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Old Feb 24, 2021 | 01:56 PM
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Default transmission pan magnet

Had the trans rebuilt. Put a chrome pan on for looks. It was junk. Got a TCI aluminum pan. I don't think the drain plug has a magnet. So I put the magnet that was in the other pan into the new. Not even thinking about it not sticking to the aluminum pan. DUH. Had a leak and had to take the pan off. The magnet was stuck to the bottom of the filter, which is metal. Should I leave the magnet there? I don't think it will hurt anything being there, just not sure.
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Old Feb 24, 2021 | 03:51 PM
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A magnetic drain plug is there to collect any metal in the ATF or Motor Oil. It has nothing to do with what the pan is made out of and doesn't care if a pan is steel, aluminum or plastic.

I think we talked about this before, but chrome pans will never stick to any RTV. Doesn't matter if its a tranny or oil pan, the pan rails are too slick. You will have to rough-up the gasket area or you will never get a good seal
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Old Feb 24, 2021 | 04:34 PM
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Correct. I tossed the chrome pan and got a TCI aluminum. Seems like a great pan. I don't think the drain plug bolt is magnetic. I could be wrong, but not sure. I was going to leave the small flat magnet on the pan filter since I didn't think it would hurt anything and may help trap some metal flakes and keep them out of the filter. Just wondering if there was any reason I should NOT leave that magnet in there.
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Old Feb 24, 2021 | 06:02 PM
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Epoxy the magnet to the pan.
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Old Feb 24, 2021 | 06:29 PM
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Can you replace the drain plug with one that has a built in magnet?
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Old Feb 24, 2021 | 11:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Rob Via
Correct. I tossed the chrome pan and got a TCI aluminum. Seems like a great pan. I don't think the drain plug bolt is magnetic. I could be wrong, but not sure. I was going to leave the small flat magnet on the pan filter since I didn't think it would hurt anything and may help trap some metal flakes and keep them out of the filter. Just wondering if there was any reason I should NOT leave that magnet in there.
There were factory magnets inside the automatic transmission pan I just serviced (not a Vette). I replaced the filter, wiped the magnets, and remounted the pan. EDIT: how often to you take the pan off?

Last edited by Bikespace; Feb 25, 2021 at 12:49 AM.
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Old Feb 25, 2021 | 12:38 AM
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Originally Posted by HeadsU.P.
A magnetic drain plug is there to collect any metal in the ATF or Motor Oil. It has nothing to do with what the pan is made out of and doesn't care if a pan is steel, aluminum or plastic.
The stock steel auto trans oil pans had a "dimple" in them. On the inside of the oil pan, located on this dimple, there was a doughnut-shaped magnet. The magnet was held in place in the oil pan by the "dimple" and by the fact that the pan was made from steel. The pans did not have magnetic drain plugs - they had the doughnut magnet on the pan dimple. The magnet would attract any ferrous particulate and prevent it from entering and clogging the filter, so the filter would only see clogging from non-ferrous (aluminum) particulate and clutch plate material. This was found to extend transmission life when the tranny did not receive regular fluid and filter changes (this was tested and verified by GM in field testing done on Checker taxi cabs).

Lars
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Old Feb 25, 2021 | 08:15 AM
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I found a used, Hughes 2 QT extra capacity heavy aluminum trans pan on EBay for a song. It came with the magnetic drainplug so I got lucky.

And speaking of donut magnets, you can mount those on the outside of steel pans to collect contaminates also. Then remove the magnet just before draining the old fluid / oil.
I have one on my Moroso oil pan but not the aluminum trans pan of course.

Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Feb 25, 2021 at 08:30 AM.
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Old Feb 25, 2021 | 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Rob Via
Just wondering if there was any reason I should NOT leave that magnet in there.
I don't think anyone answered this directly. It's not likely to cause any trouble at all being held to the filter or any other part of the underside of the trans adjacent to the pan area. Leave as is and adjust its location at the next filter change.
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Old Feb 26, 2021 | 08:17 AM
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Originally Posted by 67:72
I don't think anyone answered this directly. It's not likely to cause any trouble at all being held to the filter or any other part of the underside of the trans adjacent to the pan area. Leave as is and adjust its location at the next filter change.
Thanks. That's what I did. Took it out for a first drive in what seems like a year. Not fluid on the floor this morning. Ran great. Maybe my transmission issues are behind me for a while.
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