How to remove metal shavings from oil drain bolt

randomwalker · 07-19-2011, 04:58 PM

The best way I found was to use chewed chewing gum. Is there a better way?

skapan · 07-19-2011, 05:36 PM

Um, wipe it off with a rag?

randomwalker · 07-19-2011, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skapan

Um, wipe it off with a rag?

The drain plus is magnetic. And the plug I'm replacing the OEM with (to make it easier to drill a hole through for safety wiring reasons) has an even stronger magnet. A rag will only do a so-so job.

skapan · 07-19-2011, 06:34 PM

An even stronger magnet? Seriously, I wipe the magnet of my drain plug 3 or 4 times with a clean rag each time, wrapping it around the plug and squeezing while wiping and there are no longer any clingons. If there were, they will stay on the magnet until next time. I hope.

randomwalker · 07-19-2011, 06:43 PM

That's what I usually do. But I drilled holes through the replacement after-market plug and some of the shavings from the drilling have stuck to the plug. Wiping down with a rag gets the big pieces off but the minute particles are more difficult to get with a rag. Chewing gum got most of it off...I suppose what remains won't fall off but I was just curious if there was a better way to get all the minute shavings off the plug. The stronger magnet was not my choice, but that's the only after-market 16 x 1.5 plug that seems to do the job.

**Sal_R1** · 07-19-2011, 10:56 PM

If you are that picky purchase a brand new drain plug & slip on the fingernail part of disposable latex glove on the magnet tip & just peel off & discard the latex at each oil change! Orrrrrrrrrrr jimmy some other kind of protective/disposable gizmo being careful it stays on the magnet & doesn't start floating around the engine! lol...

skapan · 07-20-2011, 06:57 AM

Was thinking about this all night - did you try compressed air? Maybe get all the bits into one area and then wrap masking tape around your finger sticky side out, press and remove?

LiterBoy · 07-20-2011, 08:48 AM

Mountain out of a molehill, sirs.

randomwalker · 07-20-2011, 09:21 AM

Perhaps a molehill, but it's no mountain to stick chewing gum or the sticky side of duct tape on a bolt to remove magnetized crap. Besides, the technique may come in useful in other applications, too.

diverbelow · 07-20-2011, 09:49 AM

A bit too picky for me...but will love to buy a second bike by someone being like this.