I went through BASIC  at Ft. Polk, not my favorite time.  Other than that, I liked my job in the Army.  Later, after going back to school...getting married...and 2 kids...ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY...I joined the Navy to fly jets.  Innitially I was in the NFO (Naval Flight Officer) program and within 1 week of getting my WINGS OF GOLD, when I had a really bad sinus/ear problem during a flight,  I was grounded for months during the recovery process, then was told by the flight surgeon  that if I continued in the jets I could expect more of the same.  I said no thanks and was removed from flight status.  While waiting for reassignment I was encouraged by another pilot to try for a waiver to fly helo's, since they fly at relatively low altitude (no problems while in the Army all those years, I had a lot of years in the Nat. Guard too).  Anyway, I got the waivers, one for the medical issue and the other because I was over the age limit for pilots.  Since I had more flight hours than the flight instructors, they modified the pilot program for me and I began with the PRIMARY phase of training.  Within a couple weeks of completing PRIMARY I started having migraines.  Needless to say it did not take too many weeks of that before the flight surgeon said that they would not let me fly any longer since I was having to take narcortics for the migraines.  GROUNDED AGAIN, this time for good, and they put me in an administrative job in aviation maintenance.  I hated it, I am a technician by birth/creation, not a paper pusher.  So I took the next opportunity to exit stage right.
See, I should have just stayed in the Army and  played with the Huey's.

Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:


What's funny is English grammar  8)

What's also funny is how a thread goes from leaking head cover plug, to magnetic drain plugs, and then morphs into helicopter stories.  I wanted to hear more about the tampon  

Oh, I see.  I did work on "chopper" motors when I was in the Navy, though.  Can I play too?

You know, about the Magnetic plugs.  I did a google search for rare earth magnets and found a place where you can get a bag for about $6.00
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/detail.aspx?ID=85

Now, at Magnetic drainplug.com, if you look at their pix, note that their product is in (or stting on) OEM bags.

I'll betcha they are just drilling out OEMs and sticking in a magnet.

Buy a bag, drill a small hole in your own bike plug, put in a drop of JBWeld, tap the magnet in tight, let it dry overnight. Replace plug, refill and ride with confidence.

FWIW, I've seen a similar idea, but the inventor, not me, placed a small R.E.Magnet on the oil filter.  That would work too.

Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:


darn!  I like that idea.  Really good one.  I'm gonna do it.  I have a filter to install and I have some small utility magnets hanging around too.

The down side is that a magnetic drain plug catches the steel before it goes through the pump, but what the heck.    It might be interesting to see what gets caught.

I spent more time cutting the cheese than messing around with the meat.

Mag plugs do work.
Thanks for the tip guys.
11 bucks out the door.
cheap insurance for sure.

Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:


Wow a flashback...
if I drink a case of beers I like to play [glow=red,2,300]RARE EARTH [/glow]ECOLOGY LP, I'm Losin You (long version) real loud while doing the fire dance, the echo is far out!    8)

Like the idea of a magnet (neodymium), in the plug and in the filter housing.