Fumoto valve quick question

[chas3wba0]

So I should mention that when I installed my Fumoto about 2000 miles ago, I was a bad boy and used a socket on the Hex head instead of a crescent wrench to torque down the valve, despite explicit directions not to.

At first, the Hex head turned with the whole valve, so I though I was good, but once it was torqued down pretty tight, I managed to turn the Hex head a fraction of a degree before realizing it was turning without the valve. I panicked because I thought I had broken something and, according to the Fumoto engineer that I spoke to on the phone, I did.


Notice the threads on the right side fitting, where the nipple would be. Apparently, it is a separate piece that is tightened down to compress the white seals around the ball valve and then held in place with Loctite on the threads. If you torque the Hex head too much, you will likely break the Loctite, like I did.

The Fumoto engineer made it sound like I had completely destroyed the valve, but by my logic, as long as I leave it as is and don't turn the Hex head in either direction any more, the seal should hold. So far, no oil leaks, and I'll see if the lever still turns smoothly during the next oil change.

Has anyone else made this boo-boo?

[wheelhaus]

I havent, but I got the "s" version with a small stub nipple and don't remember seeing anything to put a hex wrench into... I can certainly see why it would be an issue, though. I would also assume if it doesn't leak and still works OK, you're probably fine unless however, my paranoia manifests itself and the white ring cracks when you're on a long drive and your oil slowly drains out and your engine siezes leaving you stranded in rapecountry. I'm too OCD, just knowing I might have damaged it would be enough incentive to replace it at the next oil change. Another $25 is cheap insurance.

If the white ring just compresses, and the engineer is paranoid about the mushed loctite, then I'd be more inclined to say fugeddaboutit. You could always disassemble it, clean and inspect it, and reassemble with new loctite, but it might be impossible to torque it properly to know the seal is loaded correctly. Eh, now I'm back to $25 is cheap insurance...

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by chas3wba0

Has anyone else made this boo-boo?

Yep, I warned folks about it in an earlier post in this thread.

Mine was tight enough that the ball lever no longer moved.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=904491

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[sshole]

Originally Posted by chas3wba0

So I should mention that when I installed my Fumoto about 2000 miles ago, I was a bad boy and used a socket on the Hex head instead of a crescent wrench to torque down the valve, despite explicit directions not to.

At first, the Hex head turned with the whole valve, so I though I was good, but once it was torqued down pretty tight, I managed to turn the Hex head a fraction of a degree before realizing it was turning without the valve. I panicked because I thought I had broken something and, according to the Fumoto engineer that I spoke to on the phone, I did.


Notice the threads on the right side fitting, where the nipple would be. Apparently, it is a separate piece that is tightened down to compress the white seals around the ball valve and then held in place with Loctite on the threads. If you torque the Hex head too much, you will likely break the Loctite, like I did.

The Fumoto engineer made it sound like I had completely destroyed the valve, but by my logic, as long as I leave it as is and don't turn the Hex head in either direction any more, the seal should hold. So far, no oil leaks, and I'll see if the lever still turns smoothly during the next oil change.

Has anyone else made this boo-boo?

The only things I could think of that would happen from tightening that part:
1. You have cracked the valve seat(s).
2. You have cracked the ball inside the valve.
3. You have elongated the threads, ruining any chances of getting the valve back together.

If it's not leaking and it still turns, though, I'd just leave it as is. If/when it starts to leak, replace with a new one and follow the installation instructions.

[uEih]

I don't have a torque wrench so is there anyway to estimate how much the 18lbs of torque is? I don't want to ruin the valve.

[OICU812]

Tight is tight use best judgement and don't go gorilla on it.
That's all I did mine hasn't moved a hair since install months ago.

[skyloran]

i had my on since 3 months ago..no problem..don't put too much force on it while installing.

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by uEih

I don't have a torque wrench so is there anyway to estimate how much the 18lbs of torque is? I don't want to ruin the valve.

18 lb ft of torque is literally 18 lbs of force, one foot away from the center. I know that might not answer your question, but might help you interpret how it's measured.

I don't have crowfeet attachments for my torque wrench, but I also don't remember being able to fit a socket over the whole thing, so I think I just tightened it by hand as well. You'll feel it tighten up, just don't he-man hulk on it.

[Andrew025]

I used a crescent wrench on mine.
Obviously not very accurate. Just used my judgment to get it fairly snug but not ridiculously tight.
Haven't had an issue yet.

[frs10]

isnt it just about a little more than hand tight good?

i didnt use a torque wrench and just hand tightened and its been fine for about 6 months

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by frs10

isnt it just about a little more than hand tight good?

I didnt use a torque wrench and just hand tightened and its been fine for about 6 months

Yes and no, "hand tight" is different to everyone, the key is to be sensitive to how it actually feels when you're turning the fastener. It's a nuanced sensation, it's not as simple as just snugging it up, there's different feels and resistances as it gets tighter, and you kinda have to feel when it's about right. Dem feels...

[frs10]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

Yes and no, "hand tight" is different to everyone, the key is to be sensitive to how it actually feels when you're turning the fastener. It's a nuanced sensation, it's not as simple as just snugging it up, there's different feels and resistances as it gets tighter, and you kinda have to feel when it's about right. Dem feels...

subjective... fml

[ZionsWrath]

Just did a track day on mine and it almost 2 years old, no problem so far

[uEih]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

18 lb ft of torque is literally 18 lbs of force, one foot away from the center. I know that might not answer your question, but might help you interpret how it's measured.

I don't have crowfeet attachments for my torque wrench, but I also don't remember being able to fit a socket over the whole thing, so I think I just tightened it by hand as well. You'll feel it tighten up, just don't he-man hulk on it.

Did you go past the tighten point or as soon as there were some resistance you went past that a bit? Most likely I'll do it past when it's tight a bit and if there are leaks i'll tighten it more. But at least knowing that I could tighten it by hand makes it easier to tell how much force is too much.