Do you use a magnetic drain plug?

[Greasymechtech]

Thanks for the list of plugs. Just bought 2 Votex plugs. One for the engine and the other for the manual transmission (I think they’re the same size, or I’ll have an extra)

Most of the older Hyunkia manual transmissions were 18mm like Toyota. The engine drain plugs were usually 14mm... like my Ford, Mazda, VW... So, you need to research your specific year/make/model/engine/transmission for more info.


Here are the common brand websites:
https://drainplugmagnets.com/
https://goldplug.com/
https://www.powerslutracing.com/c-1071480-magnetic-drain-plugs-by-thread-size.html
https://votex-us.com/ found on Amazon
https://www.dormanproducts.com/ oil-tite/dorman/autograde at various autopart stores

Nothing wrong with OE magnetic plugs. Hondacura/Toyotus/Hyunkia/Ford/others have various sized OE drain plugs with magnets.

And, I tend to avoid the aluminum threaded ones which strip easily. So, skip the fancy anodized plugs unless OE is aluminum.

There are a couple sellers that even offer plastic drain plugs, with magnets, for vehicles from VW Ford...

 

[oliver88]

Porsche 911's have mag drain plugs on the crank drain plug, oil tank plug (if i't a dry sump model), and the transmission drain plug.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

Some (millions?) of ferrous particles zip probably past the magnet without getting captured but get magnetized. And some will likely get past the filter. Where will they attach themselves?

A magnet can be demagnetized by:

• Heating to a high temperature.
• Hammering repeatedly.
• Passing alternating current through a coil around the magnet keeping it in the eastward direction. https://www.google.com/search?q=MT+...3+ways+to+demag&aqs=chrome..69i57.15828j0j15&{google:bookmarkBarPinned}sourceid=chrome&{google:instantExtendedEnabledParameter}{googlemniboxStartMarginParameter}ie=UTF-8

Among the credentials I have to keep me gainfully employed, I am Certified in Magnetic Particle Inspection NDT.
The result within the heat of the engine is that the "magnetized particles" will become demagnetized and continue to circulate, including passing by the magnet again where they may be captured. I run magnetic drain plugs on every vehicle under my care, and Filtermags where possible. I can post photos of filters cut open after running Filtermags. My pictures and personal use look like the photos on their website. http://www.shopfiltermag.com/ Will they make the engine/car last longer? I can offer no empirical proof that they do, partially because the Little Old Lady From Pasadina IS OUT THERE, and no one is promised that they won't get T-boned tomorrow; lots of cars go to the graveyard with perfectly good engines.
But we're on BITOG, and there's lots of us OCD who use http://www.shopfiltermag.com/ I sleep better knowing I'm doing my best to take care of cars for my wife and daughter.

 

[ls1mike]

All of mine are, also the Caprice and truck have them in the transmission pan.

 

[vavavroom]

Toyota's first experiment with an automotive magnet.


Let's take a closer look:


It seems to be working!

 

[spasm3]

I make my own. Samarium cobalt. I need to make one for my ram.

I though i would show the one i just made. This will go in the mazda later, another one for the ram.

I've had one in the elantra for several years.

Dorman drain plug, samarium cobalt 1/4 x 1 inch cylinder magnets.

I drill an 11/64 hole, then a 1/4 inch.
Clean the bolt and magnet with carb spray.

If it's tight I freeze the magnet, then use JB weld epoxy.

@BlueOvalFitter , hows the one i made you a few years ago working out?

You asked me to show how i made them, and i just got around to making another.

 

[spasm3]

What's interesting is that in the engine, several engines in my case, even with excellent filters, the plug still collects that fine magnetic paste. Not much of it, but it clearly wasn't caught by the filter.

So, does collecting it make a difference? No actual idea. But pretty sure it doesn't hurt, either.

Thats my thought. May collect particles too small to be filtered. Do those matter? I don't know, but can't be bad to remove them.

 

[DGXR]

I ran a magnetic drain plug for a few years and every oil service I saw a very small ball of black goop on the magnet, made of tiny ferrous wear particles which is normal. When I started running rare earth magnets on the outside of my spin-on oil filter canisters, the magnetic drain plug immediately stopped collecting black goop, I mean there is none at all. This is an obvious and direct correlation. I still run the magnetic drain plug just because I bought it LOL.

 

[D60]

I usually find a small amount of dust on mine. I make mine from samarium cobalt magnets as they don't lose gauss when they get hot.

Now I know I can never be as cool as spasm3 but it's good to have goals -- shoot for the stars and all that, so upon his reco of some ebay magnets I made a couple today, using old OEM drain plugs that have already been swapped for aftermarket magnetic units.

I did an M12x1.5 and an M14x1.5. The magnets are impressively 5 tenths oversize, meaning if you reamed .250" you'd have a fantastic press fit -- a little tight if anything

On the M12 I was able to drop it into the backside of a 15/32" collet and I bored it with a centercutting end mill. I knew this wouldn't work great but I was being lazy. As expected, the hole was oversize but I used some JB Weld and dropped it in the hole. AFAIK JB Weld can withstand virtually any chemical and any conditions that steel can take.

On the M14 I reamed it. I only had a .2495" chucking reamer but I knew there was a little runout in the way I held it in my lathe. Indeed, I wound up with a nice press fit on my arbor press:

Fin:

If you've ever handled the drain plug on a GMT800 front diff drain plug, the M12 on the right looks exactly like OEM

 

[spasm3]

Now I know I can never be as cool as spasm3 but it's good to have goals -- shoot for the stars and all that, so upon his reco of some ebay magnets I made a couple today, using old OEM drain plugs that have already been swapped for aftermarket magnetic units.
View attachment 282317
I did an M12x1.5 and an M14x1.5. The magnets are impressively 5 tenths oversize, meaning if you reamed .250" you'd have a fantastic press fit -- a little tight if anything
View attachment 282318
On the M12 I was able to drop it into the backside of a 15/32" collet and I bored it with a centercutting end mill. I knew this wouldn't work great but I was being lazy. As expected, the hole was oversize but I used some JB Weld and dropped it in the hole. AFAIK JB Weld can withstand virtually any chemical and any conditions that steel can take. View attachment 282320

On the M14 I reamed it. I only had a .2495" chucking reamer but I knew there was a little runout in the way I held it in my lathe. Indeed, I wound up with a nice press fit on my arbor press:View attachment 282319

Fin:View attachment 282321
If you've ever handled the drain plug on a GMT800 front diff drain plug, the M12 on the right looks exactly like OEM

That looks fantastic. Very impressive. More precise than my drill press!

 

[D60]

I made three more plugs today. I had ordered a .250" reamer for use on my mill (no runout in the work) and it worked perfectly for a press fit.

Of course I don't know if all batches of these magnets are so nicely a half thou oversize, so YMMV.

The magnets definitely are brittle. I had trouble getting the first to start and tried tapping it in. I knew this was not a great idea when I began, but wanted to try. Just one light tap from a hammer chipped the magnet. I actually faced it back in the lathe but they tend to chip when being machined, too.

It doesn't really matter because it's still magnetic and will still do what it's supposed to. But I'll definitely use the chipped one in one of my own vehicles!

 

[spasm3]

I made three more plugs today. I had ordered a .250" reamer for use on my mill (no runout in the work) and it worked perfectly for a press fit.

Of course I don't know if all batches of these magnets are so nicely a half thou oversize, so YMMV.

The magnets definitely are brittle. I had trouble getting the first to start and tried tapping it in. I knew this was not a great idea when I began, but wanted to try. Just one light tap from a hammer chipped the magnet. I actually faced it back in the lathe but they tend to chip when being machined, too.

It doesn't really matter because it's still magnetic and will still do what it's supposed to. But I'll definitely use the chipped one in one of my own vehicles!

I've had good luck freezing the magnet and using either my press or the drill press to slowly press the magnet in, with a bit of JB weld on it.

The runout of my drill press probably accounts for the oversize magnet!

 

[Al]

I don't but its probably a good idea