The Series 2 owners club magazine, (Built 2 Last) features helpful workshop tips in each release. One of these caught my eye in this years spring edition… How to make a magnetic drain plug for the main gearbox. All you need is a decent neodymium magnet and some epoxy resin… and a couple of day for the epoxy to harden correctly.
Given the gearbox is not going anywhere fast, I took advantage of the time to perform this simple improvement. I’m reliably informed this is called a “life hack”.
New magnets and the drain plug from the main gearbox
This was as close together I could get the magnets due to their field strength
The two magnets stuck together and dropped in the bottom of the drain pug. Nice snug fit.
Even through the (non magnetic) brass plug, these 2 small magnets easily hold a heavy spanner
To glue them in, I have my trusted 2 pack Araldite. The instructions in the magazine suggested using Scotch-Weld but they both have oil resistant properties.
Mix up a good amount of the adhesive and hardener…
Careful apply some of the adhesive into the bottom of the plug…
… and drop the magnets into the adhesive.
Poke the magnets to the bottom and carefully apply more of the sticky stuff
The adhesive took about 24 hours to harden off…
Plenty of magnetic adhesion there.
Plug in place. This will capture any steel particles in the gearbox. It will probably magnetise part of the aluminium casing but once the plug is removed (removing the magnetic field) the steel particles will flow out with the oil.
I have ordered a replacement plug as the threads on this one are looking a bit ropey. I’ll use the other two magnets to perform the same “hack” on the new plug. This one will go in the spares box under the drivers seat.
Whilst I was in the garage, I took out a small paint brush and painted the breather plate on the top of the selector shaft cover. It bugged be every time I looked at it and saw the flaking paint.
A quick wipe down with some Acetone…A quick paint with some matt black Buzzweld chassis paint.
Little Green Landy 