What's everyone's take on the 'easy' oil drain plug solutions?

This is our story Owner thought it would be a great idea for our Fleet of diesel Tow Behind welders. speed up oil changes .

Might have worked fine if they lived in Texas or Arizona .

Salt and Liquid brine corroded things so bad next oil change the whole valve needed to come out to drain the oil

If you don`t have winter or winter is 55 degrees

 

I've owned my truck for ~15 years. I think I've replace the copper gasket like twice.

If it's not leaking, it's still working, and doesn't need to be replaced.

 

I've even been known to use a torch to soften the copper gasket and keep on using it. But we all know that changing oil is rocket surgery.

 

Damn, I'm far too lazy for that!

 

Spend the money on a 1/4" torque wrench, if you're that worried about drain plug hole wear, instead of adding the quick drain valve. IMO just one more thing to fail.

 

Zip tied a tube to my Fumoto and drain right into an empty milk jug. ZERO mess and zero leaks. I just tuck the tube up into the hole in my skid plate when done. Easy peasy.

The messy part is replacing the oil filter.

 

I have the Fumoto on a couple vehicles and like it, on my 2012 it's tucked up nice enough to be out of harm's way for the most part.
I do wonder about the small bit of oil you can't get out as was previously mentioned, but being able to drain it right into a jug is a huge plus.
The filter is still the messy part, but if you put an empty loaf bread wrapper on your arm before letting it drop, you can peel it off with the oily filter inside.

I would not put the Fumoto valve or similar on a drain plug that comes straight out the bottom of the pan like a Cummins Dodge.

 

I agree!
What ever happened to 'common sense auto repair'?
There was a thread here yesterday where a guy was asking the torque specs for installing his chrome tailpipe tip.

There's guys over on the Corvette forum who torque their spin-on oil filters.

 

Never really thought of how much it protrudes into the oil pan! Having said that, I'm not too worried. Who's going to be the first one to drop their oil pan and and actually measure and take a picture?!?

 

I would be glad to if some one donates a valve.

If I did not throw the oil pan away

 

Man I love low tech solutions. Now I can't wait to change my oil again to try that!

 

I have a youtube channel and was/am going to make a video on the torque sticks you see used at the tire shops. In preparing for that I crawled way down deep into the torque Nazis rat hole. What I learned down there is some people don't know, some are insecure and others are pedantic in their knowledge of how things work. The unknowing and insecure come looking for knowledge and are met at the front door by the pedant. (I call them nazis, but pedant is a nicer word) The pedants are usually technically correct, but have no common sense. Unfortunately, sometimes the unknowing and insecure get the idea that there's a "correct torque" for everything, and if you'r not using a $2,500 snap-on torque wrench on every single bolt they are leading to the fall of society.

(the funny thing for those corvette people is using a torque wrench on an oil filter is silly and will install the filter incorrectly every time. (it will be fine though because we're not pendants) Because if you need super accurate torque you never use a wrench, you use a degree tool. The correct torque for an oil filter is 3/4 of a turn after the gasket touches the sealing surface. )

 

Ran a Fumoto on my old 09' Taco and my current 16' 4Runner Trail. Love them, but I use the safety ring that snaps in place to prevent it from pressing and turning the drain lever.

 

Not to revive an old thread, but why not just cut down the portion of the threads that extend into the pan? Just measure the thickness of the bung where the stock bolt goes and chop the valve threads down to that length. I mean if those threads are freeballin' into the ether they're not involved in the thread interface and therefore can be yeet'd away. Thread a nut on it, cut it, back the nut off and dress up the threads done.

 

I have Fumoto valves on my Tacoma and Subaru Forester. Oil changes are much easier because I can drain directly into the waste container. I'd recommend only if you change your own oil. I can only imagine what would happen if you left it to an "oil change specialist" to figure out

 

Yeah dealer doesn’t touch my car. I think if it were easier to change my oil I’d be more inclined to do it more frequently. Even a cadence of 5000 miles oil and 10,000 oil+filter would really be enabled by a valve like that. Being able to route a hose into a bottle sounds ultra low drama.

 

Yep.
Old Routine:
1) Place pan under drain plug
2) Unscrew plug
3) Wipe hands from oil that sprayed, clean up oil that missed the pan.
4) Retrieve plug from bottom of pan. Wipe clean
5) Once fully drained, pull full pan from under truck
6) Clean up oil that sloshed out from step 5
7) Pour oil from pan through funnel into waste container.
8) Clean up oil that spilled from over-filling waste container.
9) Clean funnel and pan as well as any stray drips.
10) Replace filter and refill oil

New Routine:
1) Connect tubing to Fumoto valve, place end into waste container
2) Open valve to drain into container. Close when full.
3) Change container then repeat step 2.
4) When fully drained, close valve and wipe clean.
5) Replace filter and refill oil

 

I picked up one of these, which eliminates steps 3 & 4 from your first list, for those of us who subscribe to using the oem drain plug:

$26 OTC Tools 5911A Drain Plug Pro Magnetic Remover, Black, 1/4" Square Drive

https://www.amazon.com/OTC-Tools-5911A-Magnetic-Remover/dp/B01MSJEBBO?crid=29TBIV5UOVU6L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.02Ti1LnvJjYaMWAQ-bYDO0w7gsdmSNJmJAWCfYxsHlcrz2UMtCxXUsYL1SudrF-aHdeDEgtgXSprsLZnR9u8f9nuIj-9eptt2XWMJkPhWFTt6lVJSBGGi_L-_tdo6aS-bNPdrO0_Jk2HVff7KiSQnN0PM0FKRf8YV3F18tyVnYXTyVRna-e8yfsrzZg_HHQ-6q5-E3vGtb-hnvsXCRiSQA.dmQnCJGhG_UHu6dwXu7zlKxG7ZLcsGjV6XYez2dLxZE&dib_tag=se&keywords=drain+plug+pro&qid=1722089378&sprefix=drain+plug+pro%2Caps%2C201&sr=8-3

 

I use the No-Spill drain. Love it. Especially when I got full skids. And only a 3" dia hole. Just unscrew the cap and screw on the hose. Easy. I did have a Fumoto valve, that worked great, Until it didn't. I'm big fan of the no-spill system. Plus it's not hanging down like the Fumoto

 

Old routine 4) “while searing off the top layer of skin when sticking your hand in a bucket of near-boiling oil…”