://www.fram.com/home/index.html
As to breaking one off, wel, depends on car and where the plug is in realtuion to frame and how low the car sits. On my Toy whcih is very low the pan and plug sit up high and one would have to dent the frame to hit the drain valve. The lowest hanging is on sons Isuzu Rodeo but that is high off the ground, no offroading and only about 1/2 inch at most is exposed. It extends the plug perhaps 1/2 inch over the normal plug.
In the past few years I have had the gaskets leak or seep oil with regular plugs as I did not and most oil change places do not replace the gaskets on the plugs and they can leak. I pain when that happens so that is one of the reason I switched. Also, plugs invariably drop into my oil catch pan due to being very hot to handle,. hot oil etc. and the plug goes into the container and messy to get out. so for me no more leaky gaskets or hot oil and plugs to retrieve during an oil change.,
But, for me it seems to work for most people plugs are fine. Also depends on how many cars you have and how often you change the oil.
Armtdm I noticed that you live in Richmond. I live in Harrisburg and my daughter lives in Oxford NC. I normally go down 15 to 17 to 95S to 85S and then to Oxford.
Two questions : is there any shortcut around Richmond to jump on 85S? In other words can you comehow scoot around the west side of Richmond without being on 95?
Second question: We plan on going and coming on weekdays. When is peak traffic over in the morning and evening in Richmond area??. Thanks.
Al
Having looked at both the Fram and Fumoto valves, I fail to understand your reference to better quality/sturdiness in the Fomotovalve. I own two Sure Drains Valves, and they are constructed of heavy gauge brass, with what appears to be a copper washer for the seal between your oil pan and the main part of the valve, equal to any OEM plug seal. It also comes with torque specs, so you should not strip your drain hole installing it. This is done only once, unlike the continual removal and reinstallation of the OEM plug.
The only rubber O-ring is a dust seal for the protective cap, and will have no oil pressure exerted on it. It is only for the purpose of keeping dirt out of the valve. It is no different than unscrewing the cap from any bottle you might have in your house, and is easily removed by hand, not tools. It only installs hand tight. There is no external handle as on the Fomoto, to hang up on something and destroy it. The entire part of the Fram outside the pan is about one half inch long and rounded when the cap is in place.
As for storing the "messy and easy to lose" Fram hose, wipe it off and store it with your funnel. It takes very little space, and is very easy to wipe clean. You can also remove the hose, or cut it's length down as I did.
As with the Fumoto, you WILL NOT get oil on your hands with the Fram, because the walve does not open until the hose is almost entirely tightened onto the valve, and immediately closes when you unscrew the hose, which is as easy as hooking up your garden hose. The hose will also direct the oil into a container so it does not splatter all over the place.
Neither is a thing of beauty I would display in a trophy case, but with the dust cap installed, the Fram is a very clean looking installation, and not intrusive unless your drain hole is on the bottom of the pan and hangs below everything else on the car. Anyway, few of my accquaintenances check out my oil drain plug very often. And yes, I got them for $12.47 at (where else) WalMart. Both for less than the price of one Fumoto including shipping, and easy to find everywhere unless you shun WalMart.
No offense taken. I hold no stock in either type. I think though if you extrapolate this situation by multiplying two to three oil changes a year by the number of years you intend to keep your car, you will come up with the valve being actuated no more than about thirty times even if you keep your car 10 years. And the spring certainly isn't going to rust or corrode sitting in oil. I am quite sure whatever spring Fram used is capable of 30 uses, just by the obvious quality of the rest of the valve. My bet is that it is not even a Fram manufactured device, as there is a
www.airsyspro.com
website that comes up on google when you search "Sure Drain", which would indicate to me the name is copywrited. They don't have these small valves on that site, but deal in bigger hydraulic valves.
I also have no problem with Fumoto. I just see no reason to pay double for an item that seems to me to hold no advantage.
design is less 'catchy', would do better given the concerns mentioned above.
Don't have to worry about which side the lever ends up on.
Already comes with a drain tube.
Cheaper
Both made of brass/copper, seam well made, and would help avoid getting threads stripped on the drain bolt.
I would only use either one on pans that do not have a drain bolt pointing straight down though, either one sticks out enough to catch, and it only takes once...
wayne