Fumoto valve quick question

[blackfireball5]

Just an FYI for folks, they came out with a revised safety clip for some additional piece of mind for those worried about it opening unexpectedly. Looks stronger than the little metal clip it used to have.

http://www.qwikvalve.com/Fumoto-Leve...mall-HC10.html

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by uEih

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.

That should be just fine. You'll feel the resistance suddenly get higher as it bottoms out against the gasket, but keep tightening a bit more. I can't really say how much, but you'll feel the resistance plateau and feel consistent as it turns, and as you keep turning it will quickly get higher, stop there. What you're feeling is the threaded shaft stretching a small bit where it feels kinda consistent, and this slight stretch is what holds the faster in place.

Some of the consistent resistance part could also be the gasket compressing (or OEM crush washer with the OEM bolt).

[uEih]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

That should be just fine. You'll feel the resistance suddenly get higher as it bottoms out against the gasket, but keep tightening a bit more. I can't really say how much, but you'll feel the resistance plateau and feel consistent as it turns, and as you keep turning it will quickly get higher, stop there. What you're feeling is the threaded shaft stretching a small bit where it feels kinda consistent, and this slight stretch is what holds the faster in place.

Some of the consistent resistance part could also be the gasket compressing (or OEM crush washer with the OEM bolt).

Ok just did it and don't know if I did anything wrong but I tightened it until it was tight enough with my hand, to be safe I did it so it was fairly loose and still able to be tightened. Filled with oil, as expected there was a leak so I just tightened it more and more. It's to a point where I can't tighten it anymore by hand but yet oil is still leaking. Hopefully someone can help me asap as I need to get the oil to stop leaking soon. I'm just afraid of over tightening but I'm planning to use a wrench and tighten it more, just checking in if anyone else did this and if it's safe to do so. Oil leaking or over tightening and ruining the valve is the last thing I want before commuting to work tomorrow.

It seems to be leaking around the gasket that came with the valve so I suspect it's because it's not tight enough.

[Andrew025]

Originally Posted by uEih

Ok just did it and don't know if I did anything wrong but I tightened it until it was tight enough with my hand, to be safe I did it so it was fairly loose and still able to be tightened. Filled with oil, as expected there was a leak so I just tightened it more and more. It's to a point where I can't tighten it anymore by hand but yet oil is still leaking. Hopefully someone can help me asap as I need to get the oil to stop leaking soon. I'm just afraid of over tightening but I'm planning to use a wrench and tighten it more, just checking in if anyone else did this and if it's safe to do so. Oil leaking or over tightening and ruining the valve is the last thing I want before commuting to work tomorrow.

It seems to be leaking around the gasket that came with the valve so I suspect it's because it's not tight enough.

Yeah, you're not gonna get it tight enough just by hand.
If you don't have a crow foot attachment for a torque wrench, then just use whatever wrench you have that fits properly.
Just don't crank it on super tight and you should be good.

[uEih]

Originally Posted by Andrew025

Yeah, you're not gonna get it tight enough just by hand.
If you don't have a crow foot attachment for a torque wrench, then just use whatever wrench you have that fits properly.
Just don't crank it on super tight and you should be good.

Used an adjustable wrench and tightened it up just a little more and that seemed to stopped it. I was just afraid to over tighten it since there was a lot of talk about hand tightening it but it worked out. Thanks!

[wheelhaus]

"Hand tightening" was a little vague, we were referring to simply not using a torque wrench, in other words, using your own hands to measure torque on a plain wrench.

Using a wrench, you should be able to feel the resistance suddenly get firmer as you approach good torque. If you're concerned, Harbor Freight has some very inexpensive torque wrenches and crow foot adapters. I'd recommend having one anyway.

[uEih]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

"Hand tightening" was a little vague, we were referring to simply not using a torque wrench, in other words, using your own hands to measure torque on a plain wrench.

Using a wrench, you should be able to feel the resistance suddenly get firmer as you approach good torque. If you're concerned, Harbor Freight has some very inexpensive torque wrenches and crow foot adapters. I'd recommend having one anyway.

I was running fine for a bit but now I've been seeing oil leak lately. It's weird because I waited 2 hours after installing the valve to see if I get a single drop and I didn't so I assumed I was in the clear. Now a few weeks after installing it, I found some oil where I parked. Lifted it up and looked, it was leaking.. Wiped it up, tightened it a bit and waited to see if it'll leak again in 2 hours but it didn't. However the other day it leaked a bit again, I think at this point I'm gonna have to just tighten it slowly and keep an eye on it since I don't want to break it. I just found it weird that it doesn't seem to be a consistent leak.

[chas3wba0]

Originally Posted by uEih

I was running fine for a bit but now I've been seeing oil leak lately. It's weird because I waited 2 hours after installing the valve to see if I get a single drop and I didn't so I assumed I was in the clear. Now a few weeks after installing it, I found some oil where I parked. Lifted it up and looked, it was leaking.. Wiped it up, tightened it a bit and waited to see if it'll leak again in 2 hours but it didn't. However the other day it leaked a bit again, I think at this point I'm gonna have ti just tighten it slowly and keep an eye on it since I don't want to break it. I just found it weird that it doesn't seem to be a consistent leak.

It's eligible for a warranty claim. Contact Fumoto, they should take care of you

[uEih]

Originally Posted by chas3wba0

It's eligible for a warranty claim. Contact Fumoto, they should take care of you

Even if I bought from amazon? It was sold by a third party seller.

What may explain the inconsistent leaks? Sometimes I find oil, other times I don't see any, I remember I hand tightened it as much as I could then used a wrench to tighten it about a quarter more as others have done and it seemed fine.

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by uEih

Even if I bought from amazon? It was sold by a third party seller.

What may explain the inconsistent leaks? Sometimes I find oil, other times I don't see any, I remember I hand tightened it as much as I could then used a wrench to tighten it about a quarter more as others have done and it seemed fine.

Its difficult to say, honestly it might just not be tight enough, but I don't want to say "keep going" cause I have no idea how loose/tight it actually is. I'd hate to see the thing snap off and dump oil everywhere because it was horked down too tight, when the leak was actually caused by a faulty/damaged gasket the whole time...

You could swing by a local Harbor Freight and pick up a torque wrench ($22) and crows foot set ($9).

Or see if anyone in the area has a torque wrench and crows foot, or call a local garage and ask if you could throw them $20 or a 12-pack to get your car on a jack/lift and have them check the torque, it'd take them about 5 minutes.

[uEih]

Originally Posted by wheelhaus

Its difficult to say, honestly it might just not be tight enough, but I don't want to say "keep going" cause I have no idea how loose/tight it actually is. I'd hate to see the thing snap off and dump oil everywhere because it was horked down too tight, when the leak was actually caused by a faulty/damaged gasket the whole time...

You could swing by a local Harbor Freight and pick up a torque wrench ($22) and crows foot set ($9).

Or see if anyone in the area has a torque wrench and crows foot, or call a local garage and ask if you could throw them $20 or a 12-pack to get your car on a jack/lift and have them check the torque, it'd take them about 5 minutes.

I'll ask around, I'm sure one of my buddy has one. Did you use a torque wrench? If not how much tighter did you tighten it after hand tightening the valve? Quarter or more? I could tighten the valve a bit more it feels like but I do not want to risk it as I don't remember how much I've tightened it.

[chas3wba0]

Originally Posted by uEih

Even if I bought from amazon? It was sold by a third party seller.

What may explain the inconsistent leaks? Sometimes I find oil, other times I don't see any, I remember I hand tightened it as much as I could then used a wrench to tighten it about a quarter more as others have done and it seemed fine.

I'd give them a ring anyway and don't mention where you got it unless they ask. I assume they'd be willing to replace it as long as you send yours back to them.

Is oil coming out from the nozzle of the valve, or from around the washer where it seals with the oil pan?

Also, did you tighten the valve body itself with a crescent wrench, or that little hex head with a socket? The former is the proper way. If you did the latter, then you may have broken the Loctite on the threads inside, which could allow oil to seep through.

[Kids Heart]

I have a concern about the valve. How much old oil is left in after a drain? It appears the threading extends in to the pan a few mm not allowing a total drain? Has anyone measured the oil pan drain threading the the plug threading?

[chas3wba0]

Originally Posted by Kids Heart

I have a concern about the valve. How much old oil is left in after a drain? My understanding is the threading extends in to the pan a few mm not allowing a total drain.

Not enough to lose sleep over