How to choose a Fumoto valve for your vehicle?
Are you struggling to pick a valve that works best with your vehicle? We have different styles for the same thread size that can be installed on your vehicle. Even though vehicles and personal needs may differ, there are some points that everyone should keep in mind.
Where is your drain plug located?
Check underneath your vehicle to see where your drain plug is located. We recommend that you check if the drain plug:
- has enough clearance from the ground.
- is located on the belly, side, or slope of the oil pan.
- has a recession around with the oil drain port.
Low Ground Clearance
If your vehicle has a low clearance and the installed valve is going to be exposed too close to the ground without a cover, you should consider NOT using the valve. We don’t want you to risk the valve hitting something on the road and causing damage to your vehicle.
Location: Belly
If the drain plug is located at the bottom of the oil pan, a hose may be unnecessary to drain the oil. In this case our Standard valve may be the best option to minimize the valve’s exposure. On the Standard valve, there’s no nipple to attach a hose. You simply drain the oil straight into the container, (as shown below).
Location: On a side or Slope
If the plug is located on the side, on a slope, or if the vehicle has a high ground clearance, you may want to use a hose to manipulate the oil flow. Please consider using valves that have nipple joints.
When you are not using the valve, you can take off the hose and the socket attachment to minimize its profile.
If the valve is located on a side, you can attach an elbow socket to the nipple and drain the oil straight down (as shown below).
We also have long nipple type valves that can firmly hold a hose without using a plastic socket. It has a larger profile due to the extra nipple length, so make sure that your valve is not at risk of bumping into objects on the road (as shown below).
Recession
What if the oil pan has a recession that seems to be preventing the valve from being rotated and installed? There are two solutions: Use an extension adapter or our SX series valve (as shown below).
The extension adapter helps to push the valve away from a recession so that it can be rotated and installed. However, you should also check out our SX valves to avoid using an extension adapter (as shown below).
The SX valves has a body separate from the banjo bolt, this allows the valve to be installed without rotating the body to screw it is (as shown below).
Due to some specific recessions such as the picture above, the SX valves can only be positioned pointing down. If this is the case, please check to see if the valve is positioned too low to the ground. If it is too low, please use an extension adapter to push the valve away from the recession and position the valve away from the ground.
Please note that a recession can be very tricky. Be cautious and take extra time to investigate your oil pan’s shape before deciding which Fumoto valve to purchase.
Please use our product safely. Make sure that your valve is installed in a safe place. Do not install the valve if it is exposed and hangs down too close to the ground.
Happy oil changes!
(Suggested article to read: What are the types of Fumoto valves available?)