Technical Quickvalve - has anyone fitted one and are they worth it?

[BrianMcL]

OK, that's me given up on the filter change until I can get a new sump plug.

Eurocarparts have them for £5 delivered (after discount) but I suspect that next time I'll have the same problem.

Looking through the other threads I came across Doofer's link below:
http://www.quickvalve.co.uk/f104_adp104.htm?veh=Fiat Croma Nuova 1.9 MultiJet (1910 diesel) 2005-

and wondered whether anyone had tried them and if so whether they were worthwhile.

Obviously it's a lot more expensive than a standard plug but it does look as if the job would be much easier.

Mind you, there would still be the issue with the filter itself...

Would anyone recommend them or are they more bother than they're worth?

 

[Doofer]

Hello - it's me!

Yes, I bought one, but (I think) without the adaptor - I don't think they had the model-specific advice for the Croma at the time. My plan was to get the garage to do their last change, fitting this instead of a sump plug, then I'd take over.

Obviously it didn't fit without the adaptor, but I'm not sure how much space there'd be with one - it's in a bloody stupid recessed hole, and I think the outlet end might clash against the other (back) edge of the recess. This is all from a vague memory though - if you get the dimensions of it and have a look you might find it's fine. In my case the car had no oil in, so as what I had (with no adaptor) didn't fit then it had to be a sump plug. To be honest I was glad to give up on the idea after seeing where it was.

They were trying with the one with the tube adaptor though - the one without might be OK (or even the one with might be OK). I'd already decided I'd rather not drain it on my drive if I couldn't get the tube one to fit.

In the end I sent it back for a refund. It's a really well engineered product though, unlike the Croma/Vectra.

If I one day get a car with a more accessible drain plug, I'll buy one and fit it. But with the Croma you've got so many other hoops to jump through to change the oil, i.e. getting to the drain point and changing the filter, that in the end I decided to pay the garage £30 to do it every year instead.

Sod killing myself to save that amount - I'd say the oil change is a job that needs a pit or car lift, not a job to do lying on the ground. That's just me though - I generally don't like going under cars anyway. I think it's some kind of phobia of death.

 

[keithglos]

I believe it is now commonly pumped out through the dipstick hole, by a 12 volt pump.

 

[BrianMcL]

I had to google that one Keith!
I spied this one

www.toolbox.co.uk/silverline-104616...gleBase&utm_medium=GB&utm_campaign=GoogleBase

which seems excellent value if it works.

And if it does all we'd need then would be something to simplify the oil filter change and we'd be sorted.

 

[halilson]

Yes my Brother-in-law uses a manual pump, when he services fork lifts and I've borrowed it a couple of times (not for the Croma). Much easier way of doing it, though not sure it's as effective, which is why the Croma gets done the old fashioned way!

 

[BrianMcL]

It looks easy enough to use but my worry is whether it would take enough of the oil out of the sump.

I guess it would be easy enough to measure how much has been taken out though.

 

[dave]

just buy a normal plug and washer from vauxhall dealer, dont do it up too tight and it will be fine next time

 

[Doofer]

I've heard tales of sludge build up in the sump if you suck it out of the dipstick. It sounds perfectly logical - metal particles will all be at the bottom and there's no way they'd get sucked out, so you'd get more and more goo every time.

In fact I'll start asking my garage whether they use one of these - if they do I'll go elsewhere.

 

[s130]

See https://www.fiatforum.com/croma-ii/316236-oil-filter-change.html?p=3156530

 

[varesecrazy]

I've heard tales of sludge build up in the sump if you suck it out of the dipstick. It sounds perfectly logical - metal particles will all be at the bottom and there's no way they'd get sucked out, so you'd get more and more goo every time.

QUOTE]


your sump pan is currently designed with the lowest point pretty much at the sump-drain ,

It would be interesting to see where your dipstic tube falls in realtion to this ..,
I'm pretty sure on the last 3 different FIAT motors I've had the sump pan off , it was not ideal for this kind of pumping,
Charlie