I did the oil on my old beater 7.3 yesterday and the pan threads are getting a little long in the tooth. What's your opinion on those Fumoto drain valves? I ordered one, but am going back and fourth about installing it next change. I just don't love the idea of a valve hanging down under there or having it potentially leak. Am I worrying about nothing?
They use them in a lot of generators I've worked on, and they're great. Makes oil changes a breeze and the tab to open the valve stays in place securely. I've run into a them on non-stationary equipment as well, but not as often. I've thought about throwing one on my old 6.9, but it goes through so much oil it never gets real change, just spin a filter on every year and keep topping it off.
I'm not a big fan of the fumoto valves, they will leak eventually and when they do there is no backup to stop the leakage. I've always worried about a stick getting in there and knocking the valve open, again no backup against leakage! I prefer no-spill style drain valves, other than you need to have multiple size drain hoses for different size valves, and they aren't cheap! https://www.nospillsystems.com/
I've got over a 100 fumotos in service. If you're concerned about accidental leakage, use the nipple style with a cap, and a wire type Corbin can be slipped onto the stem to prevent accidental opening.
Most every dirt tractor I have ever run gets one. I love them in that situation. They are protected between frame rails on the big 4WD’s though. I have never seen any leakage, but I usually get the nipple style and have 18” of hose on the end because the valves are that high off the ground. The hose is just long enough to go into a 5 gallon bucket sitting in the ground. When not draining I always pull the hose back up and tuck the loose end around another hose to keep it from getting snatched off. I am not sure I would run one on a pickup or not. It would depend if it was highway only or not and how well it was protected from a a stick or one of those tires on the side of the where you cannot avoid all the pieces.
I’ve had one on my work pickup for 250k miles, that’s 50 services on our schedule. Doesn’t leak a drop. On my particular truck it’s not even close to being the lowest point though. I have them on several rigs and they don’t leak but again aren’t anywhere close to FOD.
I have ran both. I like the fumoto as long as they are well protected, say in an excavator. Any place that has an open pan, I prefer the No-spill style like Greg shows. I'm just more confident that something is not going to knock the valve on the fumoto. That being said, have never had that happen.
I should have mentioned the two leaking fumoto valves I experienced were both on high hour (16000+hr) machines since the first oil change, On one the snap ring and spring departed the situation and allowed the valve to open, it was a close call but could have been avoided using a hose clamp or even a zip tie to keep the valve locked. The other just started leaking with the valve closed. Neither of them had a hose barb. Really should have replaced the valves a long time before that as PM.
My fear would be from an object striking and cracking them on a vehicle with lower ground clearance. Other than you would be good I believe. They will make changing oil on Case IH 535 with a QSX about four feet off the ground a event you can attend with your church clothes
I can say I have seen a 3406B Cat get welded together after a tumble weed opened the valve. One in a million I suppose. Not sure why the driver ignored the buzzer and THE BIG RED LIGHT, I imagine it was a language barrier thing.
I install the T-211 Fumoto on every semi tractor on the first oil change that the company owns. Never had any leak and never had one open accidentally. I make sure the lever is pointed to the back side when installed. And if it gets dirt in the spring loaded lever I don't know how it could turn or the spring collapse to let it turn full of dirt. I have to spray the valve with brake clean first sometimes to get it to release. I can tell you this on the later trucks with set back axles and air dams you don't want to be crawling under there every time to pull a plug. The other thing is with the drain valve you don't close it you have oil on the floor {drain plug----------did I remember to tighten it}
OK thanks for the insight. I think I'll go ahead and put it on next change. If I safety wire the handle, I think I can sleep at night. I'm sure it's one of these things I worry way too much over nothing.