RHD Only ?

[AusStinger]

Do you guys and girls in the left hand drive world have this drain plug on your oil filter bowl?

 

[MerlintheMad]

No? Oil will squirt all over your sway bar, it looks like. I've never seen a pic of anything like that before.

 

[5tinger]

Ugh that steering module right beneath the filter makes it a pain to getting to the filter.

 

[AusStinger]

No? Oil will squirt all over your sway bar, it looks like. I've never seen a pic of anything like that before.

Interesting. So this filter bowl is for the Right Hand drive cars only....

I'm impressed that KIA went to the effort.

Yeah so with our RHD models, if you just remover the oil filter cap, you'll cover the steering rack electric motor with engine oil. So, they put this little drain plug in. You might get a little on the sway bar ( remove it slowly and you won't ) but its better than the alternative

Well done KIA !

 

[AusStinger]

Ugh that steering module right beneath the filter makes it a pain to getting to the filter.

It's a pain, but believe me when I say, ( as a mechanic ) this is actually pretty good. Not great, but better than many cars.

Some of the Euro cars I've worked on REALLY make me

 

[ShannonC]

I recall you asked in another thread what it was but nobody seemed to know.
I think it’s across all regions and not just RHD specific as I found a pic in the Kia service manual which is North America specific.
I also think most service people wouldn't know to use it, or want to due to spillage. I was in the workshop when my dealer did the first oil change and that plug wasn't touched.

 

[5tinger]

It's a pain, but believe me when I say, ( as a mechanic ) this is actually pretty good. Not great, but better than many cars.

Some of the Euro cars I've worked on REALLY make me

Yeah it's not too bad. However my main concern is getting oil all over the motor. Although I do cover it when removing the filter anyway.

I actually didn't know about the filter drain port. And by the looks of it the sole purpose is to prevent spilling oil over the steering motor when removing the filter. Which as you mentioned is an impressive detail.

 

[AusStinger]

I recall you asked in another thread what it was but nobody seemed to know.
I think it’s across all regions and not just RHD specific as I found a pic in the Kia service manual which is North America specific.
I also think most service people wouldn't know to use it, or want to due to spillage. I was in the workshop when my dealer did the first oil change and that plug wasn't touched.

Yeah I did ask but gave up and went and had a look myself.

I was just curious to see if it was RHD specific.

Anyway, I cut down a 6mm allen key to fit this and it's MUCH better to drain via this plug than the mess that happens when you remove the cap and oil goes all over the electric motor......

 

[AusStinger]

In the pics above I used a normal allen key and had to move the sway bar out of the way, so it's not an accurate representation but won't need to do that again with the cut down allen key. Actually thinking about putting a drain valve in there to make life even easier but that's a project for another day.

 

[MerlintheMad]

No? Oil will squirt all over your sway bar, it looks like. I've never seen a pic of anything like that before.

Lol, I was mistaken: there it is, plain as a nose on your face, if you know what you're looking at.

 

[AusStinger]

I guess in LHD cars nobody would ever use the drain since there's no need for it and therefore nobody would notice it. Oh well, mystery solved