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ouch i wouldnt risk damaging my pan with that thing sticking out...
It only sticks down about half an inch, but I also thought the same thing as you. I guess I'll take my chances. I'm already careful about where I take the car.
It only sticks down about half an inch, but I also thought the same thing as you. I guess I'll take my chances. I'm already careful about where I take the car.
The convenience is great, but the risk not worth it IMO. I had one installed in each of my 997s and removed both of them, replacing them with the LN Engineering magnetic drain plugs. There are a few issues with the Fumoto
It protrudes down too far and is at risk of being snapped off and dumping all your oil and/or damaging the oil pan when/if it does. I had tow down hooks in front of mine and a skid plate to help protect it, and still when I removed it, there was evidence of some scratching or a scuff on the lead edge of it. My car is super low in the front so I've very careful about avoiding anything on the road surface, but it still had marks on it. An unavoidable tire gator could very well take it out.
On my wife's car, even though it was properly torqued, it actually came loose and started dripping a little. I'm guessing it was from all the heat cycles and it never needing to be removed - eventually the frequent expansion and contraction cycles and it being brass vs the aluminum pan with a different coefficient of expansion, caused it to loosen up after a couple years.
The inside threaded lip of the oil pan has groove cut into the threads to allow for as much oil as possible to drain out from the bottom of the pan when the bolt is removed. If you didn't test install the drain valve, mark it's position where it lines up with the slot in the pan, then remove a piece of the valve, then you'll be leaving about 1/4" of old oil in the pan at every oil change. FYI - I actually did this process on mine when installing them.
The ball valve in the drain valve doesn't make for a very large opening for any old sealant or bits of debris to escape in the flow during the drain, so any junk that finds it's way to the pan pretty much is trapped in there with the potential to clog up the oil pickup.
I still use a Fumoto valve on my truck where it mounts horizontally instead of vertically and doesn't pose the same risk, but the fitment on a 997 has some design issues. Do yourself a favor and replace it with the LN flush mount plug that also offers magnetic protection for any ferrous debris.
Look to the right of the oil circle. This is the stock oil pan. You can see the cutout in the threads fitting with the brass Fumoto valve screwed in. This is how I marked the position to do the corresponding groove.
Fumoto valve installed
Fumoto Valve replaced with LN Magnetic Plug - installed in MantisSport Deep Sump. Skid plate is LN's stainless version and it's a high-quality, heavy-duty piece, unlike the flimsy aluminum OEM version.
my shifter linkage decided to go on me as I was driving the car down a nearby highway. had to get the car towed to my local Porsche dealership to get new cables installed. While it was there I had them code out my active wing malfunction light since I did one of the Darwin Pro carbon GT4 style wing and trunk lid.
Took a spin in the 997.2S. 60 miles of aimless driving. Oh yeah, I got the ricotta cheese the wife wanted, so it wasn't all joyriding.
75 gorgeous, sunny degrees out. Work can wait! This is why you work hard when you're young, for days like today...T
The convenience is great, but the risk not worth it IMO. I had one installed in each of my 997s and removed both of them, replacing them with the LN Engineering magnetic drain plugs. There are a few issues with the Fumoto
It protrudes down too far and is at risk of being snapped off and dumping all your oil and/or damaging the oil pan when/if it does. I had tow down hooks in front of mine and a skid plate to help protect it, and still when I removed it, there was evidence of some scratching or a scuff on the lead edge of it. My car is super low in the front so I've very careful about avoiding anything on the road surface, but it still had marks on it. An unavoidable tire gator could very well take it out.
On my wife's car, even though it was properly torqued, it actually came loose and started dripping a little. I'm guessing it was from all the heat cycles and it never needing to be removed - eventually the frequent expansion and contraction cycles and it being brass vs the aluminum pan with a different coefficient of expansion, caused it to loosen up after a couple years.
The inside threaded lip of the oil pan has groove cut into the threads to allow for as much oil as possible to drain out from the bottom of the pan when the bolt is removed. If you didn't test install the drain valve, mark it's position where it lines up with the slot in the pan, then remove a piece of the valve, then you'll be leaving about 1/4" of old oil in the pan at every oil change. FYI - I actually did this process on mine when installing them.
The ball valve in the drain valve doesn't make for a very large opening for any old sealant or bits of debris to escape in the flow during the drain, so any junk that finds it's way to the pan pretty much is trapped in there with the potential to clog up the oil pickup.
I still use a Fumoto valve on my truck where it mounts horizontally instead of vertically and doesn't pose the same risk, but the fitment on a 997 has some design issues. Do yourself a favor and replace it with the LN flush mount plug that also offers magnetic protection for any ferrous debris.
Look to the right of the oil circle. This is the stock oil pan. You can see the cutout in the threads fitting with the brass Fumoto valve screwed in. This is how I marked the position to do the corresponding groove.
Fumoto valve installed
Fumoto Valve replaced with LN Magnetic Plug - installed in MantisSport Deep Sump. Skid plate is LN's stainless version and it's a high-quality, heavy-duty piece, unlike the flimsy aluminum OEM version.
First of all, your response is awesome. Very informative, especially with the visual aids. I really appreciate the time you put into the post. I still consider myself a Porsche noob, so it's posts like yours that make me more aware of the pros and cons of Porsche ownership.
Second, I had no idea that there was such a drastic difference between the plug and valve so that's on me. I should have studied the concepts and pictures more thoroughly. I will see how this works next year when the car comes back out of winter hibernation.
Finally, this will give me something to do over the winter when I can't drive my car. I'll do some research and shop for the replacements you mentioned.
Again, thank you.
Originally Posted by bmwfan328
you're a braver man than I. side note -- how do you like the Quick Jacks?
I'm not brave, just sometimes stupid enough to try something different. Lucky for me, I saved the OE plug in case of a catastrophe.
have a tune already from eurocharged. Don’t know how it’ll work with plenum, thinking of grabbing a Cobb.
Any other suggestions?
Have an IPE exhaust on its way as well.
10-23-2018, 09:15 AM
