I got my pair of Filter Magnets installed today.

[CarlB]

In one of his recent Youtube videos, the oil geek suggests this very thing, but using a magnetic oil drain plug, instead of the filter magnets. He implied that it would have value through the first few oil changes, until you observe that the engine wear has significantly reduced and stabilized. His reasoning is the first time that I have found any real value in a magnetic oil drain plug, or filter magnets. I've always considered them a fun experiment, that enhances the entertainment of our oil changes, but unnecessary to protect an engine from premature wear and failure. By premature, I mean that the rest of the car will wear out long before most modern engines.

It's definitely a good visual indicator. The folks that cut open filters will enjoy a magnetic plug.

 

[CarlB]

Here's a few things I know. A NAPA Gold or Microgard Select oil filter made by Premium Guard catches 23-25 microns @ 99%, which means it's not catching all particles smaller than 23-25 microns.

Filtermag catches all sizes of ferrous particles from 2-40 microns that circulate in oil. I think that's a good thing.

Most UOAs only detect particles that are 2-5 microns (if I understand correctly).

How can ferrous particles from 6-22 microns get detected? By getting trapped by magnets and then being seen as grey scum on examination.

So I don't think UOAs tell the full story of how much ferrous material. I think magnets are more effective than some people realize.

More testing is fine for anyone who wants to do it, and Zee0Six outlined a sensible test procedure in post 33 if anyone wants to do it.

I'm already sold and am a believer. If you've never put a Filtermag on an oil filter and later removed it, then you cannot conceive of how strong the magnetic field is. If you get a Filtermag and experience it, then you'll understand.

Also, Filtermag is rated to work from -40F to 300F. So temperature is not a concern.

I bought a pair/set of SS Filtermag. A pair/set of MC Filtermag would have been even better due to 54% more surface area, but I didn't want to spend that much.

It's not just smaller particles. 99% efficiency isn't catching all particles inside 23-25 microns either. 1 in 100 will pass through.

A single advertised rating isn't enough to determine it's efficiency at different micron levels. Without test numbers of the efficiency below 23, we don't know what it is. It could be .01%, 50%, 98.7%, etc. It's probably not 0%, but there isn't information to determine that from "Premium Guard catches 23-25 microns @ 99%."