Magnetic Drain Plugs?
- Thread starter DR1
- Start date
Do they help? I don't know. Do they hurt anything? I don't think so. I use them. I make my own.
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I needed a new drain plug for my Durango a couple years ago, so I bought this one. This is the magnet after 26,000 miles. Did it catch some ferric material, yes. Would the oil filter have caught the material? Did it make any difference in the UOA or the longevity of the engine? No clue.
My thought on magnetic drain plugs is that they speak for themselves.
JHZR2
Staff member
A magnetic plug won’t capture anything that isn’t magnetic. But they do catch material in engines of all designs.
Since oil flows from the sump to the pump to the filter, there’s a chance that a filter could collect the junk too… maybe better even being a filter with a magnet on it…. My thinking is that we want every chance to pull what we can out wherever practical. An oil plug magnet is a good way to do so….
Since oil flows from the sump to the pump to the filter, there’s a chance that a filter could collect the junk too… maybe better even being a filter with a magnet on it…. My thinking is that we want every chance to pull what we can out wherever practical. An oil plug magnet is a good way to do so….
Magnetic drain plugs seem to attract and hold lots of attention.
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I have made them by myself. Buy some neodym magnets with a heat resistance up to 160°C / 320°F. There are differences.
Use a drill press and some high strenght loctite and you are good to go.
They can not hurt. The oil flow in the engine is: Oil pan - Oil pump strainer - Oil Pump - Oil filter - Engine (Crank, rod, cam) - back to the oil pan
While the oil filter catch all particles, the magnetic oil drain plug help catching iron particles before they enter the oil Pump. The oil pump also have very thight tolernces. It can not hurt to protcte the oil pump a little bit from "Chewing" iron particles.
If something really went wrong, they maybe catch a tiny screw or nut that maybe get loose inside the engine and hold them secure in place.
There where a story this year from one of the editors in a german Oldtimer magazine, he gladly found a mysterious, small part on the magnetic oil drain Plug of his own MG A oldtimer. After some head scratching, he found out that it was some sort of weird pressure / thrust washer from the camshaft. It could have lead to serious damage in the long run.
So, while it´s doubtfull that you really need magentic oil drian plugs, they really can not hurt.
In a motorcycle they are almost a must, they catch all particles from the gearbox and clutch. It´s allways a lot more compared to a car.
Use a drill press and some high strenght loctite and you are good to go.
They can not hurt. The oil flow in the engine is: Oil pan - Oil pump strainer - Oil Pump - Oil filter - Engine (Crank, rod, cam) - back to the oil pan
While the oil filter catch all particles, the magnetic oil drain plug help catching iron particles before they enter the oil Pump. The oil pump also have very thight tolernces. It can not hurt to protcte the oil pump a little bit from "Chewing" iron particles.
If something really went wrong, they maybe catch a tiny screw or nut that maybe get loose inside the engine and hold them secure in place.
There where a story this year from one of the editors in a german Oldtimer magazine, he gladly found a mysterious, small part on the magnetic oil drain Plug of his own MG A oldtimer. After some head scratching, he found out that it was some sort of weird pressure / thrust washer from the camshaft. It could have lead to serious damage in the long run.
So, while it´s doubtfull that you really need magentic oil drian plugs, they really can not hurt.
In a motorcycle they are almost a must, they catch all particles from the gearbox and clutch. It´s allways a lot more compared to a car.
Same here. Made my own for all of my engines and transmissions including the VAQ LSD.
I spent some time looking for the strongest magnets that are specced for up to 150°C.
Magnets catch what the oil filter doesn't catch, probably most Fe smaller than ~5 or 10 µm.
magnetic oil dran plug
I have a 2021 Honda HRV Sport with the 1.8. I will be doing my first oil change on this in a few months. I was thinking of replacing the oil drain plug with a magnetic type. Any thoughts about this...good or bad...
bobistheoilguy.com
What do you use? I use Samarium Cobalt. Only drawback is its brittle, So don't smack it around.
Its a better diagnostic tool than oil cleaner because of proximity to flow and surface area - ask the 5.3 guys that find rocker arm needle bearings on them.......
I prefer a filter mounted mag myself, but I run both on everything.
In something like a genset with no pressurized oil system its 100% better than nothing.
I prefer a filter mounted mag myself, but I run both on everything.
In something like a genset with no pressurized oil system its 100% better than nothing.
No, they are not capable of speech.
All I used so far are neodymium (particular specced for 150°C/300°F).
I also have one Samarium Cobalt magnet on the shelf but I didn't use
it yet due to size and space restrictions. That said it isn't nickel plated.
Not certain if that's worth a concern.
.
They vibrate? yes! lol
How about sticking half a dozen neodymium magnets on the bottom of a steel pan?
Very interesting to say the least. Thanks for sharing.
Most pans are aluminum if not plastic, but sure.
Thing is you want the debris OUT of the pan so the best place is to circle the drain plug.
Better yet - a couple ringing the filter.
Does anyone recall the ads in old Motor Trends from the '50s promoting "Magna Power" plugs with a magnetic property plus a sacrificial element said to neutralize acids in the oil?
I loved those two page ads and wish I could find one, but looks like they've been gone since the '60s
I loved those two page ads and wish I could find one, but looks like they've been gone since the '60s
