Engine Oil Drain Valve

Draining hot black oil into a pan under the engine was getting really old, especially as I have to tilt the pan through about 45 degrees to get it out! I like to warm up the oil and then pull the oil pan drain plug - the faster flow rate cleans things out better than sucking it out through the dipstick hole. Replacing the oil pan drain plug with a valve and hose-barb seemed like the answer.

Fumoto of Japan was the only company I could find that makes them - marketed in the USA by Qwik-Valve. They are beautifully machined out of brass and stainless. The on/off lever is spring loaded and has a detent which prevents it being moved accidentally. The valves are around $40 each. For drain plugs that are slightly recessed into the side of the oil pan (mine is), Fumoto makes a screwed spacer/adapter to get around this - about $8 if required. They seem to make valves to fit most engines. Pic shows valve and spacer in place on the oil pan.

A small impeller pump and some hose completes the setup. It would be possible to pump fresh oil into the engines too. I don't because I have good access to the top of the engines and can pour the oil in directly. This morning I added slightly too much. The new valve made it is a snap to drain out the extra into a small pot. Changing oil is now as much fun as it is ever likely to be without a dedicated hard-piped oil change system.

A word of caution: The valve screws into the oil pan with a fiber washer making the seal. For some strange reason, the adapter is supplied with an O-ring instead of a washer. This doesn't work unless your oil pan is machined to accept an O-ring. Order a spare washers with each adapter.

Fumoto Valve | Qwik Valve™

No affiliation, just a satisfied customer etc etc.

Pretty slick!



Pun intended

Let's not have any greasy comments.

Greetings,
Oil try to contain myself.....

I like your oil change valve To add to your comments I have concluded that I prefer oil change systems where the pump is portable and short hoses led inboard from the various engines and transmission pans can be connected and disconnected is preferable to the permanently mounted pump, octupus of hoses all led to a central location and attached to a sometimes leaky manifold. The clutter eats up space, adds more stuff to maintain and leaves lots of oil residue in the lines. I think using it then stowing it makes more sense.

As my boat was being built it became obvious that reaching the oil drain plug would be next to impossible once the engine was installed. I wanted to attach a hose as the OP did so I wouldn't have to use the dip stick tube. It took awhile to figure it out but it turned out that the threads on Racor hose barbs matched the threads of the drain plug. I think it's straight, non tapered, pipe thread. The Racor fitting uses an o-ring and I've had no problems in more than twenty years. I don't remember if the drain plug had a washer or an o-ring.

I don't think my engine oil pan has a drain fitting. If it did, it would be impossible to reach. I agree that draining hot oil from the bottom is better than sucking it out but I don't have that option.

I had a boat for a year that had a Mercruiser 4 cylinder I/O. It came from the factory with a tube connected to a drain on the oil pan. The tube was to be pulled out through the garboard drain fitting to drain the oil.

It was a great system for a trailered boat.

bglad said:

I like your oil change valve To add to your comments I have concluded that I prefer oil change systems where the pump is portable and short hoses led inboard from the various engines and transmission pans can be connected and disconnected is preferable to the permanently mounted pump, octupus of hoses all led to a central location and attached to a sometimes leaky manifold. The clutter eats up space, adds more stuff to maintain and leaves lots of oil residue in the lines. I think using it then stowing it makes more sense.

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With relatively small engines and a fairly long interval between oil changes, it's hard to justify a built-in system - unless it just pleases you to have it of course. I used to drive a Bertram powered by a pair of 6V92 Detroits. These engines came from the factory with a 1/2" steel oil-change pipe next to the dip-stick: remove the stopper, suck out the old oil, pump in the new, voila! I wonder why (most) marine engine manufacturers give so little thought to such a basic item.

On our last boat we extracted the used oil through the dipstick hole and all went well and didn't seem like too much trouble until I tipped the container a little too much and oil came running out the bottom. Other than that I thought it was a fairly slick system. Would have been nice to have two containers to extract quickly.

On Willy Klassen put a fitting on the drain plug hole to attach a fairly serious hose. Look just to left of the oil filter in the pic and see a manual pump (chrome I think) that is attached to the hose. One works the handle on top up and down to pump the oil out the inverted "L" pipe on top of the pump. Holding a plastic jug under the "L" pipe one can pump out the oil. There is an off and on valve on the bottom of the pump. Works very well and I'm sure the pump is an off the shelf item. I'm only 99% secure w that hose keeping the oil in my oil pan ... and I guess 99% is OK .. until the 1% event happens but I sure don't expect it.

My current engine had one motor oil dip stick installed and one blanked off taped port on the other side. I had to modify my oil pan and eliminated the drain plug. Using the blanked off port I installed a fixed oil pick up. To change the oil I use a West Marine Porta Quick Oil Changer. I drop the pan once a year and haven’t found the need for the drain plug yet.

Boatgm said:

My current engine had one motor oil dip stick installed and one blanked off taped port on the other side. I had to modify my oil pan and eliminated the drain plug. Using the blanked off port I installed a fixed oil pick up. To change the oil I use a West Marine Porta Quick Oil Changer. I drop the pan once a year and haven’t found the need for the drain plug yet.

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Why do you drop the pan once a year?

On my boat, the engine would have to be disconnected and raised quite a bit to remove the oil pan. It would be a serious project.

Boatgm said:

Luckily its easy, I like to see if there is any sludge and check to see if the magnet caught anything.

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I would be happy just to pull mine one time to check for sludge but it's not a practical idea.

When I installed my current engines, 12 years ago, I already knew how difficult an oil change could be, given the small clearance below the sump, so I had hoses attached to the sump bung (standard accessory at the Volvo store, not too spendy). Now I use a vacuum oil change pump and changes are easy. For a while I was able to get the fuel barge's vacuum hose and it would suck an engine dry in about a minute. With fewer fuel barges in Coal Harbour, they don't offer that service at busy times, so I use the oil change pump while in my slip.

manyboats said:

On our last boat we extracted the used oil through the dipstick hole and all went well and didn't seem like too much trouble until I tipped the container a little too much and oil came running out the bottom. Other than that I thought it was a fairly slick system. Would have been nice to have two containers to extract quickly.

On Willy Klassen put a fitting on the drain plug hole to attach a fairly serious hose. Look just to left of the oil filter in the pic and see a manual pump (chrome I think) that is attached to the hose. One works the handle on top up and down to pump the oil out the inverted "L" pipe on top of the pump. Holding a plastic jug under the "L" pipe one can pump out the oil. There is an off and on valve on the bottom of the pump. Works very well and I'm sure the pump is an off the shelf item. I'm only 99% secure w that hose keeping the oil in my oil pan ... and I guess 99% is OK .. until the 1% event happens but I sure don't expect it.

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That hose looks like the American Diesel set up minus the hand pump. AD sells the kit for about $40.00. I just received mine and will replace the PO's petcock that was installed.

That valve looks like a great idea, but for those considering building up their own set-up, beware of hanging too much weight on pan. I've had trouble with systems that use nipples, hydraulic quick connects and ball valves causing the pan to crack eventually. It's best to keep things as short and light as possible. Cheers......Arctic Traveller

[ I drop the pan once a year and haven’t found the need for the drain plug yet.[/QUOTE]

A friend had a bit of a problem with an oil pan in the bilge water a few times to often.

It rusted through and began leaking oil.

He knew he had an oil leak. Just didn't know where. Found it by puting a sheet of cardboard under the engine.

Now there is a job for you. What a mess. Had to raise the engine to replace the pan.

SD

We installed an oil pump out and man do I love it. The Trawler Beach House: 12 Small Boat Projects That Made Large Improvements . We bought the drain kit from American Diesel, made up a couple of hoses, connected the pump and now oil changes are a quick and simple job. Chuck

Shoalwaters said:

A small impeller pump and some hose completes the setup. It would be possible to pump fresh oil into the engines too. I don't because I have good access to the top of the engines and can pour the oil in directly. This morning I added slightly too much. The new valve made it is a snap to drain out the extra into a small pot. Changing oil is now as much fun as it is ever likely to be without a dedicated hard-piped oil change system.

A word of caution: The valve screws into the oil pan with a fiber washer making the seal. For some strange reason, the adapter is supplied with an O-ring instead of a washer. This doesn't work unless your oil pan is machined to accept an O-ring. Order a spare washers with each adapter.

Fumoto Valve | Qwik Valve™

No affiliation, just a satisfied customer etc etc.

Click to expand...

Very nice but sorry,i am missing the fuse nearly the pumpon the plate.
______________
Norbert

I installed as dedicated oil change system I personally think everyone should have this.

Changing the oil once was a PITA.

Now a 30 min job.

SD

For smaller quantities of oil the hand pumped suction system works well.

Not great for 8 gallons , but the hot oil lifts quite easily , and for some its no burden to empty it once or twice..

Will do the lawn equipment at home with no mess too.

And the long probe is great for lifting water out of a diesel fuel box ,

IF you can put a list on the boat to get the water to one side.

I'm all about easy. The boat yard I use has hydraulic hose fittings that have the same thread as the plug on my "C" Cummins oil pan. So I have hydraulic hose from the pan, through a ball valve, and into a Jabsco oil pump. Off the pump is 4' of flexible hose with fittings so it hangs nicely in a 5 gallon bucket with lid. Engine holds 5 gallons of oil that gets changed 6+ times in 4 months during my charter season. I like it when I have to change the oil every other week (running every day, making lots of money )!

Ted

I like the hand powered vacuum extractors. 5 pumps or so and out comes all the warm oil. I forget the name, but have the tall model which has a pretty much drip-less pour spout. 4Qts then empty. 5 pumps and 4 qts more. It just happens that is the right amount to pour into the empty containers from the last oil change.

Works great to get all but drops out of the drip pan and the racor bodies too.

No power needed, so it comes in real handy for any use once the boat is winterized to get even the smallest remaining puddles out of the bilge too.

I'm looking at the same set-up, but Fumoto couldn't advise which valve fits my Yanmar 4BY2-180, KMH40A gearbox and Westerbeke 5.0 BCDE genset. Can you help?

There is another current post regarding oil change pump systems. This is a repost of wha I posted there:

I have an oil extraction system I devised and sold for a while in the 80's.

I'm on the boat so can not get a picture till I get home.

It's a propane tank with a small compressor mounted to the top of it. The type of compressor used for air brushing. The tanks valve is taken out and a machined fitting with a dip tube and a second port is screwed into the top of the tank.

The engine and generator have hoses plumbed to the oil pans, which is connected to the hose coming out of the propane tanks dip tube. The compressor is connected to the second port at the top. When the compressor is turned on, vacuum is created inside the tank and sucks the oil out of the pan, through the hoses into the tank via dip tube.

To empty the tank, the compressor connections are reversed, compressor turned on and the top of the tank gets pressurized, which forces the oil up through the dip tube and out the hose.

Since most of the work in the engine room is done with suction, there is no drips, spills etc.

This system is a motorized version of the hand operated oil extractors like the Topside and MityVac which work using vacuum.

I use this oil extractor to remove oil from my home standby generator, boat transmission, boat hydraulic steering and automotive use in addition to the boat engine and generator

Fortunately our boat came with a hard line oil change system in place - looks to be original system with three valve manifold and one pump. there is a valve on the side of the mains to turn on/off to prevent any accidental draining. Only problem was the three valves were not marked and I had to trace the lines, under the ER floor, to find which was which - two engines and gennie - now they are marked. Love my label maker

Here's another place to get pan valves and adapters: https://www.ezoildrain.ca/



I have my pans plumbed with one of those, hose, and then a 2nd safety ball valve. I centrifuge my oil so drain about every 50-100 hours. The plumbing makes it easy and quick.