Magnetic Oil Drain Plug

[TrentW]

Just saw these offered in the latest ad and have always wondered why these weren't an OEM product. Has anyone used these? Says they seal repeatedly without replacing a gasket.

http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp

[elmercc]

Looks like a pretty sweet add on...may have to order one and try it out!

[TrentW]

I always wondered why BMW never used these?

[mamzak]

Yeah I'm currently using one. It works great, I was really surprised to see how much shit it attracts between oil changes.

[jlevie]

A magnetic drain plug for the engine is "much ado about nothing". If there are magnetic particles in the oil the engine is suffering from serious wear and will soon fail in a dramatic fashion.There are no places in the engine where there are ferrous to ferrous metal contact. So finding magnetic particles in the oil means a complete bearing failure.

That isn't true for the transmission or differential and a magnetic drain plug there can help to identify and approaching problem.

[mamzak]

A magnetic drain plug for the engine is "much ado about nothing". If there are magnetic particles in the oil the engine is suffering from serious wear and will soon fail in a dramatic fashion.There are no places in the engine where there are ferrous to ferrous metal contact. So finding magnetic particles in the oil means a complete bearing failure.

That isn't true for the transmission or differential and a magnetic drain plug there can help to identify and approaching problem.

I would tend to disagree...

[b*saint]

What about aluminum particles?

[jlevie]

Aluminum and bearing metal are not magnetic, so they won't be attracted to the magnet. Only ferorus metal particles will collect on the magnet.

[b*saint]

Yea I know lol. Im getting at saying a magnetic drain plug only works in a transmission.

[TrentW]

A magnetic drain plug for the engine is "much ado about nothing". If there are magnetic particles in the oil the engine is suffering from serious wear and will soon fail in a dramatic fashion.There are no places in the engine where there are ferrous to ferrous metal contact. So finding magnetic particles in the oil means a complete bearing failure.

That isn't true for the transmission or differential and a magnetic drain plug there can help to identify and approaching problem.

Makes sense to me now.

[ZM Blue Devil]

I use them in all the cars, not sure it does anything, but makes me feel good when I change the oil and its got nothing on it.

[hooken m]

I use them in all the cars, not sure it does anything, but makes me feel good when I change the oil and its got nothing on it.

+1 for sure

[spurline]

What about the piston rings and cylinder walls. Ferrous?? continuous contact? These will wear for the life of the engine.

[TrentW]

:???:

[jlevie]

What about the piston rings and cylinder walls. Ferrous?? continuous contact? These will wear for the life of the engine.

I was in a bit of a hurry before and should have included the rockers/cam, rings, and oil pump as places that you do have ferrous to ferrous contact. But the wear rates on those are ordinarily so low that the wear debris never presents a problem since the routine changes of oil and filter take what little there is out of the engine before it can do any harm. Unless there is something seriously wrong in the engine the ferrous metal content in the oil is usually below the detection threshold in an oil analysis.