I just purchased the Fumoto Oil Drain Valve (QWIK Valve) for my 2006 Toyota Camry but before I install it I want to know if anyone out there has used it before. If so, can you please provide me with the pros and cons of the product?
I’ve used the fumoto valve on many cars. 68 F-100, 80 Corolla, 87 Ranger. And on my wife’s 84 Corolla, 02 Sonata and 09 Rondo.
By Installing the filter hand tight, the only tool I need to change oil is the ramps I drive up on.
I use the Fram version. For me, there are no cons. The pros are:
-I don’t have to buy crush washers anymore. I can’t even find the right aluminum crush washers at auto parts stores or Walmart. The only place that seems to stock them are the dealerships.
-My valve actuator comes with a hose attached, so I don’t get oil on my hands anymore.
-I am less likely to strip the threads on the pan.
-I don’t have to get out my torque wrench to re-install a drain plug. There’s usually not much room for a torque wrench under there anyway, so I was always tempted not to use it.
-I am less likely to drop a drain plug into the container the oil drains into.
-On vehicles with some clearance underneath, like a minivan, I don’t even need to use ramps or jack stands to drain the oil. I just reach under there, remove the cap, and screw on the valve actuator.
I use these valves on my car’s oil pan, my car’s manual transmission, both of my motorcycles, my girlfriend’s car, and my mother’s car, and I’ve never had a problem with any of them.
They are a good choice. The only done side I know of is that on some cars they reduce road clearance, and could cause a problem there. I have moved up one more step. I have a vacuum drain system that allows me to such the oil up through the dip stick, so I don’t even need to get under the car (the filter is changed from the top side). No ramps etc. needed.
I use one on my Insight.
The oil pan in the Insight version 1 are known to strip out and the fix is expensive in both money and time.
For me there is no downside to this as my drain plug is on the back of the pan. I guess if the drain was on the very bottom of the pan I’d worry about something hitting the valve and ripping it out of the pan but how likely is that?