Engine Oil Filter Magnets?
- Thread starter DR1
- Start date
I think they can attract some iron or steel that would pass otherwise pass through a filter, but I think they'd have to be very strong to do this through the steel canister. I wouldn't pay $100 for the item you're looking at, but I would look into some smaller, very strong rare earth magnets and stick them on the sides and the bottom of the canister. This is something I would do when the car is new, but since I've got 40,000 miles on mine now, I wouldn't bother.
My nissan titan has almost 147k miles on it. Thoughts? Can you provide a link to the specific magnets you are talking about?
I've bought some crazy strong rare earth magnets off e-bay and I stick them on the outside of all my oil filters. Can't hurt. I remove them after I've pulled the filter and stick them on the new filters.
If you have any dead computer hard drives laying around they have some super strong magnets inside them. Some guy here have used them.
We have them on the airplane; a band with several that straps on the oil filter. Our mechanic likes them solely as a diagnostic tool as they catch ferrous debris. I agree and removing them would necessitate swinging the compass again so they stay....
We cut the filters every oil change and you can clearly see what they catch. Cannot see them preventing any wear though.
We cut the filters every oil change and you can clearly see what they catch. Cannot see them preventing any wear though.
Again most engines with proper maintenance out last the vehicle so what are we looking at magnets for? Analytically clean will not keep parts from breaking/
I feel like theyd be best in an oil pan close to being behind the drain bolt so it can be washed away but also far enough from the pickup tube so it doesnt try to suck it up.
I also feel that it would have to be a very strong magnet to keep it all on the walls of the can to be really effective.
But i wonder more if they could change the uoa iron count.
I also feel that it would have to be a very strong magnet to keep it all on the walls of the can to be really effective.
But i wonder more if they could change the uoa iron count.
JHZR2
Staff member
I agree; there are a number of strong magnet suppliers out there. Easy enough to do if you have a filter.
Good small coin type magnets are very inexpensive, about a dollar or less each. Or free powerful little magnets can be sourced from computer drives, CD drives, etc. I put them on my filters. It's cheap and easy. Maybe it helps, maybe not. If they catch any particles though, it could save costly scoring damage or worse... I put a few on each filter, spaced out around the filter. Easy and cheap.
You can find button/ coin neodymiums cheap
3 bones for 10.
www.harborfreight.com
3 bones for 10.
Rare Earth Magnets, 10 Pack
Amazing deals on this 10Pk Rare Earth Magnets at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
Filter mag claims 1-3 iso code drops.
If this is true, it's significant improvement in cleanliness.
Filter magnet? A place where it is a high oil flow in many liters per minute over a small area, and where it can be 6 bar of oil pressure. I would guess that most that could have attached to the walls of the filter would be washed away. Probably much less of a wash away in the sump plug area. I would also guess that the magnets in transmissions are effective because of a low amount of washing is happening. And in automatics the oem mount points of the magnets is the place with least amount of washing motion happening.
Magnets on filters can catch a lot of metallic debris, but magnetic drain plugs do the same for a lot less hassle and $$.
I purchased my Filter-Mag's many years ago and have used them as intended. They have increased significantly in price over the years; I can tell you that when I cut open my filters for a look (mostly curiosity) they do catch ferrous material that sticks to the sidewall of the filter. When you touch the area, it looks and feels more like wear grease/fretting residue. In aviation, electro-magnetic chip detectors are used to provide the aircrew a visual caution light if the particular gearbox has shed enough metal to complete a circuit. The point though is wear begets wear; and yes, "maybe" the filter catches it, but if not, if you amortize your purchase investment over 10-15 years, it is a worthwhile investment if you keep your vehicles long term or purchase brands that use the same diameter filters. We have owned Honda's for 20 or so years so I just move mine to the new vehicle. There are many more sources for high-temperature neodynium/rare earth magnets today than 10-12 years ago. Try a few on your filter, cut your filter open at your change interval and see if the additional expense and work might be worth it to you. In the end, it's an individual choice for your maintenance routine; I felt then and still do feel that it's a good practice.
BlueOvalFitter
Site Donor 2023
This subject ranks right up there with the "5W20 VS 5W30" debate.
What kind of huge difference?
I am leery of filter magnets because of the different flow patterns in an oil filter. If cold oil hits captured iron particles from the day before and there is a bypass event, not sure that would be a good situation. Block bypass systems would be ok and drain plug magnets where the flow is not pressurized. Sure the magnets show captured iron after cutting open a used filter. What does that mean? It means when the engine was stopped, probably hot, the iron particles were captured or recaptured by the magnet. There is no way to know if those particles haven't been through the engine several time before. They can go through the bypass and be recaptured again when the oil is hotter and the bypass is closed. There they are on the magnet.