magnetic drain plugs

[JHZR2]

Hi,

Out of curiosity, how does one make a magnetic drain plug? I mean, when the make them for OEMs, do they epoxy a magnet to the drain plug? My chevy truck has one, and Id liek to make them for my other cars, of which the magnetic plugs arent available.

But I dont want to screw anything up...

Any info would be great. Thanks,

JMH

 

[Al]

http://superplug.com/

Also do a search for "magnit" (title only). There are 4 other threads.

 

[n8wvi]

I'm with JH. I'd like to make my own (I think considering the cost of the parts, $21 is silly). I've thought about JBWeld or something, but I'm afraid it won't last in that environment or might leach a something into the oil and at a minimum skew a UOA. My best idea so far is to put a hole the diameter of the magnet and ALMOST as deep, in the drain plug. I think if I do this, it's not going anywhere. Those little rare earth types are strong. What do you guys think?
Dave

 

[poweguy]

If you're using a rare earth magnet, it should be strong enough to stick to the outside of the oil plug and still draw metal particles to the plug. The same poperties should keep the magnet from falling off, but if you want to be sure you can epoxy it to the plug.

 

[goldfinger]

I bought one from a local parts shop.... paid $7 or so for it.

 

[SteveD2]

Buy a magnet from wondermagnet.com, drill a hole, stuff it in your drain plug. It should stay in there just fine, if somehow it ever did come out it would probably quickly find it's way to the bottom of the oil pan and stick there. I don't think it's really worth the trouble though, anything that sticks to the magnet would have got caught in the oil filter anyway.

 

[TECH]

quote:

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Originally posted by ZmOz:
I don't think it's really worth the trouble though, anything that sticks to the magnet would have got caught in the oil filter anyway.

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Only after the particles have cut there way through the oil pump..

 

[Ray H]

It seems to me that most of what gets caught by the magnet is too small to be caught by the oil filter. Opinion is divided over just how significant iron, cobalt, and chrome debris that small is in terms of engine wear, but I figure the circulating oil can never be too clean, so why not? Apparently GM agrees. Superplugs are overpriced - especially when shipping from the factory for direct orders is figured in for plugs not stocked locally for oddball makes like Hyundais. (least ways I couldn't find one for my Sonata locally) Nevertheless, it's a one-time expense.

 

[heyjay]

My 2000 GMC Sierra with Vortec 5.3 came with a magnetic oil drain plug. When I did the initial service at 600 miles, there were a few filings on the plug. I put a cheap 5W-30 back in to flush things out

I did another service at 1,200 miles and switched to Mobil 1 0W-30 (It was cold winter). Drain plug was clean. Has stayed clean almost 4 years later.

Jerry

 

[JohnnyO]

My wife's Grand Am has an OE magnetic plug. She bought it used with 29k and it seemed well kept. Since 30k I've changed it with M1 every 5k, each time there was less filings on the plug (quite a bit starting out). Last change at 50k there was almost nothing on it.

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

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how does one make a magnetic drain plug?

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The same way one makes a magnetic screw driver.


Wrap a coil of wire around the plug (or screwdriver for that matter) ..the more wraps the better. Apply DC current to it (connect it across your battery). This IS the process used for making magnetic screwdrivers.

Voila~ ...magnetic anything (providing it's the right material). Now granted, it won't be as strong as a seperate magnet attached to a drain plug ...but does it really need to be that strong? Won't all the catchable material be diffuse evenly in the oil ..and won't all the material in proximity to the magnet be attracted?


To demagnetize, run it through an alternating field (like between two legs of a 220 line or the open tip of one of those large soldering guns).

 

[poweguy]

A little off topic, but this is cool. I've magnetized a screw driver in the way described above. To demagnetize it, hold the handle and give the driver a sharp rap on a hard surface (like a bench vise) and it will no longer be a magnet. My metalurgy instructor explained it like this. Normally the lattice of the metal (the structure at the molecular level) has a random orientation. The magnetizing process causes the lattice to align in one direction, polarizing the metal. The shock of the slap on a desk causes the structure to become random again.

 

[SHOZ]

If you are going to make a magnetic plug you should start with a stainless steel plug. The magnetic force will not be dissipated by the non-magnetic alloy. On a regular steel plug the magnetic force will be considerably diminished by the standard plug.