Magnetic oil drain plugs

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Just wondering, has anyone put a magnetic oil drain plug into their Passat?

Any pro's?
Any con's?
 

LeeM

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Location
Hagerstown,MD
TDI
2015 Passat SE, 2002 Jetta Reflex Silver
I used on in my 2013 Passat SE 6MT for 90.000 miles and just put on in my 2015 Passat SE 6MT. There is always a little fuzz on the magnet at the end of 10,000 mile oil change. It can't hurt to stop the fuzz from circulating through the engine. I got mine from metalnerd.com. The copper washers that come with the magnetic oil drain plug always form a good seal.
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
I used on in my 2013 Passat SE 6MT for 90.000 miles and just put on in my 2015 Passat SE 6MT. There is always a little fuzz on the magnet at the end of 10,000 mile oil change. It can't hurt to stop the fuzz from circulating through the engine. I got mine from metalnerd.com. The copper washers that come with the magnetic oil drain plug always form a good seal.
Is that fuzz you speak of ferrous? It must be if it sticks to a magnet. Large chunks of iron wear? What does an oil analysis show? Just questions that maybe you cannot answer. Are these particles too large to show up in an oil analysis because they are too heavy to be suspended.? Why doesn't the oil filter remove them?
 

jrm

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
there is a analysis thread, but photo bucket went belly up so all the Blackstone reports are no longer readable. Overall yes the CKRA has high iron and extremely high aluminum- mine averaged 200ppm aluminum to the point Blackstone was worried my crank bearings where totally gone, they all do it and none of the people in that thread experienced any oil usage. I agree, very strange indeed
 

LeeM

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Location
Hagerstown,MD
TDI
2015 Passat SE, 2002 Jetta Reflex Silver
The fuzz was more seen than felt when cleaning the magnet during an oil change. It was as black as the oil and could almost pass for soot when viewed on a paper towel. Never used oil and didn't have an oil analysis done.
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
there is a analysis thread, but photo bucket went belly up so all the Blackstone reports are no longer readable. Overall yes the CKRA has high iron and extremely high aluminum- mine averaged 200ppm aluminum to the point Blackstone was worried my crank bearings where totally gone, they all do it and none of the people in that thread experienced any oil usage. I agree, very strange indeed
Forgive me but sometimes I think Blackstone's analysis and conclusion statements are over rated or over reacted to. Just think about 200 parts per million. That is 200 parts suspended aluminum in a million parts of oil. Think of sub micron aluminum particles as 200 hundred gallons in a million gallons of oil. What is that in one gallon of crank case oil? How much actually wore off the bearings? And there are four of them.
 
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MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Just ordered one for my 15 tdi... will install when I change my oil again.
Well, do you do you actually feel that that plug will increase the longevity of your new engine. Millions of miles have been put on TDI engines with the standard oil pan plug without collecting what ever the unknown substance is that has been collected by a magnetic plug.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
They won't do much to extend the life of the engine, but can be a good, cheap indicator of major engine problems. Most people don't want to be bothered with used oil analysis.
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
They won't do much to extend the life of the engine, but can be a good, cheap indicator of major engine problems. Most people don't want to be bothered with used oil analysis.
Another thought for the sake of conversation. I don't change my own oil anymore so I can't speak about what I am about to ask. Has anybody seen anything that resembles what the OP is describing on a plain old fashion steel plug? Is this same fuzzy goo in the bottom of the oil pan also. Maybe it is just sludge. And it would stick to any plug magnetic or not.
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
Interesting comments, thanks.

I had ordered one and it just came. So now when I take it to the dealer for the oil changes I'll have to advise them that the plug is permanent and only requires a new washer and probably not torquing it down too much.

BTW: Each time the dealer does the oil change they throw the plug away and guess who pays for it? At least it appears on my bill as such.
 
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