Magnetic sump plugs - do folk here use them?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I guess it's a spill over from my old Mini days as BL always fitted magnetic sump plugs to the transverse A series engines.
I have them fitted in our Merc & Jeep.

Are they worth having on a bike to help with keeping an eye on engine & gearbox wear?

I know much more complex methods are used in large industrial engines such as in Cruise Liners where oil analysis "Cartridges" are changed during servicing with oil analysis being used to ascertain the amount of engine wear from the metals found in the used oil & cartridges.

[kevski]

My Z thou and my Honda 4 have them and i never put them in, you may already have one in it.

[Bryanj]

You never change the oil in a cruise liner just constantly centrifuge it to remove contaminants, test yes and change on rebuild but there is several TONES of oil in ther

[fogrider]

If I remember rightly, when the Mini came out, the fact the gears were in the same sump oil as the engine, BMC thought  it a wise precaution to capture swarf off the gearset as it bedded in.
As most Japanese bikes have common gearboxes too, I consider it essential. There are some fierce , tiny, bar type magnets ( about 20mm by 6mm) that fit easily in a sump plug.

Essential item !

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

You never change the oil in a cruise liner just constantly centrifuge it to remove contaminants, test yes and change on rebuild but there is several TONES of oil in ther

Interesting I never knew that about Ships engines but it makes sense. Interesting that Honda used a type of centrifuge on the old 250 Dream instead of a filter cartridge.

My friend was in the field of industrial oil analysis to analyse engine wear on industrial engines - not sure if his customer base was in shipping, aviation, automotive  or large static engines in power generation as I only see him ever few years as he moved to Conwy decades ago.

The founder of the company link below  is Robert Cutler he recently retired only to open his own company 6 months later in the oil analysis field with his son Mark. He was my best man back in 1978. I told him he was mad starting up a business when he was 70 yrs of age but he tells me that business is good!

https://oilanalysislab.com/

[Lobo]

Quote: “Are they worth having on a bike to help with keeping an eye on engine & gearbox wear?”

I guess the more pertinent question is, “What are they actually worth?” £2?
Versus the value of learning impending gearbox failure….

At these numbers why wouldn’t you use magnetic sump plugs?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Quote: “Are they worth having on a bike to help with keeping an eye on engine & gearbox wear?”

I guess the more pertinent question is, “What are they actually worth?” £2?
Versus the value of learning impending gearbox failure….

At these numbers why wouldn’t you use magnetic sump plugs?

So that's a yes then - just need to find out what thread the sump plug is as I'm pretty certain mine isn't magnetic.

[philward]

Funny enough, I bought one off ebay a few weeks ago and done the annual service on my 750k2 today. Went to fit the magnetic plug, found the plug had the wrong 1.5mm pitch thread (standard thread is 1.25mm I think - something to check when buying one

[philward]

Just had a message back from eBay seller saying he has sold hundreds of the 1.5mm pitch drain plugs for 750s with no returns. I'm now doubting myself. To save me draining the fresh oil, can anyone please confirm the thread pitch for the 750 sump plug - and the 500 as well please

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[Nurse Julie]

Just had a message back from eBay seller saying he has sold hundreds of the 1.5mm pitch drain plugs for 750s with no returns. I'm now doubting myself. To save me draining the fresh oil, can anyone please confirm the thread pitch for the 750 sump plug - and the 500 as well please

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

Both 1.5 pitch Phil. (The same on all SOHC/4's)

[fogrider]

You don't need to buy a new sump plug, just get one of those small diameter high-tech magnets, measure its diameter, drill the sump plug and push it in the hole .
It can't fall out, its magnetic !

[philward]

Both 1.5 pitch Phil. (The same on all SOHC/4's)
[/quote]

Thanks Julie - I think the thread on the magnetic sump plug may have a burr on the starter thread thats made me think that the threads are different - I'll message the ebay seller and apologies for the wrong info

[Lobo]

Oddjob - like that idea (filter surrounded by 🧲 magnets) - but does this prohibit you from actually seeing any swarf etc at filter change?

Or do ya go on to perform a filter autopsy … messy job!

[Bryanj]

regular oil analysis will tell if when anything is starting to go wrong, even down to carburation(fuel dilation of oil) but it is a bit pricey to do