Oil Change - DIY

[CarbonTremor]

Is anyone able to comment on whether the stock drain plug has a magnet and, if so, have you cleaned any debris or any of that sludgy paste of fine metal particles from it at oil changes? I don't think you see as many magnets on engine oil plugs these days, although that probably has more to do with the extra 25 cents it might cost. My truck is coming up on its first oil change and I'm thinking about getting the Valvomax. Would just like to know if I would be deleting a drain plug magnet in the process.

My 21 does not have a magnet

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[P. A. Schilke]

This thing is the best $7 I've ever spent. Fill it 6qrts, pour in. No mess at all

Okay, CT

From where did you get this container? Who makes it?

best,
Phil

 

[CarbonTremor]

Okay, CT

From where did you get this container? Who makes it?

best,
Phil

Walmart, I'm not sure if the brand. I think it is just some generic Walmart brand, but I'll check tomorrow

 

[jblc]

Another question, just to check in case. I know this is a silly question =)
The drain plug torque is for plug/threads that have oil on them, correct?
Requesting dry threads after an oil change wouldn't be standard practice, but again, just double-checking

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Another question, just to check in case. I know this is a silly question =)
The drain plug torque is for plug/threads that have oil on them, correct?
Requesting dry threads after an oil change wouldn't be standard practice, but again, just double-checking

Hi JB,

You are asking a very good question and I do not have the answer to it. Impossible on a oil change to do a dry thread torque. Frankly, I do not bother...just tighten until it "feels" tight. I also reuse the plug...I know folks that replace it every oil change.... I am only on my third oil change, change every year as my mileage accumulation is only about 750 miles a year at current rate... There is no magnet in my drain plug in 2019 and I doubt a magnet would help much in a EcoBoost motor or any other motor... I am not a fan of aftermarket drain plugs of any sort. The OEM plug was tested on Ford durability and I will stick with success with the OEM.

I have first hand knowledge of problems with Fumoto failing and trashing a engine... So I stick with the original OEM plug for my oil changes... JMO....

best,
Phil

 

[Langwilliams]

I have first hand knowledge of problems with Fumoto failing and trashing a engine... So I stick with the original OEM plug for my oil changes... JMO....

I have the Funmoto with the nipple for a drain hose so I don't have to drop the skid plate every time I change the oil. I have a screw clamp on the the hose where it attaches to the valve an a bolt with a screw clamp plugging the drain end. This would stop oil loss in the even of a failure of the valve to seal. While not guaranteed to stop oil loss I think it would slow it down enough to avoid damage as I look for leaks under it all the time knowing the valve is on it.

 

[Radioman]

Is anyone able to comment on whether the stock drain plug has a magnet and, if so, have you cleaned any debris or any of that sludgy paste of fine metal particles from it at oil changes? I don't think you see as many magnets on engine oil plugs these days, although that probably has more to do with the extra 25 cents it might cost. My truck is coming up on its first oil change and I'm thinking about getting the Valvomax. Would just like to know if I would be deleting a drain plug magnet in the process.

There is no magnet on my Ranger's oil pan drain plug and I have never owned a vehicle that had one on the oil drain plug.

 

[jblc]

Thanks Phil Some of the drain valves do look sketchy; some others seem better. Has anyone been using the Valvomax drain plug for a long time?
Is it reliable?

 

[Dgc333]

FWIW, in my 50 years of auto ownership I can't recall ever seeing a magnet on an oil drain plug. Seen them on transmission drain plugs or magnets stuck to the bottom of the pan but not on the oil drain plug.

 

[JohnnyO]

Is anyone able to comment on whether the stock drain plug has a magnet and, if so, have you cleaned any debris or any of that sludgy paste of fine metal particles from it at oil changes? I don't think you see as many magnets on engine oil plugs these days, although that probably has more to do with the extra 25 cents it might cost. My truck is coming up on its first oil change and I'm thinking about getting the Valvomax. Would just like to know if I would be deleting a drain plug magnet in the process.

No magnet. I've been changing oil in all my family's vehicles for decades and never saw an OE drain plug with a magnet. Years ago I got a magnetic plug for my 2002 Ranger, a Superplug advertised on BobIsTheOilGuy.com that had a really strong magnet on the tip (like Wile E. Coyote's magnet that sucked everything into his cave). It did have bits of metal every oil change. Superplug went out of business in the last recession though. I can't confirm but I've heard that magnets around the engine on late-model vehicles can mess with the electronics.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Hi JB,

You are asking a very good question and I do not have the answer to it. Impossible on a oil change to do a dry thread torque. Frankly, I do not bother...just tighten until it "feels" tight. I also reuse the plug...I know folks that replace it every oil change.... I am only on my third oil change, change every year as my mileage accumulation is only about 750 miles a year at current rate... There is no magnet in my drain plug in 2019 and I doubt a magnet would help much in a EcoBoost motor or any other motor... I am not a fan of aftermarket drain plugs of any sort. The OEM plug was tested on Ford durability and I will stick with success with the OEM.

I have first hand knowledge of problems with Fumoto failing and trashing a engine... So I stick with the original OEM plug for my oil changes... JMO....

best,
Phil

The F150 guys do the same crap(unless they spend $80 on that drain valve kit).
What I did was buy a pack of 50 orings from amazon that match OE spec.

 

[fusseli]

What are everyone’s feelings on copper crush washers, using a fresh one on each drain and fill on the drain plug? That was standard practice on Nissan at one time. Makes sense to me, a tight sacrificial seal every time and easy to get the torque right by hand without over tightening.

Also, new Chrysler drain plugs have a very thin “rubberized” built in gasket. It was the same threading as my 84 Lima tbird so I swapped it in when I put a fumoto on my 2014 Jeep.

My Ranger is still stock until I get a wild hair or come across something convincing. Magnets and fumotos are less convincing to me these days. Why bother.

 

[JohnnyO]

What are everyone’s feelings on copper crush washers, using a fresh one on each drain and fill on the drain plug?

I've never had an OE drain plug leak. I got my old Sport Trac new in '08, put 212,000 miles on it, every oil change was done by me personally every 5000 miles (do the math), and when I traded it in on the Ranger it still had the original drain plug although I did replace the washer once.

 

[Dgc333]

I've never had an OE drain plug leak. I got my old Sport Trac new in '08, put 212,000 miles on it, every oil change was done by me personally every 5000 miles (do the math), and when I traded it in on the Ranger it still had the original drain plug although I did replace the washer once.

Same here. I have never replaced a drain plug, o ring or gasket unless they were physically damaged in the 50 years I have been doing oil changed and never had an issue with leaking.

 

[MIBuckeye]

Well, I must say that I have done MANY oil changes on tons of cars over my 40 years of driving....this had to be one of the messiest changes I have done. My Audi A4 has a filter in the similar setup and once the filter is loosened, it drains right onto the frame rail and back toward the Trans cross member...makes an awful mess but it's possible to put a rag on the frame and stop the mess....on the Ranger, the oil does the same, but it is funneled on a little black "funnel" attached to the engine DIRECTLY ONTO THE FRAME RAIL.....then travels back wards and into the frame and exits in multiple locations as far as two feet from the filter location, totally missing the pan and going all over the floor, splashing like hot bacon grease all over the floor. I was warned about having the truck on level ground and I had it perfectly level in a garage. Haven't given it a good look to see how to avoid all of this as it was cold in the garage.

Aside from that, not sure what everyone's stress is with the fasteners for the rubber shield. If the whole fastener turns when unscrewing the Philips head, just use a flathead and push the whole thing to one side or the other and it will force the threads to catch and allow a simple extraction. Shouldn't take more than 30 seconds on those.

Other than the mess, this is a simple oil change comparatively....but might consider letting someone else do it next time to avoid the mess.

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