Magnetic Sump Plug

[Pictures can be clicked on to make them bigger]

I was doing some modifications on my sump and after realising there are no other magnetic elements in there I tested the sump plug.

It was not too magnetic: (this will make sense when you look a few pictures down)


So i ordered one online to see it it was any good - £7.55.
It arrived looking like a piece of jewellery.


It's a bit bling for my tastes in it's neo-chrome or burnt titanium or rice tuner finish, but it is well made. And no one sees it.


The plug is aluminium and the magnet is quite large, but the whole piece, as installed, weighs 28g


The factory plug is steel with a rubber gasket and weighs a porky 39g !


The new magnet is this powerful -



I've had it in since January, driven about, looked for weeping and re-checked the torque this morning and it's all happy.

If anyone wants the ebay link I got it from i'll post it - I dont want be advertising in case it annoys people.

There is no annoyance, and yes i need that link

This is the one I bought. Its for the z22se, just in case the turbo is different. https://www.ebay.co....4QAAOSw7CBdZ4iS

Hi, Was the original bung that you removed magnetic too?

Be careful!

 

These types of magnetic drain plugs break very easily as they are just a thin tube of metal as the magnet is fitted into it.

 

Plenty of reports out there of people trying to undo their drain plug and shearing off the head.

 

Never, ever over-tighten these.

 

Bye, Arno.

Martinf,
Not in the slightest!

I've made you a video to let you see it (not) in action:
https://gofile.io/d/czrrn8

Arno,
I've done this many times and never seen a failure, but I knocked it around deliberately before fitting it, just in case. It survived ok. The construction of this one dosn't match what you are describing, but I can imagine some are as you describe.
At the very worst the strainer will prevent the magnet getting into the oil pump.

Edited by blackoctagon, 01 June 2020 - 11:22 AM.

Martinf,
Not in the slightest!

I've made you a video to let you see it (not) in action:
https://gofile.io/d/czrrn8

Arno,
I've done this many times and never seen a failure, but I knocked it around deliberately before fitting it, just in case. It survived ok. The construction of this one dosn't match what you are describing, but I can imagine some are as you describe.
At the very worst the strainer will prevent the magnet getting into the oil pump.

 

Thanks, that's very helpful/kind.
 

I've made you a video to let you see it (not) in action:
https://gofile.io/d/czrrn8
 

at the excessive effort put into this I’m sure a simple ‘no’ would have sufficed. 

 

I’ve just re-fitted my blue anodised one of these for maybe the 20th time. Only paid about £4 for it and its been absolutely fine, I only ever nip it up hand tight. As usual barely a spec of swarf on it which I can only assume is a good thing. 

 

When fitting I find you need to brace your index finger and thumb either side of the drain hole and guide it in else it snaps to one side and sticks to the sump. 
 

My only reservation with these is if a magnetised clump should accumulate and break away causing a blockage / issue further down the line somewhere but then again if you’re seeing that much being collected you probably have bigger problems anyway. 

Ha! I believe in making everything into a Steven Spielberg production given that I have a lot more time on my hands these days.

Acually what Arno said is correct and it's a big headache if it does snap, so ....

 

To check, drop the plug into some iron filings and you should able to see from the pattern they form how far the magnet has been inserted into the threaded section. You can already see that the magnet D is close to the smaller D of the bolt so almost no meat left.

You need for the first 3 or 4 threads from the bolt head to be in solid material.

 

Looks aluminium, is it? if so you need to reduce the torque accordingly.

 

If you are wondering why all the fuss it's because there were several failures of this aftermarket component on the forums and they are a real pain to sort out.