oil quick drain

[Yetti]

They all seem to leak.   Has anyone replaced the expensive leaky quick drain with a simple ball or gate valve?

[Skates97]

I replaced mine with this one. It has a cap that screws on and seals with an o-ring. You remove the cap and screw on the adapter, snug it up and drain the oil. When done remove the adapter and screw the cap back on. The only "downside" is that if you lose the adapter you can't drain the oil. It has been leak free for the five years I have had it in the plane and I just keep the adapter in a ziplock bag in the little bin with a few tools, quart of oil, etc. in my baggage compartment.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pnpages/05-00983.php

[Hank]

Mone didn't leak enough for me to tell, but my IA just told me that it was stopped up.and wouldn't drain (yes, I changed my own oil, but it's in annual and was due). So it's coming out . . . .

[Yetti]

16 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I replaced mine with this one. It has a cap that screws on and seals with an o-ring. You remove the cap and screw on the adapter, snug it up and drain the oil. When done remove the adapter and screw the cap back on. The only "downside" is that if you lose the adapter you can't drain the oil. It has been leak free for the five years I have had it in the plane and I just keep the adapter in a ziplock bag in the little bin with a few tools, quart of oil, etc. in my baggage compartment.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pnpages/05-00983.php

I think I saw that one when I bought the last one.  My thought was why am I paying $150 for something that can be rebuilt meaning it would fail and I would have to spend time fixing it.   A stainless ball valve would be $14.00 and has a lock on the opening and could safety tie the handle.   oil would drain much faster too.   https://www.homedepot.com/p/Guardian-1-2-in-316-Stainless-Steel-1000-PSI-2-Piece-Full-Port-Ball-Valve-06Q201N04012/321581091?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&srsltid=AfmBOopSn6YWmK7XhPA1aFFcx8UfRFKMrWbGSRIAzhPZq9FHI86ivUG3xEA

[hammdo]

Like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AMXATSC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

i have this on my Camaro…

-Don

[FlyingDude]

5 minutes ago, Yetti said:

A stainless ball valve would be $14.00 and has a lock on the opening and could safety tie the handle.   oil would drain much faster too

Isn't this the whole topic about approved and acceptable data and parts for certified aircraft? 

I wouldn't leave the plastic handle in the engine compartment and I'd probably get a high temp unit from Parker or Grainger (and not from Home Depot) but I agree that the aviation approved parts are not the best.

[SKI]

Would it work, yes. Would it work better and cheaper, probably. Will your I/A sign off on it at annual, Doubtful. There's the answer unless your I/A will sign off on it you can't really do it.

[Yetti]

1 hour ago, FlyingDude said:

Isn't this the whole topic about approved and acceptable data and parts for certified aircraft? 

I wouldn't leave the plastic handle in the engine compartment and I'd probably get a high temp unit from Parker or Grainger (and not from Home Depot) but I agree that the aviation approved parts are not the best.

There does not seem to be a AN Standard for valves.   Probably because there are other standards.   Aeroquip is just hoses.   But Eaton has some PMA valves, Not sure this is one of them, but it is Eaton kind of Aeroquip.   $50 is cheaper than the leaky ones.   https://www.hydraulic-supply.com/ff90587-08.html

[Yetti]

1 hour ago, SKI said:

Would it work, yes. Would it work better and cheaper, probably. Will your I/A sign off on it at annual, Doubtful. There's the answer unless your I/A will sign off on it you can't really do it.

My IA questioned the Blue O-rings on the gas caps.  I brought him the datasheet saying fluorosilicone were more better.  All good.

[SKI]

43 minutes ago, Yetti said:

My IA questioned the Blue O-rings on the gas caps.  I brought him the datasheet saying fluorosilicone were more better.  All good.

If your I/A will sign off on it then I would do it myself. Plus you would have redundancy with the handle safety wired and a pipe plug installed when you didn't need the hose barb for draining your oil. Some of the regs are nonsense for 60+ year old tractor engine technology but it is what it is. 

[ArtVandelay]

Knock on wood, mine doesn’t leak but it’s only about 7 years old.

[redbaron1982]

I replaced mine one year ago with the "approved" one (https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/safOilDrainValves_07-00879.php?clickkey=6418) and so far 0 issues. I do put a vacuum cap on it, not to stop a leak, but to prevent the remaining oil inside the drain from flying around.

[201Mooniac]

I've had the Saf-Air unit on my IO-360 for the last 14 years with no leaks.  I do clean the valve occasionally and make sure to pull it closed, not just off the clip.

[A64Pilot]

On 3/20/2024 at 1:41 PM, Yetti said:

There does not seem to be a AN Standard for valves.   Probably because there are other standards.   Aeroquip is just hoses.   But Eaton has some PMA valves, Not sure this is one of them, but it is Eaton kind of Aeroquip.   $50 is cheaper than the leaky ones.   https://www.hydraulic-supply.com/ff90587-08.html

Very often approval for an off the shelf part comes when the manufacturer inducts it into their Quality Control system.

I’m not saying this is what was done with the valves but is how some things like off the shelf filters become vacuum filters for example, or how for example an OMC starter solenoid is installed on a factory airplane. The catch to that is of course the identical solenoid bought from OMC isn’t an approved part, in order for it to be approved you have to buy it from the aircraft manufacturer.

That can get complicated when that manufacturer goes out of business and is one reason why the FAA has become so much more lenient on parts for antique aircraft like ours.

Some IA’s will stick their neck out a little and go by the “form, fit and function” rule and will substitute parts that comply with that, but if the approved part is available but just costs more than you think it should then that’s tougher to justify.

[A64Pilot]

On 3/20/2024 at 11:55 AM, Hank said:

Mone didn't leak enough for me to tell, but my IA just told me that it was stopped up.and wouldn't drain (yes, I changed my own oil, but it's in annual and was due). So it's coming out . . . .

That’s a pretty big hole, I’d be curious as to what’s stopping it up and why it can’t simply be cleaned out?