I don't change my own oil anymore, I generally snag a coupon when I see one and have it done.

I'm curious if Subaru uses a magnetic plug in the oil drain?

I don't think that they use a magnetic plug for the oil pan, but there is one for the front diff of my turbo wagon. I don't know if it's stock or not, though. If it is, it looks like it's the same size as the oil pan bolt.

I don't think that they use a magnetic plug for the oil pan, but there is one for the front diff of my turbo wagon. I don't know if it's stock or not, though. If it is, it looks like it's the same size as the oil pan bolt.

You are correct, the stock diff drain plug has magnet but the engine oil does not. ? why not. I guess most metal particles will be cought in the filter but the finest will not. I thought about gluing a magnet to the oil drain plug but getting diff plug would be easier.

When I was a Mechanic Apprentice 1 of the old timers always put a magnet on his oil pan, right by the drain plug. He would remove it right after he pulled the oil drain plug, so all the metal particles would flow out when it was draining.

 

Just my 2 pennies worth of insightfullness...

My old Dodge gas-guzzling V8 used to have a magnetic oil-drain plug. I always changed the oil & filter frequently, but the magnet always had a 'fuzz' coating of metal particles when I removed it.

 

I think that magnets are a great idea, and don't know why Subaru doesn't use them (maybe more aluminum than steel in engines these days?)

My old Dodge gas-guzzling V8 used to have a magnetic oil-drain plug. I always changed the oil & filter frequently, but the magnet always had a 'fuzz' coating of metal particles when I removed it.

 

I think that magnets are a great idea, and don't know why Subaru doesn't use them (maybe more aluminum than steel in engines these days?)

 

That's the reason for no magnetic drain plug. I still think that one might be still do some good, but I don't know how much...

Well, the cylinders are still lined with steel sleeves, and the piston rings are steel. With a bit of luck the alu piston and engine block won't be wearing out!

In cas Commuter does'nt chime in, I remember he uses magnets on the oil filter.

I've got one of these on each our cars. I had them on my old Volvo's and just kept the magnets when I sold the cars and put them on the Subarus.

 

http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsCat.aspx?CategoryID=73&NodeID=907&RootID=629

I posted several times about oil filter magnets some years ago.

 

As pointed out, most of the "wear" surfaces in an engine are still ferrous based, hence the magnets do work.

 

There are several styles. One is like a cap that goes over the end of the filter. There is one that goes "inside" the filter. Several just grab onto the side of the filter. Some are made like a 'wrap'.

 

The argument for putting them on your filter is that the oil is constantly circulating past that point.

 

I have 2 different ones. The Bandit 2000 (no longer available I believe) has a couple of magnets inside a neoprene casing. It goes on the outside of the filter. I've never lost one, and the magnets do collect some material on the inside. (I've cut the filters open.)

 

The other one I have is simply a small rectangular magnet. You put 2 or 3 of them together and apply them to the outside. However, the coating failed and they rusted on me. They also flew off once and I ended up finding them on my oil pan.

 

I recently bought a bunch of small (eg dime sized, about twice as thick though) Neodynium magnets from a hardware store. I stuck about 8 of them around the filter and wrapped a worm gear clamp over them to keep them in place. Simple, inexpensive, and should do the job nicely. Just FYI.

 

Btw... the "fine" particles that the magnets get are those that are probably going right thru the oil filter. Depending on how good your oil filter is (or isn't), it is these particles that cause the majority of wear in the engine. Most oil filters do not get the particle size that is the most 'wearing' on the engine components.

 

Commuter