Magnetic Drain Plug

Possible to search other Toyota models have the same drain plug part number as the Prius and then use the magnetic plug for that model?

 

Wow!... please confirm that you got a AP-03 on the bag and I will do the same.

I just got a funny email from Tim at the Magnetic plug store.. unless he wrote a typo, he thinks I want one for a minicooper..... funny how that was never mentioned...

P.S..... I could get mine to screw in about 1 half turn before it met resistance.. the stock one goes in like butter with my fingers, the magnetic one had no burrs or problems and when you match threads up with the stock on, its obvious the threads are different.....

I put a reminder to myself to check when I get home.

 

Can't you just use a thread gage to see how it compares with the original?

 

Don't waste your money.

"Somebody forwarded this email to me today where this new company, Titek, was promoting their magnetic drain plugs for an engine’s oil pan. While the concept is somewhat novel, it’s application is kind of dumb. A magnetic drain plug (mdp) has its place in a transmission with steel gears or a rear end with steel gears and metallic clutches where bits of steel can actually float around in the oil. However, a mdp actually has no place in an engine’s crankcase if you really think about it. In the remote possibility that your engine’s cams are gear driven, an mdp might have a place, but chances are if you are reading this blog your engine does not have gear driven cams.

Let’s think about what’s inside of an engine block for a second here: a crankshaft, bearings, rods, pistons, wrist pins, pin clips, and piston rings. The crank, rods, and pins are all riding on films of oil. The pin clips hold the wrist pins in place and the piston rings are held in place by the piston’s ring lands and neither bits of clips or rings can come out unless a catastrophic failure occurs. In the head, you have cams, followers, springs,retainers, and locks. If any of these components fail, the last thing you need to be worrying about is catching bits of steel at the very bottom of an oil pan with a mdp.

So in a healthy engine, what’s the purpose of having a mdp? The only components that can wear are the bearings and at that point your engine has become unhealthy probably due to a cracked oil pump rotor, oil pickup tube, lack of oil or pump cavitation and is living on borrowed time anyway. Bearings consist of lead, tin, copper, and sometimes babbit and/or aluminum. The last time I checked, none of these elements were magnetic because they are non ferrous. If the steel components break (crank, rods, pins, clips, or rings) or chip, the last thing you need to be worry about again is catching bits of steel at the very bottom of the oil pan with a mdp. You will more likely be either on the side of the road or track with a hole in your engine block and waiting for a tow truck. No mdp no matter how strong it’s magnet is, is going to save the day.

While technically it cannot hurt to use an mdp on your engine’s oil pan, it has no merit either. I’m not bagging on Titek since I know nothing about their products and I’m sure there are other companies that make mdps. I’m just making a point that mdps are useless. Some companies like to make products to increase sales so you can spend your hard earned money. That’s ok, but spend it on something that’s worth a shit."

 

My engine is "healthy" and yet my mdp still picks up slight metallic sludge.

 

Well I don't know what it is... but mine on my two 2006's always have a grey sludge on the magnet that almost looks like grey house paint its so fine.... I haven't tried playing with it by removing it and then seeing if the magnet will pick it back up again... not a bad idea.

Some have suggested thats the normal sludge that always collects on the bottom of a pan.... so I'll have to confirm that next time I change.

 

For those who don't want to order the plug, consider applying some neodymium magnets to the exterior of the oil pan, and removing them just prior to the oil change. The magnetic force should keep any particles down in the pan, and not circulating. Magnets are cheap on eBay.

 

thats a thought!

 

I don't know about this. If you don't do it, you have a finely dispersed metal particles in oil that would filter out or drain out if it is not filtered out. If you use a magnet, after 1 year (10,000 miles), you get a clump of metal particles on the bottom of your oil pan. After 1 year, the metal particles are all magnetized and clump together. If you release it all at once, it may clog somewhere. Even if it doesn't, wouldn't the magnetized iron fillings just stick to metal surfaces? Maybe that's why the engine manufacturers don't play with magnets. How do you know that some magnetized metal particles don't get knocked off the magnetic drain plug and is now sticking to the engine?

I am just throwing these thoughts out. . You have to decide if they apply in your situation.

I think the engine last a good long time without any extra tender loving care. If you want to spend money, maybe a transmission fluid change would be more effective. The engine is not the weak point. I don't hear of too many Prius lay low by engine failures. It is usually battery, transaxle, big battery, the electricity converter thing, etc. The engine will probably still be running well the day you junk the car.

 

How about slipping one into the filter itself?

 

I think that's a great idea. To have it in the filter and not to remove the magnet until the filter is off the engine. Then just wipe the metal particles off with a paper towel. I've done that, in machine shop, to clean machining fluids.

 

Now thats an even more ingenious Idea!.. and so simple!

It sounds like you are putting it "inside" the canister".... why not on the outside?
I wonder if the metal of the casing cancels out the magnet or does anyone know if there is really decent magnetism left on the other side of the metal "inside the oil canister?"

Of course, you could put a pretty stinkin powerful magnet on the end of the canister too!....

Do you think the end of the canister or the side would be a better place?.... if its on the side, metal particles would have to pass through the filter right "which couldn't happen" to stick to the magnetic side... or does the oil go the other direction in the canister?

I would think its important to have the magnetic pull on the "prefilter material" side.

 

Actually I had meant the outside since we were talking about putting magnets outside the oil pan. I've had some experience using magnet to clean machine shop fluids. From my experience, a heavy flow will dislodge metal from the magnet. So you want to put it in area of low flow velocity. Like don't put the magnet right next to a nozzle, nothing will be collected.

I would not worry about not collecting the metal filings the first time. Engine oil is recirculated over and over again. If you don't catch it the first time, you get it the 100th time so it won't circulate 100000 times. In the big scheme of things, catching it the 100th time is not big deal for a fluid that circulates 100,000 time.

Yes. Magnet on the outside is better. That's where the magnet is on my machine shop. Some machine shop operators put one on the inside and one on the outside so the two magnets will stick to a plastic tray, for example.

 

I would think you could put a much more robust magnet if its on the outside... yes it has to pass through the metal... but the magnet could be quite a bit bigger and 10X stronger than one that fit on the inside.

There are some pretty strong magnets you can get these days off of ebay that are so strong, you'll be hard pressed to get them off if there is not something to grab hold to or pry.


Other than being a quick fix, I like the idea of also being able to use a torn on/off drain plug in conjuction.

 

FYI, Crate and Barrel carries very strong small magnets. 4 piece set costs below $4.00. Each magnet measures ¾” by ¾”. Its magnetic force is so strong I have a hard time separating them by hand.

 

You must be talking about these..... I wonder if they are neodym... I doubt it at that price, but they may do the trick....

If you have any doubts about strengh.. I bet these bad boys on ebay wouldn't let a particle pass more than one time!... LOL!
Here are some slightly smaller but look pretty powerful too for half the price.

 

i wonder how much metal flakes will be caught if i put a few of those big ones in the oil pan and check again after 5yrs.

 

Interesting... if you don't mind pulling oil pans!... LOL!....

Here is a nice place to shop for magnets....

I talked with Toyota and they did confirm that most of the parts inside are aluminum.... gears etc..... aside from pistons, rings and a few other parts, the magnet may not get much.

But would think anything it gets is better than none.

I haven't confirmed, but they thought the oil canister may be aluminum too.. hence a problem with putting a magnet on it, unless you permanently epoxied on to it.. which I don't see as a problem but unless you were careful would get in the way of the oil wrench when taking it off.

Not sure about the oil pan.

Maybe someone can confirm the parts with a magnet to see if the oil canister or the oil pan is magnetic.

 

There is a lot collected to the drain plug. The OEM drain plug can be sent out and modified with the super magnet. I had purchase one and did the OEM thing too.. 2010 Filter housing is plastic. Not much room around the filter it to place a magnet around it. I have seen that type. My personal opinion is that the oil travels too fast through the filter and when the engine is not running , this magnet will capture particulates only in the filter area( about a 1/2 cup. On the other hand, the drain plug is at the bottom of the engine, and access to 3 3/4 qts of oil. The super magnet drain plug will work best. Once the small particulates are attached it will hold on to them. The last change I did on my TDI, there was a glob on the end of the plug about 8-10 mm. I will post some pics on my next Oil Change.

 

Lee Valley will sell you 5 magnets for about $11. Each magnet can pull 30 pounds.

Rare-Earth Circular Magnets - Lee Valley Tools

I don't think it make much difference myself. Magnet or not. However, if you want to argue, you can say the aluminum is a softer metal and does less harm while steel is a harder metal and will score aluminum. So you should remove the steel.