Anyone using a Fumoto valve?

6375 Views 23 Replies 11 Participants Last post by atikovi, Nov 1, 2015

S-Fitz

Discussion Starter · Oct 28, 2015

Anybody? On my 1.4L Cruze, the drain plug was on the bottom so I might be worried about having anything sticking further down. On my work beater Cavalier, the drain plug sticks out the side of the oil sump so I decided to put one on it. The valve just showed up today. It's made of forged brass and seems very substantial. The Cavalier, like the Cruze, uses a cartridge style oil filter accessible from the top of the engine. Seems like with this valve, DIY oil changes will be very clean. Does anyone have one on their Cruze, and what engine do you have?/where is your drain plug located?

-By the way, the nipple on the end is for attaching a hose. It came with 3 hose end adapters that clip on quite snugly. This is to allow you to drain oil directly into a container for recycling. Bloody brilliant.

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spacedout

· #2 · Oct 28, 2015

I would not use that on the cruze, it will stick down way to low and if you hit it will loose all your oil and possibly take out the engine.

BTW I had a 2004 cavalier 2.2 ecotec, I was sleeping in the passenger seat when a 4x4 piece of wood(wheel chock) fell off the truck in front of us. No time to react with on coming traffic and a deep ditch, we hit it dead center of the front of the car. Instantly the oil light came on so we shut down the car. That piece of wood took out the entire front of the oil pan!!! Aluminum pan exploded into a million pieces. With that said no way I would use a Fumoto valve on that car either. Anything even hanging off the side of pan can catch on road debris and do significant damage.

I have used them in the past with trucks but even then it didn't save enough time to be worthwhile.

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Vetterin

· #3 · Oct 28, 2015

After over 80,000 miles of oil changes on my Cruze I've never had a problem with just removing the drain plug!

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MP81

· #4 · Oct 28, 2015

What is even the purpose of this? I've never had a problem changing the oil in any vehicle I own, or those I've done for friends/family...

spacedout

· #5 · Oct 28, 2015

MP81 said:
What is even the purpose of this?

Its not entirely obvious in the photo the OP posted, but there is a small lever you flip out of a notch that opens the drain, so you don't need any tools to drain the oil. You can attach a hose to drain directly into a container or jug with no mess.

MP81

· #6 · Oct 28, 2015

Interesting concept...

NickD

· #7 · Oct 28, 2015

More concerned with reliability than convenience.

To me, know big deal to manually roll down a window, adjust the seat, switch to accessory to play the radio, pull on a real reliable slide switch for the lights, adjust the temperatures, etc. Just give me AC and cruise, even love shifting a manual transmission, and certainly not a problem to remove a drain plug.

Convenience just translates to more problems, and very major problems at that. How about getting soaked to death when a power window wouldn't go up or being baked alive with automatic climate control. This was not convenient.

170-3tree

· #8 · Oct 28, 2015

Sounds like a brilliant way to screw with someone's car in the mall parking lot. Otherwise unless you're doing pit crew style oil changes... Not worth it.

BlueTopaz

· #9 · Oct 28, 2015

I have one on my 02 Silverado and on our 2011 Acadia. No issues since they are both out of the way and not in any harm of getting broken off. They work great and the 02 Silverado has 158k miles on it. Makes changing the oil so easy and mess free. Considering where the oil plug is on the Cruze diesel I might put one on it. It being located on the back side of the oil pan. If I hit something and it takes it out, I have other issues to worry about.

S-Fitz

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 28, 2015

There's a reason why I'm experimenting with my 1000 dollar car first. I've read many stories of people using these for 10 years without issue. While the convenience may be trivial to some, I'm all for efficiency and less mess!

MP81

· #11 · Oct 28, 2015

Unless you're doing something wrong, draining the oil on a car shouldn't really be all that messy or difficult...the oil filter is usually the messier part (i.e.: the Cav's is sideways on the back of the engine. Gotta make sure the drain pan is underneath to catch the old oil - and the new oil from the new filter when you dump it all out trying to find the fitting).

James1549

· #12 · Oct 28, 2015

Great idea for Honda owners. Constantly pulling out threads on Honda aluminum oil pans. Yes, just removing the plug will cause enough for damage. Re-tapped enough Honda pans to know this would be a good idea for them. I don't have control over how tight the last guy tightened it. May be a good idea for some new style VW Bugs as well.

James

weimerrj

· #13 · Oct 28, 2015 (Edited)

I use a Topsider MVP - Oil changes from the top!

No need for ramps or lifts or any of that. Also keeps from stripping threads, if that's an issue.

S-Fitz

Discussion Starter · #14 · Oct 28, 2015

I had not considered a fluid extractor for oil changes. In the future I will probably try it, I can imagine that tool being useful in many situations.

Reactions: 1

NickD

· #15 · Oct 28, 2015 (Edited)

weimerrj said:
I use a Topsider MVP - Oil changes from the top!

No need for ramps or lifts or any of that. Also keeps from stripping threads, if that's an issue.

With my testing on this, still leaves about a quart of that old dirty rotten contaminated oil in the bottom of the pan. Not my way of doing an oil change.

Haven't tried this on the Cruze, but will be interesting after putting it from the top to learn how much of that old oil is left in that pan. Even like to use that half a quart extra in a five quart bottle and pour that in to let it drain, even that comes out dirty.

Another way to learn this, with the 1.4L draining it, takes exactly 4 1/2 quarts to bring the oil level up on the dip stick, vehicle sitting level to the full mark. How much oil are you adding?

weimerrj

· #16 · Oct 29, 2015

NickD said:
With my testing on this, still leaves about a quart of that old dirty rotten contaminated oil in the bottom of the pan. Not my way of doing an oil change.

Haven't tried this on the Cruze, but will be interesting after putting it from the top to learn how much of that old oil is left in that pan. Even like to use that half a quart extra in a five quart bottle and pour that in to let it drain, even that comes out dirty.

Another way to learn this, with the 1.4L draining it, takes exactly 4 1/2 quarts to bring the oil level up on the dip stick, vehicle sitting level to the full mark. How much oil are you adding?

I haven't had a problem with it - I checked the oil amount the first time I used it (I was a bit dubious) and it came out at ~4.5 quarts.

Merc6

· #17 · Oct 29, 2015

spacedout said:
Its not entirely obvious in the photo the OP posted, but there is a small lever you flip out of a notch that opens the drain, so you don't need any tools to drain the oil. You can attach a hose to drain directly into a container or jug with no mess.

Also solves 2 issues with my Subaru. The opening for the drain is super massive so the oil comes out violently instead of a calm stream making a mess inside the front drivers tire even if you use a lift. 2nd issue is everytime you break the drain plug loose, you have to put a new crush washer on. Unlike our o rings on the filter housing, the spin on filters don't come with a crush washer for Subaru. That's another $1-3 item taxed onto the overpriced blue Fram if you go with the dealership parts. I guess you can say I had mine for 7 years now, but the location of it is not like the Cruze where it's in harms way.

spacedout

· #18 · Oct 29, 2015

I can definitely see where in some applications this would be quite handy. Say you do a custom engine install and there is clearance or drain issues, could get the fumoto valve with the hose attachment and run the oil to a more convenient drain location.

spacedout

· #19 · Oct 29, 2015

MP81 said:
Unless you're doing something wrong, draining the oil on a car shouldn't really be all that messy or difficult...the oil filter is usually the messier part (i.e.: the Cav's is sideways on the back of the engine. Gotta make sure the drain pan is underneath to catch the old oil - and the new oil from the new filter when you dump it all out trying to find the fitting).

Only the 2.2 OHV in the Cavalier has the oil filter located there, the 2.2 ecotec has the filter in the exact same location and is also a cartridge style like the cruze. You are right though, the filter is typically the messiest part.

MP81

· #20 · Oct 29, 2015

spacedout said:
Only the 2.2 OHV in the Cavalier has the oil filter located there, the 2.2 ecotec has the filter in the exact same location and is also a cartridge style like the cruze. You are right though, the filter is typically the messiest part.

Right - I have both engines. The Racecav has the 2200, and my Cobalt has the L61.

Oil changes were definitely easy on the Cobalt before the blower went on. Still not hard to change the filter, but the blower housing goes right over it, so not as accessible as it once was.

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