Question about those cheap magnetic oil drain plugs

I put a $15 magnetic drain plug in my personal truck's 6.7 Powerstroke about three months ago. Pulled it for an oil change yesterday and it was covered in a fine metal fuzz that the regular plug never caught. It was a small amount, but seeing it made me check the filter media more closely. Has anyone else run these long term and noticed if they actually help, or is it just giving a false sense of worry?

3 comments

3 Comments

jordank522mo agoMost Upvoted

Totally, mine looked the same and my engine's been fine for years now.

lee.cole1mo ago

I gotta push back a little here @margaret_wright50, I've seen those plugs catch so much fuzz that the magnetism actually starts dropping off after a year or two. The fine stuff is normal at first but if you keep seeing the same amount change after change, it's a sign something's wearing more than it should. A magnetic plug is cool for peace of mind but it's not gonna save an engine that's already shedding metal long term.

margaret_wright502mo ago

Honestly, that metal fuzz is normal for a new magnetic plug. It's just catching the fine wear particles that always circulate in a fresh engine. The regular plug lets that stuff just sit in the oil pan or get caught by the filter. Seeing it might feel scary, but it's actually doing its job. Tbh, it's a good sign it's working, not a reason to worry. Running one long term just means you're pulling a little extra abrasive stuff out each change.