Make Your Own Magnetic Sump Plug
Discussion
For the last 2 oil changes I've been using this, and it's definitely an improvement on the original sump plug & crushable copper washer.
Actually its just a Daivid Brown tractor sump plug but being a 1/2" BSP it fits a treat, no more crushable washers to buy, no leaks, and being round edged it cant get caught and spin undone like the original.
Well worth £6.00 and will pay for itself in crushable washers alone in less than 10 oil changes.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAVID-BROWN-TRACTOR-SUMP...
But it could be better, I like magnetic sump plugs but proper ones that actually do something are expensive and I couldn't find a decent 1/2" BSP one anywhere.
So I made my own.
First I needed to find a suitable magnet, the strongest magnets you can get are the neodymium type, but you need one that copes with high temperatures.
Most magnets lose nearly all their pull when temps get over 60c, even neodymium ones.
That's no good if the thing is permanently sat in hot engine oil, however this one operates right up to 120c.
At £3.50 I thought I'd give it a try.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140760034645?ssPageName=...
So I drilled my David Brown tractor sump plug creating a small recess for the magnet to sit in and used some epoxy to hold it in place, of course all this is not strictly necessary as the magnet itself clings to the sump plug like nothing else.
The end result looks like this.
As you can see it puts a lot of magnet surface area into the oil compared to all other magnetic sump plugs, which is a good thing.
But you may be thinking it's too long, I checked this with a Range Rover sump and I can assure you there's absolutely no danger of the magnet touching anything it shouldn't.
Here's my magnetic sump plug going in this afternoon, getting it started on the thread is a little tricky due to the magnet pulling the plug out of position, but in truth it's no big deal, once its started on the thread it spins on beautifully.
So how strong is this home brewed magnetic sump plug of mine?
Well this should give you a pretty good idea.
Yes that's my TVR scissor jack, which is a good few kilos making my sump plug quite a bit stronger than any magnetic sump plug I've ever seen.
All this for a tenner, if you like the idea why not make one up yourself?
Actually its just a Daivid Brown tractor sump plug but being a 1/2" BSP it fits a treat, no more crushable washers to buy, no leaks, and being round edged it cant get caught and spin undone like the original.
Well worth £6.00 and will pay for itself in crushable washers alone in less than 10 oil changes.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAVID-BROWN-TRACTOR-SUMP...
But it could be better, I like magnetic sump plugs but proper ones that actually do something are expensive and I couldn't find a decent 1/2" BSP one anywhere.
So I made my own.
First I needed to find a suitable magnet, the strongest magnets you can get are the neodymium type, but you need one that copes with high temperatures.
Most magnets lose nearly all their pull when temps get over 60c, even neodymium ones.
That's no good if the thing is permanently sat in hot engine oil, however this one operates right up to 120c.
At £3.50 I thought I'd give it a try.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140760034645?ssPageName=...
So I drilled my David Brown tractor sump plug creating a small recess for the magnet to sit in and used some epoxy to hold it in place, of course all this is not strictly necessary as the magnet itself clings to the sump plug like nothing else.
The end result looks like this.
As you can see it puts a lot of magnet surface area into the oil compared to all other magnetic sump plugs, which is a good thing.
But you may be thinking it's too long, I checked this with a Range Rover sump and I can assure you there's absolutely no danger of the magnet touching anything it shouldn't.
Here's my magnetic sump plug going in this afternoon, getting it started on the thread is a little tricky due to the magnet pulling the plug out of position, but in truth it's no big deal, once its started on the thread it spins on beautifully.
So how strong is this home brewed magnetic sump plug of mine?
Well this should give you a pretty good idea.
Yes that's my TVR scissor jack, which is a good few kilos making my sump plug quite a bit stronger than any magnetic sump plug I've ever seen.
All this for a tenner, if you like the idea why not make one up yourself?
Don't see why it should, although I must admit I've seen some scary swarf on magnetic sump plugs in the past.
Actually it should be scary, much better than a non magnetic sump plug where your leaving the swarf in there to carry on circulating.
But I also have a FilterMag that catches the majority of ferrous metal swarf in the first place & right where it belongs.
In the filter!
My magnetic sump plug is just a belt & braces last line of defence.
I remember Steve Heath used to proudly demonstrate his magnetic sump plug by showing a photo of it holding an adjustable spanner.
I'd like to see his one hold a scissor jack, the magnet in mine is proper strong in comparison and there's at least double the surface are in the oil flow to catch particles of ferrous metals.
Use it with a red bodied FilterMag (the proper strong one) and a fibreglass media filter from V8 filters with Penrite HPR15 15w/60 oil, for a belt & braces oil change.
Actually it should be scary, much better than a non magnetic sump plug where your leaving the swarf in there to carry on circulating.
But I also have a FilterMag that catches the majority of ferrous metal swarf in the first place & right where it belongs.
In the filter!
My magnetic sump plug is just a belt & braces last line of defence.
I remember Steve Heath used to proudly demonstrate his magnetic sump plug by showing a photo of it holding an adjustable spanner.
I'd like to see his one hold a scissor jack, the magnet in mine is proper strong in comparison and there's at least double the surface are in the oil flow to catch particles of ferrous metals.
Use it with a red bodied FilterMag (the proper strong one) and a fibreglass media filter from V8 filters with Penrite HPR15 15w/60 oil, for a belt & braces oil change.
ChimpOnGas said:
Don't see why it should, although I must admit I've seen some scary swarf on magnetic sump plugs in the past.
Actually it should be scary, much better than a non magnetic sump plug where your leaving the swarf in there to carry on circulating.
But I also have a FilterMag that catches the majority of ferrous metal swarf in the first place & right where it belongs.
In the filter!
My magnetic sump plug is just a belt & braces last line of defence.
I remember Steve Heath used to proudly demonstrate his magnetic sump plug by showing a photo of it holding an adjustable spanner.
I'd like to see his one hold a scissor jack, the magnet in mine is proper strong in comparison and there's at least double the surface are in the oil flow to catch particles of ferrous metals.
Use it with a red bodied FilterMag (the proper strong one) and a fibreglass media filter from V8 filters with Penrite HPR15 15w/60 oil, for a belt & braces oil change.
Actually it should be scary, much better than a non magnetic sump plug where your leaving the swarf in there to carry on circulating.
But I also have a FilterMag that catches the majority of ferrous metal swarf in the first place & right where it belongs.
In the filter!
My magnetic sump plug is just a belt & braces last line of defence.
I remember Steve Heath used to proudly demonstrate his magnetic sump plug by showing a photo of it holding an adjustable spanner.
I'd like to see his one hold a scissor jack, the magnet in mine is proper strong in comparison and there's at least double the surface are in the oil flow to catch particles of ferrous metals.
Use it with a red bodied FilterMag (the proper strong one) and a fibreglass media filter from V8 filters with Penrite HPR15 15w/60 oil, for a belt & braces oil change.
Dave will the filer mag fit on to a sandwich plate ? Where is the metal coming from ?
SILICONEKID343HP said:
Dave will the filer mag fit on to a sandwich plate ?
Should do, but you'd need to do a measure up to check.I expect you're forced to run a shorter less efficient oil filter because of your sandwich plate.
The FilterMag looks like this on the long body fibreglass media V8 Filter.
SILICONEKID343HP said:
Where is the metal coming from ?
The cam mostly 
Here's my old original TVR Kent 435 cam after just 30,000 miles.
And this isn't even a bad one, many cams still running in Chims & Griffs will look much worse than this.
Just try for a moment to image where all that worn off hard metal is going, and you'll soon acknowledge the benefits of the FilterMag & a decent magnetic sump plug in an RV8.
Compare my £10 super strong magnetic sump plug..
With the other one you can't even buy these days...
Now compare the strength of mine...
With the strength of the one you can't even buy these days...
No contest
Goaty Bill said:
David,
You need to place a warning sticker on your sump for unsuspecting mechanics
WARNING Removal of sump plug may cause extraction of crankshaft or other unsecured engine components.
Handle with care!
You need to place a warning sticker on your sump for unsuspecting mechanics
WARNING Removal of sump plug may cause extraction of crankshaft or other unsecured engine components.
Handle with care!
If you want one of my magnetic sump plugs when we do do your 3,000 mile oil change, I have a spare for you
I have to warn you though, it isn't original & flys in the face of your "keep it standard" mantra.
Mind you, I have a feeling your engine internals aren't exactly all that standard these days
You're such a hypocrite Goat Boy
ChimpOnGas said:
If you want one of my magnetic sump plugs when we do do your 3,000 mile oil change, I have a spare for you
I have to warn you though, it isn't original & flys in the face of your "keep it standard" mantra.
Mind you, I have a feeling your engine internals aren't exactly all that standard these days
You're such a hypocrite Goat Boy
Goaty Bill said:
Can you fit the magnet to a standard oil filter ?
SILICONEKID343HP said:
Goaty Bill said:
Can you fit the magnet to a standard oil filter ?Knock the magnet off of an old speaker and stick it on the end of the filter
Goaty Bill said:
That's the thread I was looking for, ta 
jojackson4 said:
Orderd plug and mag
If it turns it up side down it will help doing the wish bones and shocks
Win win
What site did you buy the 'mag from? If it turns it up side down it will help doing the wish bones and shocks
Win win
Nick
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