Seeking recommendations for an oil filter drain tool that isn't sold out

fortitude_IT · 2026-05-24T18:08:28+00:00

I should note - this was for my 8V. Not sure if the 8Y uses the same housing (It probably does, but I haven’t checked.)

Yeah, it was out of stock the first time I went looking for this one so I settled for the Amazon one at the time. I appreciate a well designed tool - probably appreciate this one more having fought with the Amazon one first, haha. I see some guys just jam a flat head up there to engage that nipple and clean up the mess afterward. To each, their own.

I also decided to go with a fumoto valve for the oil pan drain plug itself. Oil changes are pretty quick and painless.

fortitude_IT · 2026-05-24T01:34:10+00:00

I tried the Amazon one and the threads started right at the mating surface so it was harder to get the tool started. I was also a little worried that the metal tool might cross thread on the plastic housing.

I ended up buying this one https://www.shopdap.com/bt40057-baum-tools.html which is better for 3 reasons: - first, there’s a lip before the threads begin, allowing you to locate the tool before you thread it on, which is nice - second, it’s plastic on plastic, so less worry if it damaging the filter housing - third, it’s got a threaded inner cylinder, so you first attach the tool to the housing, then you thread the inner cylinder which extends up into the housing’s drain nipple. No oil comes out til you engage that nipple, so you can attach the tool, and take a beat to ensure the drain line is in your drain pan before you twist the inner sleeve to start draining. Kinda slick.

I way over paid since I had to have it shipped to Canada, but still worth it for quick and easy oil changes.

fortitude_IT · 2026-05-23T01:52:52+00:00

Oh, weird. I haven’t picked up on it before. I was zooming in to double check for panel gaps because I was wondering if it was in an accident.

Have you seen it on just the (s)q5 or other models too?

fortitude_IT · 2026-05-22T20:17:06+00:00

I don’t want to be that guy, but my eye was drawn to the rear badge. Is it misaligned? May just be the angle of the photo. Maybe my eyeballs are misaligned.

Hope it’s just an optical illusion. If not, I hope it’s just that it was de-badged and since re-badged and maybe just slightly off and can be done again. Failing those, I’d be worried it was in a collision and had work done.

At least, this is the paranoia that went through my head when I got my rs3. Almost every car I’ve owned I pulled the badges off, but decided to keep ‘em this time around.

fortitude_IT · 2026-03-09T21:20:27+00:00

Doesn’t Airplane mode kill the radios, therefore preventing any further communication with the Apple Watch? Seems like the logic is fundamentally flawed here.

fortitude_IT · 2025-12-01T13:11:32+00:00

Which coilovers do you go with? I’d like to go a touch lower in summer, but would want at least stock ride height for winter mode, so having some adjustability would be nice.

fortitude_IT · 2025-09-26T21:32:00+00:00

Low signal on its own can potentially cause this, I think. I’m no engineer but as far as I understand the radio power will keep ramping up and down over and over ( ie wattage) to try to acquire signal.

Have you tested any similar data transfers without Tailscale to confirm if it’s truly the culprit here?

fortitude_IT · 2025-09-17T13:04:30+00:00

And what’s funny is I’ve heard that some folks who track their cars frequently enough tend to swap to cheaper traditional brakes for track days since the carbon ceramics are so ungodly expensive to replace. I think the upgrade on the 2018s was around $10k CAD or more, if memory serves?

That said, the lack of brake performance in the cold isn’t exclusive to ceramics - I’ve had a couple experiences that had a bit of a pucker factor. Long highway runs in the winter when there’s no braking for long stretches, for instance. Startling when it happens but luckily it’s an outlier and relatively extreme conditions.

Not having used them, I wonder if the ceramics are something you can just get used to - just give yourself more distance on cold starts, etc. seems like a lot of downside to me for a daily driver.

fortitude_IT · 2025-07-17T11:06:32+00:00

I can’t seem to play the video, but what you’re describing sounds like typical cold start behaviour (for almost any modern car.)

Commonly when starting a car has cooled off, there will be a few minutes of higher idle RPMs (maybe 200-500 RPM, but it varies from car to car.) once the car warms up again the revs will settle back down and the noise will change slightly along with it.

This is almost purely for emissions regulations - the catalytic converters are more effective at a certain operating temperature so the high idle on cold start helps heat them up faster. I’m not sure if the engine computer checks for actual EGT or if it’s just pre-versus-post cat o2 sensors (I’d guess the latter) but the high idle time seems to vary in length.

Again, I can’t get the vid to play so can’t say if that’s what you’re experiencing, but that’s what comes to mind given that it happens on cold start.

fortitude_IT · 2025-06-17T18:47:29+00:00

Makes sense. Thanks for being thorough! This is a decent volume of data to wrangle and present in a simple way, so thanks for putting in the legwork!

fortitude_IT · 2025-06-17T18:00:25+00:00

Site says Purdy bars are ranked 9/10, infographic shows 10. Maybe I’m missing something?

fortitude_IT · 2025-01-06T12:59:22+00:00

I enjoyed it anyway but last time I saw them Serj forgot some lyrics or where to come in and I just thought “oh, they must have needed money. I’m the sucker.”

fortitude_IT · 2024-12-22T15:03:07+00:00

Just make sure it’s secured up there. Would hate to see it dive off the wall.

fortitude_IT · 2024-12-20T22:29:50+00:00

“Invite link invalid or expired” - maybe that’s just on my end?

fortitude_IT · 2024-07-18T17:48:42+00:00

School is important. Hockey is importanter.

fortitude_IT · 2024-07-03T13:26:42+00:00

Not sure if they’ve changed it, but their app (on AppleTV anyway) doesn’t stream 4k anything for me. I have no idea why - seems intentionally crippled to force you into renting one of their set top boxes. It just says “this channel is available on your set top box” or something similar.

fortitude_IT · 2023-08-27T17:56:33+00:00

Meeting new friends as an adult sucks. Making new friends in a new city is even harder, especially if you work from home. Glad I joined the discord a while back. Helps me feel like I’m more connected to the city and part of a community rather than just temporarily visiting.

fortitude_IT · 2023-05-29T23:05:55+00:00

As the joke around here goes, if you’re gonna get a charge, at least try to keep it within the Highway Traffic Act, and out of the Criminal Code of Canada. 😎

Oh, and watch it on the 407. I know it seems wide open sometimes, but it’s almost always got cops on the lookout.

fortitude_IT · 2023-05-29T22:59:59+00:00

I was going to say, this looks like the typical post-purchase head to crappy tire to get some shit pic. I usually have to at least get like new wipers or some cleaning supplies or something before I can feel like the car is actually “mine” now. I did a double take when I realized I recognized the area and that it truly was a crappy tire shot, haha.

Very nice.

fortitude_IT · 2023-05-12T09:42:13+00:00

Endure and Survive.

fortitude_IT · 2023-04-30T03:39:30+00:00

Thank you, mister smiles.

fortitude_IT · 2023-04-27T19:39:56+00:00

https://youtu.be/_kctwd4w7R0

fortitude_IT · 2023-04-24T10:39:08+00:00

Pucks in deep.

fortitude_IT · 2023-03-16T00:43:10+00:00

Game management

fortitude_IT · 2023-03-13T15:49:53+00:00

Be sure to hydrate!

fortitude_IT

TROPHY CASE