Question about those magnetic oil drain plugs

I always thought they were a gimmick until I pulled one from a 6.7 Powerstroke that had been running for 80,000 miles and it was covered in fine metal fuzz. Now I'm putting them on every service truck I touch. What's the weirdest thing you've ever caught on one of these?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_piper2d ago

Found a weird, gritty paste on the plug from my old Tacoma after a long desert trip. It was mostly sand mixed with the usual metal dust, which was a real eye-opener. That stuff was getting past the air filter somehow. Convinced me they're not just for catching big chunks. Seeing that fine fuzz build up over time is the best early warning system you can get. Now I check that little magnet every single oil change.

the_laura2d ago

Man, who else used to think those plugs were just for big metal shavings? I had the same wake-up call after a muddy weekend on some forest service roads. Pulled the plug and it was like a tiny geology sample, all silt and fine grit stuck to the magnet. Totally changed how I see them. Now I know that paste is telling you exactly what's sneaking past your defenses.

bennett.aaron1d ago

My buddy's plug looked like @the_piper's desert find, just mud and fine sand.