Where not to install a fumoto valve

[gahammerle]

A couple of oil changes ago, I installed a fumoto valve on my truck. Liked how it worked and got one for my wife's car, a Mazda Protege. Today, she was out running around doing the Black Friday thing and she calls me about 9:30 from her mom's house saying there's a big puddle of oil under the car. Since the fumoto valve extended about a quarter inch below the oil pan in her car, I immediately thought she ran over something. I asked if she had run over a parking curb or something - she said she went around someone who was turning and went off the edge of the road to get around.

So I grabbed the old drain plug, oil, and a wrench and headed to the in-laws.

Got to my in-laws house following a trail of oil and saw about 3-4 quarts of oil in the driveway. Good thing my in-laws like me. :thumbsup:

Jacked the car up, slid under and saw the fumoto valve was bent upward and the lever was in the open position. Got the valve out and fortunately, only the threads on the valve had stripped and not on the oil pan. Got the old plug back in, filled up with oil, and no leaks.

Then 20lbs of kitty litter and some simple green to clean up the mess.

Oh well, so much for easy oil changes on the Mazda. :sad:

 

[BudTX]

Well, at least you were able to get it taken care of without damage to the engine due to the oil running out.

How far below the pan did that Fumoto hang down?

 

[gahammerle]

It was only about a quarter of an inch below the bottom of the pan. There were a couple of scrapes on the pan, but nothing serious.

 

[jrkrace]

Scraped up pan? She must of hammered something..

 

[gahammerle]

Scraped up pan? She must of hammered something..

Just barely scraped the pan. She was straddling the edge of the pavement and the grass/gravel shoulder to go around a turning car. She must've hit it just right to hit the fumoto valve.

 

[WilliamBos]

Glad you did not have a more costly repair. I wondered about that, thought about the pro's and cons of a Fumoto, and decided not.

 

[NAR]

Same reason I didn't put one on my pickup. My skidplates are all beat up, I am sure some weeds or corn stalks would get ahold of the valve and dump my oil out in the field. I would never feel safe with that on my truck being offroad all the time.

 

[Jasondt2001]

Same reason I didn't put one on my pickup. My skidplates are all beat up, I am sure some weeds or corn stalks would get ahold of the valve and dump my oil out in the field. I would never feel safe with that on my truck being offroad all the time.

:iagree:
That's the only reason I can't do it also. I don't want one more thing to worry about in the middle of no where with a trailer.

Although, if it did dump it I could always ride the horses back.........LOL

 

[2003bigsilverado]

I was on the fence too about getting one of those. I also thought it fight be a little to easy to open when it wasn't suppose to open.

 

[trotorx2]

I have one on my truck and so far it is working good. I did worry about it getting accidently opened so I put a rubber cap over the drain and a worm clamp to hold it in place. Hopefully it will hold the oil if the valve gets knocked open.

 

[HemisAreSlow]

sooooo re-install a new valve....and while your doing that lift the wifes car and put some 22's on that beotch....problem solved...easy oil changes and you won't have to jack it up any more to get under it!!

 

[busdriver75]

i put one on my truck, and i chose to use the wire clip to keep it in the locked position.

 

[rtquig]

I've had it on my truck for 6 years now with no trouble. I'm going to put one on my wifes 08 Yukon XL that we bought in September. It is much easier and no mess with the nipple on it and some tubeing.

 

[addicted]

i put one on my truck, and i chose to use the wire clip to keep it in the locked position.

That's what I've done.

I farm and I'm driving through corn fields, crossing ditches etc.. I've never had a problem. Love it.