for track junkies (6+ events/year)

[fiveoneoh]

Do you have a fumoto oil pan drain plug?



Do you feel confident driving with it, especially if you're a more experienced driver (higher speeds = harder driving, more vibration)



It looks pretty secure, especially with the clip, but I dunno, still have my doubts.


I just spent an hour reading other people's posts on it, there was an occasional track response, but I couldn't gauge experience level or frequency.



Also, what is the point of the magnetic drain plugs. Are they supposed to be quick removal, or is it just for "trapping magnetic particles" (seems gimmicky)

[Pat]

I was very skeptical at first. However, I have had no problems with mine over the last 6 years and 100+ track events. I plan to use them on all my cars in the future.

[fiveoneoh]

damn, your FRS has survived 100 track events?! that's awesome.

[EndlessAzure]

Pass. Almost had mine knocked off at the track (see image), and probably would have for sure taken it off another time when I encountered road debris on the street.

[fiveoneoh]

ouch. and that's the shorty one too, right? I think I'll pass too. The reward is not worth the risk, it seems.

Originally Posted by EndlessAzure

Pass. Almost had mine knocked off at the track (see image), and probably would have for sure taken it off another time when I encountered road debris on the street.

[CSG Mike]

Hard pass for me. While extremely unlikely, I've seen the valve hit just right to open on track.

[EndlessAzure]

Originally Posted by fiveoneoh

ouch. and that's the shorty one too, right? I think I'll pass too. The reward is not worth the risk, it seems.

That is the shorty, but there is also a "zero length" version without nipple attachment.

However, you can see that it made contact with the actual valve body as well, so it wouldn't have mattered what length version it was

[Pat]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Hard pass for me. While extremely unlikely, I've seen the valve hit just right to open on track.

You saw the valve open on track? Not the whole thing be impacted and break off? I can't even imagine how that is possible.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by EndlessAzure

Pass. Almost had mine knocked off at the track (see image), and probably would have for sure taken it off another time when I encountered road debris on the street.

Did the threads start to rip out or anything? Considering the pan looks dented I'd say that held up pretty well considering how hard that hit must have been

[EndlessAzure]

Originally Posted by finch1750

Did the threads start to rip out or anything? Considering the pan looks dented I'd say that held up pretty well considering how hard that hit must have been

Luckily no. It did knock the valve loose. I didn't notice when I came off track until my gf pointed out that I was dripping oil. Left a pool of oil and got a bunch in my hair torquing it back up in the pits

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Pat

You saw the valve open on track? Not the whole thing be impacted and break off? I can't even imagine how that is possible.

That's what the owner said too. Lucky it wasn't a track like COTA where you get charged for cleanup; he would have had a few thousand dollar bill.

Ultimately it's like the window net rule for racecars; it's an unlikely but better safe than sorry item, and considered worth the fire hazard.

[Irace86.2.0]

I have run over a few things on the street, but I never had it hit my Fumoto drain, luckily. I love that drain plug. It would take a serious event for me to switch back. Even then, odd things happen, which means it is less likely to happen in the future, statistically. Internet stories aren't enough to scare me. If I did based on a few people's unlucky experiences then I probably never would have gone forced induction on a stock motor.

I don't really see much difference between having this on the street and having it on the track. Like perhaps there is an argument that track speeds are higher, so there is less time to avoid an object on the track compared to the street, but the street has pot holes, more debris and most traffic obstructing the view of the road.

With that said, if I was slammed instead of just lowered by an inch, and if I was driving in conditions that had lots of pot holes and debris, then I would consider making a plate to block the hole that I could remove during oil changes. One solution is to use well nuts (rubber, screw rivets): drill some holes in the stock skid plate; place the rivets; cover the hole with a piece of aluminum plate that has bolt holes that align with the rivets; screw in the plate; rivets expand to stay secure. That is just a super simple and cheap solution.