Cargo Van Sprinter Oil Change Tip

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
If you drive a Sprinter (any model year, doesn't matter), or a Dodge Ram Promaster, you need the Fumoto F-106N Drain Valve to replace your oil drain plug. Ford Transits need a F-107N. At either one of those links you can search your make, model and year to find the one you need, including big trucks. The Fumoto Drain Valve is one of the surest ways to prevent thread stripping of your oil pan.

F107N.jpg


On those pages you will find a hose with an inner diameter of 3/8" that perfectly fits over the nipple of the drain valve. Any 3/8" inner diameter hose from a hardware or plumbing supply store will work. You really only need about a foot, so if you buy the 3-foot length from Fumoto you can cut it to length.

You can buy the Fumoto Drain Valve at Amazon, or directly from Fumoto, among other places.

Once you have the drain valve installed, you just connect the hose to the nipple, then the other end of the hose into a drain pan or something to catch the oil, and open the valve. No spilling, no stripping. It's nearly a white glove oil change.

For those with 2.7 liter Sprinters that use 9.5 quarts of oil, a 10-quart jug is the perfect catch container for an oil change. The later model year Sprinters use, I think, 14 quarts of oil, so an appropriately sized container will need to be obtained. I think the Promasters use 6 quarts (the diesels use 7 quarts). The Ford Transits use, I think, 6.9 (3.7L V6) or 7.0 (3.5L EceBoost) and 11.6L (for the Power Stroke Diesel).

The right container will slip under the van easily and connect to the hose. At one time I briefly used a kitty litter container. Then I switched to a 2.5 gallon gas can. On the gas can I siliconed the hose in place after the original pour spout split (say that 3 times fast).

At Dodge and Chrysler dealers, they have these 2.5 gallon DEF jugs that are perfect for most oil changes, especially for the 2.7L inline 5 cylinder Sprinters at 9.5 quarts. A small town Dodge dealer, like mine at home, throws 5-6 of these things away every day. Large dealers it's probably a dumpster full daily.

Below is my trusty gas can (that I bought at the Detroiter, BTW) and one of the Mopar DEF jugs that I got for free (click image to expand). Simply unscrew the spout when it's time to dump the oil.

IMAG0259_copy.jpg

Whether you do oil changes this way or some other way, at least here's a free 2.5 gallon catch container and some ideas. If nothing else, hopefully it'll prompt you to order the damn drain valve so that you or someone at an oil change place <cough cough Speedco cough cough> doesn't strip the oil drain plug threads. This method makes for a very quick and easy oil (and non-messy) change in a truck stop, Walmart or most any other parking lot.
 

FlyingVan

Moderator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
Yep. I have mine on since 2006 I believe. I used to use a red gas can to drain the oil in, but one time I forgot it at home. Time came to change the oil and I had no container. I found a used DEF jug at a truck stop and have used that ever since. I like it better actually, since it is shorter than the gas can. Fits better under the van.

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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I should get some kind of kickback from Fumoto. <hint, hint>

You can get these with a nipple, without a nipple, with a short nipple, or with an L-shaped nipple. You can even get a little cap for your nipple to keep it warm and fuzzy and dry. I never needed the nipple cap. I ordered a safety clip, to prevent a nip slip, I guess, but unless you do extensive off-road driving in scrub brush, it's not needed. The valve open by raising the lever up, and then pulling it forward. It's almost impossible to do that by accident while driving down the road.

The one without the nipple is good if you drain the oil into a large collector, and the oil will drain faster from the larger opening. But with the nipple and a hose you can direct the drainage to exactly where you want it. But with the nipple, if you drain the oil while it's hot, it'll drain more completely, anyway, as well as plenty fast. I'll open the valve, then pull the oil filter housing and filter, take that to the back of the van and remove the filter and o-rings, install the new o-rings and filter, then reinstall the housing and filter into the engine. If I've taken my time, the collector jug is full and the drain is complete. Starting with an engine at operating temperature and hot oil, it's 10-15 minutes max. With a cold engine in the summer it can be 30 minutes or more. With a cold engine in the winter, open the valve and take a nap.

Once you've seen one nipple, you wanna see 'em all.
 
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