I bought one of those Fram SureDRAIN (SD-3) things for my Maxima many months ago, but didn't decide to install it until my last oil change. This morning, I changed the oil again, so I put the SureDRAIN to use.

Boy, does it drain the motor oil out slow!!

It's nice that it's a no-mess kind of a system, but if I have to wait two to three times the amount of time it used to take to have the oil drain out, I'm wondering if it's worth it. Maybe I'm just impatient.

For those of you who want a neat way of draining out your motor oil from the pan, the SureDRAIN is pretty nice. After the actuator valve is installed (it replaces the OEM drain plug), you never need tools to do the draining. Just unscrew the 'dust' cover by hand, screw in the drain hose, and the oil comes out. When done, unscrew the drain hose, screw the cover back on by hand, and get to work on the filter like you normally do. But like I said, the oil comes out slower because of this system, so it may not be for those of you who are used to fast oil changes.

Peace.

 

our concern is that its longer and will protrude alittle making it easier to be hit. especially on lowered cars. Is the end of the dust cap lower than the bottom of the oil pan?

 

Dude, with all due respect, sometimes the simplest things are overlooked. Are you taking the oil filler cap off when you're draining? You gotta let air into the engine if you want it to drain fast.

 

I have the same problem. It takes like 30 minutes to fully drain. And yes, I take the oil filler cap off.

Tim- I have Progress Springs and I bottom out all the friggin time. No problem here. It protrudes a milimeter at the most, but there is that brace a few inches forward from it that takes the brunt of the street when I bottom out. My Fram doesn't even have a scratch on it.

 

Dude....the motor is not sealed. It is vented to the intake so cap on or off it will drain the same.

 

Are you trying to tell me that the vent to the intake is the same size as the oil filler hole? IF IT IS, then yes it will drain the same. However, I'm willing to bet it's not and when you're changing the oil, the more air you let in, the faster the pan will drain.

 

The opening on the suredrain is smaller. Think about it. You are not taking a drain bolt off, and it's already threaded into the drain bolt hole so it can not be as large in diamter as taking the drain bolt off...hence the slow drainage.

 

I don't think it has to do with the hole. I think it has to do with the retaining pin that pops up when you open the valve. It is really, really slow. It is not using the entire diameter to its potential.

 

so techically you wont be draining as much oil?

 

No, I checked the other day. After I completely drained with the SureDrain, I wrenched off the entire unit to make sure that there wasn't anything plugging the hole. There wasn't, and furthermore, no more oil was dripping.

It drains it completely. It just takes a very long time- literally 30+ minutes.

 

Is there some sort of check valve?

 

I don't get what you're saying.....

 

Well a valve that only opens in one direction or when activated. I assume that when you screw the drain tube on there then it opens a valve to let the oil flow. Is my assumption correct?

If so...then this would be causing the slow drainage.

 

Yup, that's exactly how it works.

 

Is your pcv clogged ?? Slow draining will also not pull out sediment from the bottom of the pan ...

 

The Fumoto Valve is a much sturdier design, as I have looked at both of them. I would trust the Fumoto Valve over the Fram anyday.


The drain slowness is a trait of such devices, though I have no clue if it is faster with one versus the other.




With the Fumoto Valve, I would not worry about Tim's concerns over it getting damaged. If something is going to hit the oil pan that hard to cause something to occur to such a device, you probably have more serious frame and alignment issues.