[AoS810]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 2008 E90 328i with the GA6L45R automatic tranmission and I may be buying into the magnetic drain plugs gimmick(?).

http://www.drainplugmagnets.com/bmwautomobiles.php

I'm most likely going to be buying the following 3 magnetic plugs:
1) Engine: "M12X1.5X18"
2) Transmission: "NEW M14X1.5X12, FOR BMW AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS"
3) Differential: "M22X 1.5, DIFFERENTIAL FILL AND OR DRAIN PLUG AND SOME TRANSFER CASES FOR 4 WHEEL VEHICLES"

Does anyone know if the plug for #2 is the correct one for my transmission? Their website doesn't really help me confirm whether this is the correct plug. i.e. 328i vs 335i automatic trans, etc.

I've tried reaching out to Dimple but the response time has been pretty slow.

Would appreciate any input from the community, thanks!

- James

[Phil325i]

Why would they be a gimmick? I've recently bought thier plugs for engine, gearbox and diff. I found thier response to emails very quick. Actually bought them from Dimple's agent in the UK...

[fravel]

Be careful torquing those magnetic plugs. I had one from ECS that snapped off in my oil pan, was a pain in the ass to get out and had me in panic mode trying to remove it.

[AoS810]

Originally Posted by Phil325i

Why would they be a gimmick? I've recently bought thier plugs for engine, gearbox and diff. I found thier response to emails very quick. Actually bought them from Dimple's agent in the UK...

Nice, and I was half joking about the gimmick comment, anything that it removes from circulation will make me happy. Do you have the ZF or GM transmission? I actually got a response directly from Richard yesterday and he mentioned and I quote:

Richard@Dimple: "I would not change the transmission plug. Someone told me it was difficult to take out and put in and may not be worth the effort."

Is this your experience as well Phil?

Originally Posted by fravel

Be careful torquing those magnetic plugs. I had one from ECS that snapped off in my oil pan, was a pain in the ass to get out and had me in panic mode trying to remove it.

Thanks for the headsup! I have definitely seen others having similar experience with the ECS plug.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by fravel

Be careful torquing those magnetic plugs. I had one from ECS that snapped off in my oil pan, was a pain in the ass to get out and had me in panic mode trying to remove it.

Has happened to many others as well

[Phil325i]

Originally Posted by AoS810

Do you have the ZF or GM transmission? I actually got a response directly from Richard yesterday and he mentioned and I quote:

Richard@Dimple: "I would not change the transmission plug. Someone told me it was difficult to take out and put in and may not be worth the effort."

Is this your experience as well Phil?

Waiting for my next transmission oil change before I fit it. AFAIR I have the ZF box (manual). Having successfully changed the fluid before, I can't really understand what he means by 'difficult to take out'...

[hugyourewoks]

I use the magnetic drain plug in my engine, front and rear diffs, and manual transmission. I've only changed the engine oil since installing all of the plugs, but every time I have changed the oil I have noticed metal particulate sludge on the magnet. I recently changed the valve cover gaskets and was pleasantly surprised with the excellent condition of the valve train for the 212xxx miles on the engine (obviously other factors are at play, not just a magnetic drain plug.

[AoS810]

So I found the bolt specs (M12x1.75) for the GM GA6L45R transmission drain plug in the Bentley manual. This is definitely different than what's listed on Dimple's site: M14X1.5X12

The only M12x1.75 bolt I found from Dimple is the below (M12x1.75x21) which is for recent GM products.. which I guess would make sense for our GM auto transmission in the E90 328i?

http://www.drainplugmagnets.com/recentgmandbuick.php

Debating if I should jump on this one to see if it fits..

[PhaseP]

Isn't GM GA6L45R an auto transmission? If so it would have its own magnet on the oil pan, to be cleaned at every filter/oil change. So why need one on the drain plug?
On a manual transmission or differential it may make more sense.
Engine has oil filter that will catch such particles

[AoS810]

Originally Posted by PhaseP

Isn't GM GA6L45R an auto transmission? If so it would have its own magnet on the oil pan, to be cleaned at every filter/oil change. So why need one on the drain plug?
On a manual transmission or differential it may make more sense.
Engine has oil filter that will catch such particles

You're correct! I've decided to stop wasting my time and just replacing the drain plug with an OEM as the drain plug actually has a rubber gasket surrounding it which the Dimple GM plug does not.

Thanks everyone!