Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

I removed the drain plug on my Mercruiser 165 outdrive and found the magnetic tip of the drain plug missing! I don't know if it came out of the lube oil. What if I install another plug with a magnet? Will the new magnet attract the broken off piece? I just installed new gears in the lower unit and don't want to take it apart again....

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

I would say 'not' <br /><br />Last time I checked, 2 magnets would not go near each other on the kitchen table. <br /><br /> Could it cause damage being left in there? <br />I honestly don't know but I'm sure someone (in the know) will jump in here and fill you in.<br /><br />Hope this helps you out.

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

First off, all magnets have a north and south pole. If 2 magnets are positioned near one another, the alike poles will repel and the opposite poles will attract. Magnets will not "stick" to aluminum, brass, copper, lead, berillium, indium, titanium or a good quality stainless steel.<br /><br />I'd cut a coat hanger and "fish" it through the drain plug hole for the magnet. If it's laying on something non-magnetic like the outdrive housing, it will attach itself to the coat hanger if you should touch the magnet with the coat hanger. Then you can retract it though the drain plug hole.<br /><br />If I didn't find the magnet, I'd at least put the outdrive in gear and turn it by hand to make sure the magnet wasn't in one of the gear teeth where it could cause problems. If that was OK, stick another magnetic drain plug in it and see what you find next time you drain the gearlube.<br /><br />If the outdrive binds up/jams while you are turning it by hand, I don't know anything you could do other than tear the outdrive down.<br /><br />Maybe, somebody else will have a better idea.

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

Being the housing is aluminum the magnet will not stick to it. It will stick to the gears as I am pretty sure they are not stainless. Even if you turn it by hand and nothing jams now what could happen is that the oil being circulated around by the turning gears could throw the magnet into the gears. If you cannot fish the magnet out I would take the gear case apart to get it out. That would be cheaper than having to take it apart and buy new gears.<br /><br />Buttanic

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

I GOT IT OUT! I put the lower unit on it's side and looked in the hole. When I turned the shifter there it was! I carefully removed it with a pair of tweezers. Thanks for the assist, saved me alot of work!!!!

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

Tony,<br />You're 1 Lucky Guy........<br />You otta be Playing the Lottery...........<br />How's the Fishing been Lately ??????????

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

Love all those ium Materials. We didnt mention DU Uranium.

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

Hey bondo......I already put the Grady away for the winter. I just replaced the u-joints and yoke on the outdrive. When I drained the outdrive I found that the magnet was broken, I sure did get lucky finding it! I can't wait for the spring, I only have one outing on the new gears!<br /><br />Hope all is well.......<br /><br />Tony

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

Hey Tony,<br />Sorry to here you've dri-docked for the winter.... <br />I'm Not done yet... <br />Muskie Hunting on the St. Lawrence River this coming Sat.....<br />No Ice at the boat launches Yet....<br /><br />Where do you go boating down your way ????? <br />I've got an old Bud with dockage for Me on City Island,Bronx..... I've been Thinking about trailering down sometime.....Next Season, Maybe.... <br />Day-Trip over to the old Copper Lady, Maybe Around Manhattan.... <br />It'd be Nice to Know Where to find some Fishing in the Sound while I'm there.....

Re: Help!!! Magnet broke off the drain plug!

bondo, I am on the south shore of Lond Island. I go boating in the Great South Bay, hopefully this year after I gain enough confidence in the boat (I only bought it this year), I will stick my nose out in the ocean!