Oil drain valve recommendations

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
What is a good oil drain valve for old fingers that have a hard time with the ones where you twist a knurled ring. I am thinking one with loong ears that are easier to develop some torque on.
IO-520 on a Bo.
ASSCo's offerings
 
Saf-Air.

I used to have one that you just pushed in and a couple of spring fingers held it until you pulled on the drain hose and it popped out to close. I haven't seen one like it for 20 years.
 
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That good ol, plug that came in the engine.

the bigger the better, get that oil out quick, so it will carry the yuck with it.
 
Just have a nut on mine. Maybe I'll get a valve one of these days.
 
Anticept said:
I prefer curtis drain valves. Maybe this is what you are talking about, Stewartb?
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No, but that one would work. I prefer the Saf-Air because I can push and twist on the hose. My old one had no twist, just push/pull. Probably not as safe as the Saf-Air or Aeroquip style, or Curtis. I've never seen a Curtis on an oil sump.

I change oil twice as often as filter so I can reach in through a cowl flap and connect a hose to drain oil without removing a cowl. Handy. I know guys who leave a hose attached permanently and zip-tie it to hold it. Cubs and Skywagons.
 
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I've never heard or seen such a thing stewartb. I'm trying to picture how it works.

Without a hose, could it be pushed open and would it stay open? If so, that thing is dangerous and probably why you don't see them anymore. On the other hand, if those spring fingers had to stay "actuated", and that was the locking mechanism, then that's neat.

One thing that I like about Saf-air over curtis though, is the high drain rate. I use it on my CTLS because of the reservoir location for simple draining, but a curtis is fitted on our warrior because you can wrap safety wire around the hose a few times, put it on, and then "hook" a pigtail of wire over the ears of the valve and it will hold in place.
 
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The 'kota has a two piece quick-drain. No twisting required. The piece with the hose attached simply pushes into the piece that is screwed into the sump. When not in use, the piece with the hose attached clips into a spring loaded bracket mounted on a baffle plate.

I can get the manufacturer's name if ya want.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
What is a good oil drain valve for old fingers that have a hard time with the ones where you twist a knurled ring. I am thinking one with loong ears that are easier to develop some torque on.
IO-520 on a Bo.
ASSCo's offerings
Click to expand...

Just use a plug. The drains can leak in flight, some don't let all of the oil out (so you need to take them out anyway) and they are expensive. Just take the plug out and do it right.
 
Another vote for SAF-Air. It's what I have on my IO-540 and makes draining a quick, mess free snap:
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That is what he has I believe.
This is an older gent with serious arthritis in the hands.

(My purpose here is to find something that is easier to use for painful hands. I think we are drifting away from that into votes for which drain techniques we each have and prefer.)

The plug and wrench technique might be better for the engine or philosophically but he is not going to do that.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
That is what he has I believe.
This is an older gent with serious arthritis in the hands.

(My purpose here is to find something that is easier to use for painful hands. I think we are drifting away from that into votes for which drain techniques we each have and prefer.)

The plug and wrench technique might be better for the engine or philosophically but he is not going to do that.
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You must be talking about me and my arthritic hands, believe me, big plugs use big wrenches that are easier to grip.
 
Taking off the cowl to use a big wrench is easier than using a drain hose and not taking off the cowl? Not for me! For the every-other oil change that gets a filter change I only take off the top cowl. That's a simple operation even outdoors in the winter wind.
 
I can't remember how accessible it is to get at that plug under a Bonanza to change the oil. I assume there is plenty of room for a wrench.
I think he enjoys having no risk of hot oil shooting onto his arm, with the quickdrain, too.
Maybe I will just do that part for him.
 
Stewartb said:
Taking off the cowl to use a big wrench is easier than using a drain hose and not taking off the cowl? Not for me! For the every-other oil change that gets a filter change I only take off the top cowl. That's a simple operation even outdoors in the winter wind.
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ya but....there is no cowl to remove....just an access panel. :mad2:
 
Don't you guys slip a hose onto the quick drain and into the collection jug? I can do that easily through a cowl flap.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I can't remember how accessible it is to get at that plug under a Bonanza to change the oil. I assume there is plenty of room for a wrench.
I think he enjoys having no risk of hot oil shooting onto his arm, with the quickdrain, too.
Maybe I will just do that part for him.
Click to expand...

That's what I like about my quick drain valve. Place a length of 3/8 tubing over the nipple, open the valve without tools, and the oil drains into my used oil bucket mess free. Couldn't be easier. YMMV....
 
I've been happy with the Curtis on my Jabiru. I put a SafeAir on my Mooney. Worked fine too. Just more expensive.
 
I just put in a new O-470, throttle linkage to close to old quick drain, researched low profile quick drains. spoke to the guys at saf-air. ended up with the f61 threaded drain. thought it might be a problem threading in a tight area. worked like a dream. took 3 foot thin wall hose, hose clamped it to the valve. threaded on perfect. excellent quality machining. been in the biz 40 years flying, this is good stuff.
 
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