Magnetic sump plugs, are they any good?

[Jonnysnow]

just wondering if its worth putting in a magnetic sump plug. Seems like a cheap way to protect your engine, has anyone had any experience with these things?

[D-Style]

If your sump plug is picking up bits of metal, I think you have bigger problems to worry about.

Save your money, Its just like Magetic Fuel Savers.

[Koom]

I reckon they're an awesome idea. To get extra values worth, drill a whole pile of holes in the base of the sump and add about 15 of them.........metal flakes will have no chance then!! haha

Actually, I agree with D-Style, if there's anything made of ferrous metal floating round in your oil, your motor is already a dead man walking.

[Guest]

but would these not pick up that metal and when you do your oil change you will see it, so it would work like an indicator, little bits of metal is something you could miss otherwise

-smurff

[Koom]

If there's bits of aluminium stuff worn off inside the motor, the magnet won't pick it up. There's steel cams, crank and rods inside the motor. The cams are just going to destroy the aluminium around them if they're letting go (not likely) the crank and rods are separated by the bearings which are made from a random mix of copper and aluminium and stuff. If the two steel parts are touching, then the motor is toasted. If the soft bearing metal somehow manages to wear the nice, tough steel bits, then you've just beaten physics.

So IMO, there's lots of bits of non-magnetic stuff that needs to be completely gone before a magnetic is going to start telling you that there's a loud knocking noise coming from deep inside the engine....

[Guest]

ahhh i see, that makes sense then

-smurff

[subieboy]

 Koom said:

If there's bits of aluminium stuff worn off inside the motor, the magnet won't pick it up. There's steel cams, crank and rods inside the motor. The cams are just going to destroy the aluminium around them if they're letting go (not likely) the crank and rods are separated by the bearings which are made from a random mix of copper and aluminium and stuff. If the two steel parts are touching, then the motor is toasted. If the soft bearing metal somehow manages to wear the nice, tough steel bits, then you've just beaten physics.

So IMO, there's lots of bits of non-magnetic stuff that needs to be completely gone before a magnetic is going to start telling you that there's a loud knocking noise coming from deep inside the engine....

Sweet

Untill you put it that way I would have thought great idea as an indicator of Sh!it about to hit the fan...

[D-Style]

Money would be better spend on Oil sample testing. You find out much more quicky if a engine bearing or the like is on its way out.

We oil test our race engine now, this season we saved about $6k in not having to refresh the engine.

[Koom]

 subieboy said:

Sweet

Untill you put it that way I would have thought great idea as an indicator of Sh!it about to hit the fan...

It would go a wee way towards explaining why the gearbox has a magnetic bung from the factory and the engine just has a normal bung.

[subieboy]

 Koom']

[quote name='subieboy said:

Sweet

Untill you put it that way I would have thought great idea as an indicator of Sh!it about to hit the fan...

/quote]

It would go a wee way towards explaining why the gearbox has a magnetic bung from the factory and the engine just has a normal bung.

Well I always thought why has the gearbox got one but not the engine...

Now I understand why...

[Jonnysnow]

 subieboy said:

Sweet

Untill you put it that way I would have thought great idea as an indicator of Sh!it about to hit the fan...

yeh i was thinking about more as an indicator as well but at that stage you are going to be hearing some bad sounds anyway i guess.

[QRAF]

i got mine cause it was a pretty blue

[MercuryFree]

I'm pretty sure they can actually be had for cheaper than 'standard' ones if they need replacing...so why not?

[scooby-wrx]

I have one of the magnetic plugs on mine and every time I jack the car up, I notice a drop of oil coming from it. I never had this problem with the stock plug, so will be changing back in 5 000 km's time.

Here's a close up pic of what the plug looks like once removed. There is a sludgy substance which looks grey when wiped so I guess it could be metal particles / shavings ???

[Guest]

yyou just never put a new crush washer on it

-smurff

[scooby-wrx]

could be the problem ??? ;D

[wrx_lou]

 smurff said:

yyou just never put a new crush washer on it

-smurff

I was gonna say that, but thought na he must of take it off before the photo lol

[scooby-wrx]

 wrx_lou']

[quote name='smurff said:

yyou just never put a new crush washer on it

-smurff

/quote]

I was gonna say that, but thought na he must of take it off before the photo lol

Its on in the 1st pic mate, I've just never actually replaced the washer... Just re-used it twice.

[Guest]

 wrx_lou']

[quote name='smurff said:

yyou just never put a new crush washer on it

-smurff

/quote]

I was gonna say that, but thought na he must of take it off before the photo lol

there was a photo??

hold up, must lookie

-smurff

[Guest]

ahhh photos hadnt loaded when i looked first. you should always change the washer, well i always have and thats what ive always been told.

-smurff

[kamineko]

haha really? 5 years and dozens of oil changes later my washer looks a bit 'used' but still worked fine.. i just do it up tight

[wrx_lou]

 scooby-wrx said:

Its on in the 1st pic mate, I've just never actually replaced the washer... Just re-used it twice.

Lol, I thought that was part of the plug.

[Guest]

 kamineko said:

haha really? 5 years and dozens of oil changes later my washer looks a bit 'used' but still worked fine.. i just do it up tight

hahaha, i have always changed mine, the oil filters i used to get came with them. so never had any leak issues

-smurff

[scooby-wrx]

I agree, they should be changed every service. I had only replaced my stock plugs washer once and it never leaked, so thought I'd continue

Here's a pic of the plug from the service before. I usually service my car every 5 000km's, but this service was done after 7 000km's.

[Bazza-NZ]

 scooby-wrx said:

I have one of the magnetic plugs on mine and every time I jack the car up, I notice a drop of oil coming from it. I never had this problem with the stock plug, so will be changing back in 5 000 km's time.

Here's a close up pic of what the plug looks like once removed. There is a sludgy substance which looks grey when wiped so I guess it could be metal particles / shavings ???

Haha is that all you got...?