I got my pair of Filter Magnets installed today.

[Hatsuwr]

One thing for sure, they will need to be very strong magnets, as the field on the inside will be quite weak, and weaker when hot.

There is a configuration called a Halbach array that focuses the magnetic field on just one side of a set of magnets - I'm fairly sure the FilterMags use this.

I wrote a bit about the topic here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/regarding-magnets-on-oil-filters.388954/

I designed a fully parametric retainer model that should adapt to any right rectangular prism magnet size and oil filter diameter. Got a little sidetracked with other projects, but it's ready to print and test whenever I have a bit of free time.

 

[Hatsuwr]

He needs to do a full OCI of at least 5K miles on a gas engine with and without a filter magnet. Not just drive 500 miles and then put a filter magnet on for 20 miles. That would be a useless flawed test.

That channel hurts to watch... He puts so much time and effort into his tests, but there seems to always be serious (and easily avoided) issues that make it really hard to draw useful conclusions from them. I really appreciate his dedication, but so much could be improved just by asking for input on the methodology beforehand.

 

[Carlostrece]

There is a configuration called a Halbach array that focuses the magnetic field on just one side of a set of magnets - I'm fairly sure the FilterMags use this.

They do focus the magnetic field in one direction (into the oil filter).

 

[CarlB]

Answered in post 110.

Norias life extension tables show life extension per code drop.
881825 also discusses micron reduction as it relates to wear reduction.

How you wish to achieve the drop or drops is up to you.
Also up to you is what is or isn't meaningful in terms of extension.

Where's the evidence that the magnet causes reduction? (Beyond what a filter would catch)

 

[Pablo]

There is a configuration called a Halbach array that focuses the magnetic field on just one side of a set of magnets - I'm fairly sure the FilterMags use this.

I wrote a bit about the topic here: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/regarding-magnets-on-oil-filters.388954/

I designed a fully parametric retainer model that should adapt to any right rectangular prism magnet size and oil filter diameter. Got a little sidetracked with other projects, but it's ready to print and test whenever I have a bit of free time.

Thanks! Great thread.

 

[Pablo]

Where's the evidence that the magnet causes reduction? (Beyond what a filter would catch)

You mean wear reduction?

It’s inferred from my reading. A magnet can catch particles under 20 microns. Most filters can’t.

Now how much wear these smaller particles cause in any given engine varies but there is some. Enough to worry about or statistically reduce engine life? Unknown

 

[CarlB]

You mean wear reduction?

It’s inferred from my reading. A magnet can catch particles under 20 microns. Most filters can’t.

Now how much wear these smaller particles cause in any given engine varies but there is some. Enough to worry about or statistically reduce engine life? Unknown

I wasn't looking for evidence of the correlation between wear and oil contamination (lots of that exists). I was looking for evidence of the filter magnet reducing contamination beyond an oil filter alone.

Like you said, the engine life impact is a different issue, plus involves lots of other variables.

 

[Pablo]

I wasn't looking for evidence of the correlation between wear and oil contamination (lots of that exists). I was looking for evidence of the filter magnet reducing contamination beyond an oil filter alone.

Like you said, the engine life impact is a different issue, plus involves lots of other variables.

Again inferred. But some kind of controlled designed experiment would be great.

1) We know magnets CAN catch 3u-20u Fe particles
2) We know most filters WON'T catch most particles under 20um
3) So the inference is they are catch-able.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Again inferred. But some kind of controlled designed experiment would be great.

1) We know magnets CAN catch 3u-20u Fe particles
2) We know most filters WON'T catch most particles under 20um
3) So the inference is they are catch-able.

Item 2) expansion. All filters will catch some level of particles below 20u, but how much depends on the filter's efficiency, and that's why a more efficient oil filter can matter in the first place. A filter with an ISO 4548-12 rating of 99% @ 20u is going to catch way more particles below 20u than one with much less efficiency. Just look at the Ascent ISO test graphs of efficiency vs particle size for those 3 most efficient filters tested. If a filter can catch 80% of 5u particles, then maybe someone could justify that adding a magnet isn't getting much added ferrous particulate out of the oil. It still would, but theoretically not as much compared to if the filter was much less efficient.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I wasn't looking for evidence of the correlation between wear and oil contamination (lots of that exists). I was looking for evidence of the filter magnet reducing contamination beyond an oil filter alone.

Like you said, the engine life impact is a different issue, plus involves lots of other variables.

Keeping as much debris out of the oil (without going wild in cost) that can cause wear is one of those variables, and a magnet obviously catches ferrous particulate that the oil filter can't, much of it below 20u which can cause added engine wear. Yeah, yeah ... "is it enough to make any difference?" is always going to be the response. That's up to whoever owns the machine to decide.

Your avatar looks like you have motorcycles. If so, do you use a magnetic drain plug in them? You think a magnetic drain plug in a motorcycle with a shared sump would made a difference? Most motorcycles have a magnetic drain plug from the factory, and they also have an oil filter, so why did those engineers also want a magnetic drain plug.

 

[Carlostrece]

Again inferred. But some kind of controlled designed experiment would be great.

1) We know magnets CAN catch 3u-20u Fe particles
2) We know most filters WON'T catch most particles under 20um
3) So the inference is they are catch-able.

I'd bet money there have been extensive government and industry tests on this. I haven't tried to find them because I'm not that curious or motivated, but they likely exist. IIRC someone early in the thread posted some info from industry.