Finger touch oil drain plug

[madmanmanick]

I don't know if this is just me being pessimistic or cautious, but the Finger Touch Oil Drain Plug seems to me like a real bad idea. I know the guys at Genos Garage would never sell anything they haven't done research on, but this seems to me like a no brainer for red flags all over the place. First off, what is to prevent this valve from being opened up by a stick or rock while off roading, also along that line, the 1 to 1. 5 inches that it extends the oil plug lower isn't there a greater chance of it getting completely taken out by a rock or stick, branch, etc. Also what about vandals, this would seem to me like a real easy way for someone to mess up someones truck, just walk on by slide under real quick, flip a valve and walk away. Like I said, this may be me being real cautious, but this plug seems like a bad idea.

 

[HBarlow]

Shipmate, would a master chief (retired) give you bad advice?

I've had one on my '08 C&C for just under 100k miles and like it. I too was skeptical when I first saw them years ago in the Geno's catalog but my friend and TDR writer Bill Stockard who is very knowledgeable and very conservative has used one for years. I trust Bill's judgement.

If you do a lot of serious off-roading that involves crawling over rocks and other obstacles you might not want to use one but for ordinary highway driven trucks like mine they are handy and reliable.

Thank you for your service.

 

[Grizzly]

madmanmanick ,



Although I trust Harveys and Bill Stockard judgement completely, I too am a little skeptical. I don't get off road much, but now and then we camp in a non designated camp sites which require going over uneven terrain with rocks. All it takes is one time.



I can certainly see the convenience of having one, but I'm staying with the OEM plug.



george

 

[Seane1987]

You can put a clamp on it if you are worried about it opening

#ad


#ad

 

[JMetzger]

I don't think it is if it will come open as much as something hit it & tore it out of the pan. I think I will stay with the OEM plug as I also get in some rough places.

 

[Harlacher]

Shipmate, would a master chief (retired) give you bad advice?



I knew there was something weird about you when I would read your post, now I know. I am a retired Master Chief also enjoying life, this forum, and my 99 Dodge 2500 that I bought brand new 11 years ago. Your post have that Master Chief ring to them, you know, if you don't like what I have to say, go to H*)). Love it.

 

[HBarlow]

Shipmate, would a master chief (retired) give you bad advice?

I knew there was something weird about you when I would read your post, now I know. I am a retired Master Chief also enjoying life, this forum, and my 99 Dodge 2500 that I bought brand new 11 years ago. Your post have that Master Chief ring to them, you know, if you don't like what I have to say, go to H*)). Love it.

Yep, that's my philosophy. I knew you were a fellow MCPO from a conversation we had two or three years ago.

 

[mpaulson]

I have one, love it. If you are offroading to a point where you could hit the pan, you should have a quad or something cheaper to wreck. Just my opinion. It would be hard to get hit with where it is I feel.

 

[Harlacher]

Master Chief, what rate were you? I was an engine man and got asbestos poisoning in the engine rooms. Got to have a lung removed the 7th of March. Things like that happen but the Navy will not give me disability for it. When I get the lung removed I will have about five years to live if I am lucky. Just never expected the Navy (VA) to do me like this. Don't know why, have heard of others that got Mesotheliaoma and they did not have a problem with getting the disability. Got my congressman working on it as well as friends of vets. Just really expected better.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I don't know if this is just me being pessimistic or cautious, but the Finger Touch Oil Drain Plug seems to me like a real bad idea. I know the guys at Genos Garage would never sell anything they haven't done research on, but this seems to me like a no brainer for red flags all over the place. First off, what is to prevent this valve from being opened up by a stick or rock while off roading, also along that line, the 1 to 1. 5 inches that it extends the oil plug lower isn't there a greater chance of it getting completely taken out by a rock or stick, branch, etc. Also what about vandals, this would seem to me like a real easy way for someone to mess up someones truck, just walk on by slide under real quick, flip a valve and walk away. Like I said, this may be me being real cautious, but this plug seems like a bad idea.

Like you I have thought of this as bad. Not for the reason of offroad but as you say a quick flip and your oil is gone. It must be the place we live in (for now) SO Cal sucks for A holes doing something like that. I have changed to a diffrent plug I have seen that the factory plug cracks and I went to another one. But I dont know what kind of wrench the guy put on the OEM to crack the lip on it.

 

[Jim W]

I don't know if this is just me being pessimistic or cautious, but the Finger Touch Oil Drain Plug seems to me like a real bad idea. I know the guys at Genos Garage would never sell anything they haven't done research on, but this seems to me like a no brainer for red flags all over the place. First off, what is to prevent this valve from being opened up by a stick or rock while off roading, also along that line, the 1 to 1. 5 inches that it extends the oil plug lower isn't there a greater chance of it getting completely taken out by a rock or stick, branch, etc. Also what about vandals, this would seem to me like a real easy way for someone to mess up someones truck, just walk on by slide under real quick, flip a valve and walk away. Like I said, this may be me being real cautious, but this plug seems like a bad idea.

I think you are in the analysis paralysis mode here, or other wise over thinking the issue.

The finger touch valve needs to be pushed in than turn to operate. I do not believe that a stick or rock will do this.

With someone walking down the street and crawling under the truck and accessing the valve? Will you need to see it first, which you can't and then you need to know how it works.

The other thing is that when I change my oil. I need to lay on the ground and then scoot under the truck, to reach the valve that is in the middle of the oil pan. This takes some time. Also you would know real quick if some one drain your engine oil. Where would they put three gallons of oil?

I have had one on my truck for 4 years now and it is one of the best things that I put on my truck.

Jim W.

 

[jhenderson]

I too have been thinking about a new drain plug, not for convenience , but to save the threads in the oil pan. With 250,000 miles on my 04, we are talking about almost 50 oil changes so far. I'm off road every day for work so I worry about anything hanging below the pan. That is why I'm looking at the Easy Drain. Once installed, you thread in a drain hose to drop the oil. It has a spring loaded seal and also a cap to keep anything from getting in the valve.

 

[gtoli]

I've got the finger touch drain on my truck and I go off road to cut firewood and camp. So far no problems. If you look under the truck, the finger touch drain is still higher than a lot of other parts. If you hit something and bust the drain plug, you probably busted other things too. Of course this isn't the rock crawling and bashing type off of roading.

 

[HBarlow]

Master Chief, what rate were you? I was an engine man and got asbestos poisoning in the engine rooms. Got to have a lung removed the 7th of March. Things like that happen but the Navy will not give me disability for it. When I get the lung removed I will have about five years to live if I am lucky. Just never expected the Navy (VA) to do me like this. Don't know why, have heard of others that got Mesotheliaoma and they did not have a problem with getting the disability. Got my congressman working on it as well as friends of vets. Just really expected better.

Damn, I'm sorry to hear that terrible news. I have no idea how the service connected disability ratings are administered now but you might also talk to some of the well known Navy/military service organizations and, if your area has one, a county veteran's service rep. That's probably not the correct title but you'll get the point. In Texas all the larger counties have veteran's service officers to assist veterans with similar issues. I wish you the best of luck in proving the predictions wrong.

I would expect you to have better luck from the VA although now, with the thousands of injured veterans overwhelming the system after Iraq and Afghanistan that too might be real challenge.

I had a good friend years ago who had been a BT or Engineman but later became an NC (Navy Counselor). He was a retired SCPO. Same thing happened to him.

I was an ETCM(SS).

 

[guldam]

Talking to your Congressman should help.

My Dad died from Lung Cancer at a ripe old age of 50. Twenty years after the fact the VA admitted that his type of Lung Cancer was most likely caused by exposure to Agent Orange. He lived in BOQ next to the Airplanes that spread that poison. He was exposed for a year while in Vietnam. All that time and they finally admitted it. My Mom tried to get copies of his medical records, and was running into walls when her Congressman finally stepped in, and suddenly she got the records, and the VA admission.

Good luck with your surgery, and getting help.

GulDam

Master Chief, what rate were you? I was an engine man and got asbestos poisoning in the engine rooms. Got to have a lung removed the 7th of March. Things like that happen but the Navy will not give me disability for it. When I get the lung removed I will have about five years to live if I am lucky. Just never expected the Navy (VA) to do me like this. Don't know why, have heard of others that got Mesotheliaoma and they did not have a problem with getting the disability. Got my congressman working on it as well as friends of vets. Just really expected better.

 

[Wiredawg]

All,



First, I've never heard of a failure of any of the avail easy oil drain systems, from severe 4-wheelers to hard surface runners. Look at where it sits... there are many other concerns if your that close other than just the oil plug. Decide for yourself and after the testimony of Master Chief Petty Officers and (a) Chief Master Sergeant retired testimony, don't do it.



On the matter of your disability, I would launch a barage of letters to the director of the VA, your Congressman, and even president Obama. This crap of negleting our Veterans is the largest travesty going on in the nation today! Take it to your local TV station, and national news. Unfortunatley, sorry people like Lohan get public attention and Veterans who are KIA are a numeric statistic.



God bless you and don't give up.



Fellow Warrior, Wiredawg... AKA CMSgt (Ret) Ronald M. Prothro, USAF

 

[MikeW.]

Master Chief, what rate were you? I was an engine man and got asbestos poisoning in the engine rooms. Got to have a lung removed the 7th of March. Things like that happen but the Navy will not give me disability for it. When I get the lung removed I will have about five years to live if I am lucky. Just never expected the Navy (VA) to do me like this. Don't know why, have heard of others that got Mesotheliaoma and they did not have a problem with getting the disability. Got my congressman working on it as well as friends of vets. Just really expected better.

My one shipmate and I are just waiting for the day as we used to sleep and eat while the stuff came floating down on us while the guns fired; I'm already listed as AO exposed and helping another shipmate with his claim. Get a VSO from the VFW or DAV to also assist with your VA claim and I have seen lawyers specializing in Mesothelioma assisting veterans too. Never give up.



Mike W.

US Navy, 3rd generation, RVN 69-71

Don't know why my signature doesn't show on posts.

 

[Harlacher]

Don't know if you got my email or not so I will repeat it here. I was also an engine man and worked on old Diesel main propulsion ships filled with asbestos. I had my left lung removed March 2011, so I have about 3 yrs to go. The VA fought me every step of the way, I was also amazed that they would do it to me. I wrote my congressman and got the reps for vets to help me. They finally did give me disability but still fighting for back pay. I am so disappointed in the VA, they should not put us through the ringer like they do. Getting disability through welfare was easy compared to the VA. Good luck with your operation living with one lung is not easy but it can be done. Every day I wake up on this side of the grass is a blessing.

 

[Shadrach]

I have a Femco http://www.nospillsystems.com/ drain plug on my truck and love it. Sure it sticks down an extra inch or so but like others said if you hit it you would damage other things as well. I don't get hot oil running down my arm and if you drain pan only hold 10 litres ( or qts ) I can stop it half way thru. It will work for 9 out of 10 people. I have sold hundreds of them over the years. One other thing I do is pour about half a bottle of clean oil into the engine with the plug still out to flush out the left over dirty oil. When the clean oil starts to come out then I know it's time to put the plug back in, or close the valve. A little extra expense but only if you are cheap. Shad

 

[dkoldno7]

Hello, I,ve had a genos drain on all my trucks for years I have never had a problem ,just my 2cnts