In article ,
"G.R. Patterson III" wrote:

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:

I'm sure the shop is doing it but I do most of the oil changes myself
(except the one at annual). I'm not checking the screen.

I check mine every other oil change, whether I've run up 50 hours or not. My
engine
is an O-320. On that, the screen looks like a horizontal drain plug on the
sump.
Safety-wired, of course.

George Patterson
None of us is as dumb as all of us.



I check mine every oil change (25 hr) AND, I have a niobium magnet in
each drain plug, to collect all ferrous metals.

IMHO, the magnet asved my plane (possibly my life) a couple of years
ago, when I found some flattened pieces of steel, anout .05" across.
They were coming from the big roller bearing that serves as a thrust
bearing -- its cage had broken and it was making some noises which I
could hear at idle.

The steel drain plugs are the perfect place to put one or two of these
magnets, as they are self-attaching.