Automotive

ValvoMax Oil Drain Valve

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If you change your own oil, then I have an add-on that you’re going to love. This is the ValvoMax.

This post is going to be for those who are familiar with the oil change process. I’m not going to show you how to change a vehicle’s oil but will solely focus on the ValvoMax and how it can assist in the process.

To make it plain and simple, the ValvoMax is an oil drain valve. When changing the oil and after you’ve removed the oil drain plug to let the oil drain, instead of reinstalling the oil drain plug, you install the ValvoMax in its place.

So, what is the point of this?

Well, let’s take a look at the ValvoMax itself. This product consists of two main parts: the quick twist valve and the drain tube assembly. The quick twist valve is the part that takes the place of the oil drain plug and stays installed on the vehicle. The quick twist valve consists of the valve itself and a cap to protect the valve. The cap even has its own rubber seal and is held in place by the cap tether. When it comes time to do an oil change, we take the drain tube and screw it on to the quick twist valve. This opens the valve and oil begins to flow from the engine, through the drain tube, and into an oil collector.

Now if you’ve changed your own oil, then you’ve probably already figured out why something like this so great. If not, let me break with down for you. This product almost completely removes the possibility of making a mess. With this system, the oil drains in a much more controllable fashion. No more loosening the oil drain plug then quickly pulling it out as you try to dodge the stream of oncoming oil. No more worrying if you’ve positioned the oil catch pan in the right place. With the ValvoMax, the oil flows when you want it to and it can be controlled and repositioned.

If you watch the video above, you’ll notice that the larger oil pan that I was using to hold my used oil was actually half full. Midway through the oil drain, the pan started to overflow. Because I had the Valvomax installed, I was able to stop the oil drain and position a new oil pan. Had this had happened without the Valvomax, this oil change would’ve been a complete disaster for my driveway.

This is a pretty great system but I would say that there are some potential drawbacks. First, it’s pretty much guaranteed that it’ll take longer to drain the oil with the ValvoMax than if it were to just flow normally. The manufacturer advertises that oil will drain in 10 minutes or less and I assume that just depends on the amount of oil that needs to be drained. In any case, because the ValvoMax channels the oil into a smaller stream, it’ll flow slower and take more time to drain. I personally don’t mind this but it just depends on your needs. For reference, it took about 5 minutes to drain the 4-ish quarts of oil from the Corolla in the video.

Another potential drawback is the size of the ValvoMax. With the cap on, this thing sticks about an inch from the oil pan. The drain tube assembly also takes a bit of space when installed on the quick twist valve. Depending on your vehicle’s setup, you may not be able to fit the quick twist valve or it with the drain tube. This is not likely to be a problem for many people but a select few.

Lastly, the price of the Valvomax is also a pretty big turn-off. At $35 to $40, the ValvoMax is pretty pricey. If it were half that, this would almost be a no-brainer. But at the end of the day, only you can determine if this product is worth it for yourself. For me, because I keep my vehicles for a long time and do my own maintenance, it’s worth it in the long run.

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Valvomax https://amzn.to/3sbWkw5

Torin Big Red Jack Stands https://amzn.to/3uNACjN

Oil Drain Pan https://amzn.to/3e4psjQ

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One Bucket Car Wash

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If you dabble in auto detailing for any amount of time, you’ve no doubt heard of washing a car with the two bucket method. All this means is that you use two buckets of water to wash a car. One bucket holds the mixed soap water and the other holds plain rinse water. The idea is that after you’ve scrubbed the car with a sponge or whatever from the soap bucket, you first work it out in the rinse bucket before reintroducing it back into the soap bucket. This removes the contaminants that the sponge picked up from scrubbing the car and doesn’t introduce them into the soap bucket, which will reduce your chance of scrubbing the car with the previously removed contaminants.

The ideology behind this method is sound in principle but in practice, it’s the best of a worst-case scenario. In reality, there’s always some amount of contaminant that will transfer from the rinse bucket to the wash bucket. To eliminate this problem, you’re going to need a bunch of rinse buckets to further minimize the cross-contamination with every bucket. That’ll work better in reducing scratches, but it’s completely not practical. Many of us are used to using 5-gallon buckets for a car wash. Just imagine the amount of water used as you fill up bucket after bucket just to transfer fewer contaminants. It’s a complete waste. So, what can we do that’s better. How about taking away the rinse bucket altogether?

Now, this may seem completely counterproductive considering what I just laid out with the two or more bucket method but stick with me. What we can do, is reduce the number of buckets but increase the amount of wash media. We can have just one bucket but use multiple sponges, clothes, or whatever. The idea is that we only use the wash media once. After each use as the media picks up those contaminants, we put it aside and just move on to the next one. This way, we for sure are not cross-contaminating and bringing dirt and debris into our clean soap bucket.

So then the question becomes, how many sponges do I need? Well, that’s going to be dependent on the vehicle and the user. Larger vehicles are naturally going to need more sponges than smaller vehicles. You can’t expect to be able to wash an F450 with the same number of sponges as a Smart car. Well, you can but then that would be counterproductive and you’ll end up unnecessarily dragging a dirty sponge around the surface of your vehicle. With this method, the more the better. I understand that it can be expensive so buy a bunch of sponges but it is what it is. If you’re serious about reducing those car wash-induced scratches, you got to put your money where your mouth is, at least with this method.

That being said this is what I do with my Supra. I break the entire car up into 5 sponges. The roof, front windshield, and rear windshield get one. The hood and front bumper get another. Then each side of the car from door to fender gets one. Then the rear end gets the final sponge. Now 5 sponges may not seem like a lot for all this area, but remember, the sponges have two large flat areas and some usable side space. It’s all about managing what you have.

Aside from reducing possible scratches, there are other benefits to the one bucket method. An easy one to see is the reduction of wasted water. Right off the bat, we’re saving one bucket and potentially 5 gallons of water. This helps the environment and helps with the water bill. The next benefit would be that this saves us some time. Without needing to rinse the sponge after ever use, we can just clean one panel after another without wasting time in between. This leads to another benefit and that is the reduction of time spent playing in the water. If you wash cars during cold climates then I’m sure you can understand my want of spending as little time in the bucket with the cold water as possible. Detailing outdoors in the winter sucks enough already, no need in getting physical damage from long exposure to cold water.

Overall, I really think that the one bucket method is a better approach than the two bucket method. It’s a bit more costly upfront with the cost of all the sponges but in the long run, it’s a worthwhile endeavor.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

Griot's Ultimate Wash Bucket https://amzn.to/3ncuj6k

The Rag Company (2-Pack Premium Cyclone Korean Microfiber Wash Mitt and 6" x 8" Cyclone Wash Pad Combo Kit https://amzn.to/36lcHiO

Griot's Car Wash Shampoo https://amzn.to/2IKd5gV

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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MJJC Foam Cannon Pro 2.0

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I previously made a video showcasing the MJJC Foam Cannon Pro. This cannon actually turned out to be my favorite foam cannon and I’ve been using it ever since getting it. Well, I was recently contacted by MJJC and they informed me that there is now a 2.0 version and wanted to see if I wanted to review it. I, of course, did and here we are.

So, what’s different with the MJJC Foam Cannon Pro 2.0?

According to what MJJC told me, there are four major differences.

V2.0:
1. black plastic part upgraded, looks better.

2. more brass parts inside, heavier and feels better.

3. thicker foam than V1.0.

4. rotates smoother than V1.0.

The first change is that the black plastic parts are supposed to be upgraded and look better. To be honest, I don’t see this. V1 and V2 look exactly identical to me. The black plastics do not look or feel any different and the color is seemingly the same.

Change number two is that there is more brass parts inside the head. It is heavier and supposed to feel better. I don’t have a scale that measures small weights so can’t tell you the weight difference but the 2.0 does feel a slight bit heavier in hand. In this case, I just have to take the manufacturer’s word that more brass is there and that’s better.

The third change is that Foam Cannon Pro 2.0 is supposed to produce more foam than 1.0. To test this, I added 3 ounces of Chemical Guys Watermelon Snow Foam in one of the water reservoirs and filled it up to the 800ml indicator line. I’m going to show you what the foam looks like back to back. Switching from one cannon head to the other while using the same mixed soap solution. Watch the video above to see how this goes.

The differences may be hard to discern since we’re just looking at soap bubbles but from what I see, Foam Cannon Pro 2.0 does seem to produce thicker foam than 1.0. 1.0’s foam goes on thick but it flattens out quicker and starts to roll off faster. But I do have to note that this test is by no means definitive. There’s a lot of user errors that could’ve occurred. I know for sure I didn’t do the same number of spray passes and didn’t spray for the same amount of time so there isn’t an even amount of foam. There was just no realistic way of doing that. All I can say is that I did this a few times and the results seem to always show the same thing. Foam Cannon Pro 2.0 always produced slighter thicker foam.

The final change is to the head as version 2.0 is supposed to be smoother in operation than 1.0. With this, I saw no real differences. The knobs turned and did what they’re supposed to so no complaints and no points towards one or the other.

Ok, 4 supposed changes from 1.0 to 2.0. I didn’t really see that the changes to the plastic and feel of the head were worth nothing but the inclusion of more brass internals and thicker foam is a plus. Those are likely the things that most customers are going to want and the 2.0 delivers. I already thought that the Foam Cannon Pro 1.0 was the best foam cannon under $60 so the upgrades with the 2.0 just made it all the better. If you don’t have a foam cannon and are in this price range, the MJJC Foam Cannon Pro 2.0 is definitely worth a look at. If you already have the 1.0, I personally don’t think that you should go out and spend another $60 on the 2.0 but if you really want that extra bit in foam thickness, then sure. Go for it!

Now, considering that I have the Foam Cannon Pro 2.0, I want to do a giveaway for the 1.0. I will be giving this foam cannon away to a Pro Card level YouTube member. All you have to do is hit the Join button next to the subscribe button. Sign up for the Pro Card level and you’ll be entered. The winner drawing will be held when there is a minimum of 5 Pro Card members and all members at this level and above will be entered for monthly giveaways going forward. If you prefer Patreon, you can also support me there and it’s the same deal. Sign up for Pro Card level or above and you’ll be entered. These are just ways for me to give back to those who support me and help me be able to monetarily sustain this channel.

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If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

MJJC Website https://www.mjjc.com/collections/foam-cannon/foam-cannon-pro/?ref=187

MJJC Foam Cannon Pro https://amzn.to/32fjyHG

Chemical Guys Watermelon Snow Foam https://amzn.to/3a5F18Y

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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Blackfire Foam Soap

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To be honest, I never even knew that Blackfire Foam Soap even existed until I got it as a sample as seen here. According to the label, Foam Soap is supposed to be extremely high foaming and is pH balanced which means it’ll be safe for use on previously applied paint protection coatings and won’t diminish them. This shampoo is supposed to be good for use in both a foam cannon and a bucket but considering that I only have a 2 oz sample, I could only test one of those methods. I chose the bucket because that’s going to be the most accessible route for many people.

We’re going to first start with the hand lubricity test where I essentially just run my hand through the mixed solution to see how slick it is. The directions say to add 2-3 oz of Foam Soap for every 5 gallons of water. I first stopped at 2 gallons of water and checked for lubricity. At one ounce per gallon of water, Foam Soap is ok. It’s pretty slick and would be perfectly acceptable for a contact wash. Next, filling up to 4 gallons of water, meaning 1 oz of Foam Soap per 2 gallons of water. Here, I would say that the water is still slick but I can definitely start to feel some friction. This is where I’d probably stop with the water.

After getting a chance to use Foam Soap for a contact wash, what do I think? Well, I would say that this product is kind of weird. From what I felt, I could tell that as I used the solution it got less and less slick. Again, it was weird. After a while, I kind of got nervous that it wasn’t slick enough for the state of dirtiness that the model car was in and thought that it could contribute to some contact wash scratches. If I had more of the stuff, I would’ve added more to make the solution slicker but obviously, that wasn’t an option. For me, 1 oz of Foam Soap per 2 gallons of water isn’t enough even though it is within the recommended parameters. At this point, I can’t give any advice on what an acceptable mixing ratio for this product would be because I don’t have any more to do further testings.

So the question is, would I recommend this product and the answer would be no. I can’t see myself actually spending money on this product for personal use so I can’t recommend it to anyone else. Of course, it may perform better less diluted but this product isn’t all that economical to start with. From what I’m seeing, the current pricing for Foam Soap is $24.99 for 32 oz and $45 for a gallon. That’s a lot of money for something that doesn’t perform all that well. I’d rather spend half the money on previously reviewed products from companies like Meguiar’s and Chemical Guys and still get better performance. But at the end of the day, it’s your money and you can do whatever you’d like with it.

If you’re interested in what I believe to be better quality car shampoos, check out the link below which will lead you to a list of all the auto detailing products that I use.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.

All the Auto Detailing Equipment I Use: https://www.amazon.com/ideas/amzn1.account.AF43XRPGVOUH2E5CJXQY4FIOGVAQ/3AI3XVAQEMORX?type=explore&ref=idea_cp_vl_ov_d

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Lexol All Leather Cleaner & Conditioner

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In this post, we are going to address a point of auto detailing that I consider to be very important and that is leather cleaning and condition. If you think about it, leather interiors take quite a beating. If you have leather seats or a leather steering wheel, they get used every time the car is driven. Then you have dashes and other panels that constantly take hits from UV rays. These are obviously things that all interiors deal with but leather is much more susceptible to damage than synthetic materials. Because of this, we have to really take the time to treat the leather if we want it to last a long time.

Over the last few years, I’ve been using leather-focused products from Lexol. This is a brand commonly associated with leather and is known to produce good products.

To get started, let’s first take a look at the products that I’ll be using. Lexol has numbered their products to make it easy to understand the order that they should be used in. First is the All Leather Cleaner. As you can probably tell by the name, this product is used to first clean the leather. Then it is followed up by the All Leather Conditioner. This product will treat the leather and leave behind a trace layer of protectant.

Starting off with the All Leather Cleaner. I personally apply some of it into a microfiber towel and massage it into the leather. I generally do not go too long or let my leather get too soiled so they never need a deep cleaning. Some minor wipes with the cleaner and a towel generally suffice. If you have really dirty leather, you may have to buy a leather brush or use something a little more abrasive. I would advise buying a leather-specific brush as you can definitely cause some damage if you use something too stiff. Also, as with all never before used products, you should test it out in an inconspicuous area to make sure that the materials are compatible. Once the cleaner has been thoroughly used, we take a second towel and wipe away the excess. The instructions say to use a damp towel and follow up with a dry towel but I’ve personally always just used a single dry towel for this step. Not saying that you should do that as I’m just some guy on the internet. You probably should follow the directions.

Next, we move on to the All Leather Conditioner. Application of this product is essentially the same as with the All Leather Cleaner,. We rub it into the leather and wipe off any excess. To apply the conditioner, I like to use an applicator pad. The particular one I use is from Chemical Guys and I like these pads because they do the job and are pretty cheap. You can get them for around a dollar each. I like to use the applicator pad because it gives me more control and I want that for this step. Once the conditioner has been applied, the instruction says to let it sit for a few minutes then wipe off any excess. This wait time is to allow the conditioner to soak into the leather. However, I find that the wait time is largely dependent on weather. If you’re doing this on a hot day, the leather is going to soak the conditioner up a lot faster than on a cold day. Just keep that in mind. You can’t really go wrong with this process. When there’s excess, it’s pretty obvious. If everything looks dry but there’s a few spots that look wet and shiny, just hit those spots with a clean towel and you’re good. Also, pay attention to the seems and stitching as product tend to pool in those areas.

And that’s it. The process to clean and condition leather is fairly straightforward and easy. At least it is with this line of Lexol products. The only thing that I want to note is for you to do some research and find out what part of your interior is actually leather. With modern cars, there’s a lot of materials that are used that may look like leather but are actually some sort of synthetic material. Even in my Supra, there’s a lot of surfaces that look and feel like leather but it was confirmed that only the seats and steering wheel are actually leather. Applying leather products to non-leather surfaces may or may not damage them. There’s no telling without testing but this isn’t necessarily something that I want to test in case the worse were to occur. Again, do a little research about the interior of your vehicle.

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Lexol Conditioner Cleaner Kit https://amzn.to/2NKZlp6

Lexol Leather Conditioner https://amzn.to/2ZYoVJO

Lexol Leather Cleaner https://amzn.to/3r3DFmr

Chemical Guys Microfiber Applicator Pads https://amzn.to/3r8rpkU

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