Oil changes/Fumoto valve...
 

I'm assuming I wasn't the only one who was annoyed to find out the simple/easy small hole in the underbody panel for oil changes (which easily accommodated a Fumoto valve) in Gen 1 has been changed to a 3 bolt removable panel in Gen 2. Not sure if the Fumoto valve fits under this panel, but regardless, having to remove the panel in the first place sort of defeats the purpose of the Fumoto valve, namely not having to use any tools at all for an oil change (unless you screw your oil filter on too tight).

In any event, was curious if anyone has tackled this yet. Given it's size, I don't really want to just leave the panel off - it's a lot bigger hole than what was on Gen 1. Was thinking of just cutting the smallest possible hole in the panel using an angle grinder. Thoughts on this? Anyone done it already and have a picture? Want to make the hole as small as possible while still giving relatively easy access to the valve. Any other ideas?

The fumoto valve fits, but the clearance to the panel isn’t enough to make me feel comfortable with it. Unlike my 2013 I decided to deal with it and go with the drain plug for now.

Just get an oil extractor and you don't even have to lift the car up.

Then again, I take advantage of my flex schedule and just the car to the shop and work from there over WiFi while they handle it.

Call me crazy, but I've never liked the idea of an extractor.

And I believe we've had this discussion, but there are multiple good reasons to change your own oil (cost, convenience). But the biggest, by far, is to make sure you get the oil and filter that you want and know is correct and that it was actually done, correctly. Not to mention, any chance you can get to keep someone else from driving your car without you in it is worth it IMHO.

I didn't even try because once I already have to take 2 bolts off (you can leave one of the panel bolts on), then grabbing another ratchet (I use a small one on the panel bolts, a medium one on the drain plug) is not a big deal.

I still think cutting a small hole in the panel is the answer...

I use the fumoto and use my M18 surge to remove and reinstall the bolts on the lowest setting. I attach the fitting with the hose, drain and walk away for a bit (after fiddling with the filter change).

The underbody panel change was to discourage the use of the valve because 1) some people will take their car to the dealer for an oil change, and 2) to address the too often occurring problem where us gen1 idiots bottom out our cars going over speed bumps at 40 mph, drop all the oil, and drive another 150 miles until the engine seizes up.

Either that or it's a conspiracy to piss off owners of both generation.

On my first gen the panel was lower than the Fumoto so you have to rip the panel off to get to the valve.

I had a scare once where somebody had left a mini-manhole cover for a water valve or something on the road at night and I drove over it at full speed. Very scary bang and a nice gash in the panel. Thankfully not near the valve.

to this day, i genuinely don't understand why the most common service to perform to an ICE vehicle requires wrenches, and getting covered in oil.

I will call you crazy, because there are plenty of videos and other evidence to show they get out just as much old oil as just opening the drain plug.

I guess maybe that's a concern for people going to Jiffy Lube, but I take my cars to the guy who at any time has Ferrari's, Saleen's, Lambo's, or his own Viper in the bay.

What world do you live in where cars are driven after an oil change by the techs, or are you just making things up? Or do you consider the 400 ft driving the car from the back to the front of the shop as somehow damaging?

As for cost/convenience? I literally spent $10 more to have an indy pro change the oil in my 135 vs doing it myself. I get to "work from the shop" for the morning and not get dirty, or spend an hour in the garage on a saturday? That $10 more is totally worth it.

I went the the non-nippled fumoto to maximize clearance. It fits fine, but certainly not a ton of extra clearance. Easiest oil change ever.

Are dealership techs going to have a cow over my Fumoto valve? I installed the short nipple version. It fits fine under the panel hatch and points in the preferred direction.

couldn't tell you. i'm too paranoid to ever allow anyone to work on my vehicles that i don't have their personal number/home address.

i went to lincoln tech. cars went into those bays for a tire change, and left with the steering wheel crooked and a broken tail light...

Hey, that's great. You do you. And that you have found an awesome shop that works on Ferraris, Saleens, and Lambos that is willing to take time out from their exotic car repair schedule to give you a quality oil change for $55 is impressive. Go for it. But for me, I don't have that option (and doubt I would use it if I could) because it is more convenient, on my schedule, to do it in my garage.

As for the extractor, it's not about the amount of oil. It's about sucking oil through a tube that engineers didn't design oil to be sucked out of. If nothing else, I don't like the idea of coating the entire inside of the oil pan/sump and everything else with the used contaminated oil when I can drain it through the bottom as it was designed to leaving whatever particles might be in the oil at the bottom of the pan. Also, having being an engineer, I am always leery of placing any kind of pressure or vacuum on a system that wasn't designed for that.

And yes, I don't like people I don't know and trust driving my car at anytime for any reason (one of many, many reasons I don't like/use valets - ever).