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THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHLN magnetic oil plug failure and oil question
Leading reported evidence
Replace every time you
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Read evidence and context
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Porsche intended the drain plug to be replaced every time you change the oil, like the original housing for the filter.
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Suggestion
That said, these failures are far and few between and we'll replace the drain plug for free, even though it's been in service for many, many years, as a courtesy.
Leading evidence: 'Replace every time you' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace drain plug' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I have replaced the magnetic drain plug with every oil change since my purchase of car 5 years ago.
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He replaced the tool and went back at it, before he finally called us when the plug failed to complain about how we had �over- torqued� his drain plug, and now it was impossible to remove.
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I set my torque wrench to 46 and proceeded to re-install the drain plug, I guess all the heat cycles had weakened the metal on the diff back plate as a large chunk of metal holding the drain plug just broke off.
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He didn�t know �lefty loosey� and ended up tightening his drain plug instead of loosening it.
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Replace drain plug
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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Suggestion
That said, these failures are far and few between and we'll replace the drain plug for free, even though it's been in service for many, many years, as a courtesy.
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Well this sucks
I purchased this in December 2014 and have had 10-14 oil changes since then.
i did not use a torque wrench on this oil change. the head sheared off.
see pictures. The LN magnetic plug head is sheared off.
fun question:
the oil is Rotella T6 5W-40
its dripping about 2 drops per minute with engine warm and off. rough calculation based on video is 1440 drops per 12 hours or 2 drops per minute
how much oil in in a drop ? which will answer how much oil will it leak in 12 hours ?
at what rate will it leak slower when the engine is cool ?
So you overtightened your LN plug cause you didn't use a torque wrench, then stripped it to bits. What is the question here?
Say a drop is 3x3x3 mm, which is 0.027 mL. 1440 drops = 38 mL per 12 hours. One liter after 308 hours.
You should be able to get the rest of the plug out with a torx socket. As already stated, too much torque. If I remember correctly, from one of the other threads, the torque value for the plug is only 19 ft-lbs.
IIRC, the plug uses a hex (8mm) fitting tightened to 19 ft lbs not a torx head. Even using a torque wrench, a torx head will eventually round out the plug fitting.
19 ft/lb according to the LN site.
I'd be thankful that the head sheered off vs. stripping the threads in your oil pan. Replacing the drain plug is a lot easier, and cheaper than the entire pan.
You have one of the earlier versions of the plug, as do I. The new ones are made differently and are stronger. If you're quick, you can probably change the plug without losing too much oil.
Expensive but a great product. I use one on my 996. Also don't have to worry about hex or torx - I think it uses a 17mm open end wrench or socket.
http://www.drainplugmagnets.com/porsche.php
I suggested using a torx, because the hole is somewhat damaged. Since you don't care about further damage at this point, that is what I'd use if the 8mm hex doesn't fit easily in the hole. You don't want to force it in.
great info from the Porsche Clan thank you user 63031 for the math.
I accept full responsibility for it, ive done it so many times i know the feel and it was not forced off it was ...done.. and I just barely tightened it.
yes thank you Splitting Atoms, the hex tool to extract is a good idea.
i am usually very careful and log every repair parts with pics etc.
That's the reason we chose against a steel plug. The aluminum threads won't strip the pan out.
I'll point out the factory drain plug has the same mode of failure if you use it long enough or over-torque it repeatedly. Porsche intended the drain plug to be replaced every time you change the oil, like the original housing for the filter. That said, these failures are far and few between and we'll replace the drain plug for free, even though it's been in service for many, many years, as a courtesy.
This, and the fact that Charles is active and willing to help (he has answered my PMs on multiple occasions), is why I buy LN products. Not to mention the R&D to back up solid engineering.
Kudos
wow !! thats good customer service. Thanks I will take you up on this offer. I had no idea that plug was a routine replacement item.
Ive the LN bearing on my car and have talked to your owner in the past on another Pcar. Keep up the good customer service.
I would ask that you send an email to
[email removed]
with all your contact information and a brief description and photos. My staff will take care of this for you ASAP.
Great customer service!
I have replaced the magnetic drain plug with every oil change since my purchase of car 5 years ago.
It was suggested by a Porsche Dealer/Service center that I trust.
I bought my LN mag plug in 2017. So it should be a newer model. I do 19 lbs with fresh crush washer. Seems like a small amount of force, but this thread explains why it is probably good. In addition, my drain plug has never leaked after at least 6 oil changes.
Bought mine back in 2017 as well, hasn't leaked but I've had to clean it and there has been residue.
Going to check it again to see if anything has changed.
If a drop is 0.05ml, and an oil change is 9.3 gallons, there are 704,080 drops. It would take 244.47 days. Of course, you can save time by changing the oil filter housing contents while you wait.
My plug stripped the very first time I used it. It had been torqued properly too. I did get a credit return from Pelican, and hopefully they sent it back to LN for failure analysis. I had one a few years back in my Boxster, and was quite happy with it. One for 2 I guess. The LN products are generally very good. I use the spin on filter adapter, and the bearing upgrade is going in this fall (did both on my Boxster). Back to the plug - it is very soft.
Not saying this is the case with you, but we do random destructive testing on our plugs and it takes 70+ ft/lb to round them out, however if an SAE hex (or in one case someone used a torx), it will round out on the 1st or 2nd try, or if the metric allen is rounded or damaged in some way.
Let me just add that this thread is not an open invitation for people to email asking for new drain plugs for free because they want the new version. If you have a legit problem that isn't normal wear and tear, I'm happy to replace drain plugs, but no drain plug is a forever item. Just want to make that perfectly clear as several people have emailing thinking they are entitled to free stuff just because.
With magnetic drain plugs my concern is always that if the magnet shatters for any reason, or if it slips out of the the aluminum housing, you now have an entire magnet or bits of magnet in your sump. Are the magnets bonded into the aluminum plugs? Or press fit? Just seems like there is a (admittedly small) chance that the magnet could break or come loose and get into your oil supply. Seems to me it would be better to have the magnet on the outside of the plug, embedded in the bottom of a pocket from the outside rather than stuck in the tip of the plug. That way if it breaks or comes loose from the plug, it just falls on the ground.
Plugs are glued in with high temp bearing mount, rather than press fit, for that exact reason. Magnets are somewhat fragile and we don't want them to crack or shatter. We haven't had any crack or shatter with the process we use. The bearing mount product works great for this. The magnets are impossible to get out once cured without destroying the magnet and plug.
When properly installed, and torqued these plugs work great.
Every engine we have built since 2008 has received one of these as standard equipment. Of those we�ve had one failure, which was admittedly the user�s fault... He didn�t know �lefty loosey� and ended up tightening his drain plug instead of loosening it. he was one of those guys that made it a monumental effort to �change his own oil�... He exerted over 100Ft/lb of torque on the plug, and broke the hex tool....
That didn�t stop him. He replaced the tool and went back at it, before he finally called us when the plug failed to complain about how we had �over- torqued� his drain plug, and now it was impossible to remove. He destroyed his sump plate in the process. When Jake told him that he�d been tightening the plug, rather than loosening it, the voice on the other end of the phone went really quiet..
Yes, he was a member of this forum, and an Engineer. #truestory
I used to worry that 19 ft/lb would be a little on the loose side as the stock setup was around 37 ft/lb. Then I use the same for the oil filter canister as it says 25n/m which is pretty close to 19 ft/lb.
I've always used a fresh crush washer and never had a leak.
Speaking of messing up a routine job. I was changing the rear diff fluid on an 98 M3. The torque for the drain and fill plugs was listed in the Bentley manual as 46 ft/lb. I set my torque wrench to 46 and proceeded to re-install the drain plug, I guess all the heat cycles had weakened the metal on the diff back plate as a large chunk of metal holding the drain plug just broke off. At first I thought I needed a new diff, but really is was just the back plate and a gasket ($120).
Anything that can go wrong will. To this day I am very good about using a the proper torque and expecting parts to have weakened over time.
To be honest, I always have to make sure I�m turning the wrench in the right direction, because when I�m under the car or upside down, strange angles, I�m not always sure which direction is right. So I have to take an extra 2 seconds to think about it, lol.
I've read about magnetic oil plug for years. Very controversial subject matter. Seems like Porsche used to put them on their aircooled cars from the factory, right? Why did they stop?
