Magnets on an oil filter

[Cripes]

Anyone agree/disagree with putting a magnet or two on the oil filter to try to catch metallic particulate as it passes thru the filter? I cannot see the harm, so I put two very strong magnets I removed from am old PC hard drive on my filter. I'd love to see a cut of one.

(I've tried the search function on this forum, but it's not so helpful).

 

[supton]

Might do something, if it is strong enough to get field lines through the metal on the canister. Can't see why it would harm anything.

Do you plan to cut open at the end and see if anything was caught? I'd be curious if afterwards magnetic field can be detected on the inside of the canister (use a nail or whatever, see if force can be felt).

 

[901Memphis]

Here's a link with my filter with a filter mag installed, they definitely caught stuff but would it have gotten trapped in the media if not on the inside of the can??

Either way it increases the holding capacity of the filter because you're putting contamination to a stop on the inside of the can without sacrificing media space.


https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3766530/1

 

[901Memphis]

Here's the picture if you don't want to click

 

[circuitsmith]

I put a hard drive magnet on the bottom of my oil pan. Take it off when I change the oil.
I figure since the oil is moving more slowly in that location it can trap and hold more "stuff".

 

[BobsArmory]

I have used a FilterMag for years and see the same results as shown above. My guess is that it traps particles that might pass thru the filter.

 

[Cripes]

I will cut my filter open, and post pictures here. If I see results like 901Memphis', I will add many more magnets to my filters. That is awesome. I have piles of old hard drives to shred. The hard drive magnets are very, very strong, and I've seen two magnets per for each one Ive opened.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
I have used a FilterMag for years and see the same results as shown above. My guess is that it traps particles that might pass thru the filter.


I'd agree.

There is however a potential downside, since you are magnetising ferrous wear particles.

If these then become detached, due to turbulence or vibration, they may stick to steel components like cams or crankshafts, potentially accelerating wear.

Then they are also less likely to be removed by an oil change.

 

[UncleDave]

Magnets are great cheap filter boosters, and will pull particles from the oil that will circle in your mill over an over.

A magnet makes a good filter better and the two act as a team.

Filter mags data suggest they will drop the ferrous particle count one full iso code.


UD

 

[blupupher]

I did it on my Dodge van I had but never cut the filters open.
I still have the magnets, maybe I will put them on my filters since I am cutting them again.
I can see the magnets getting some of the finer particles that may be to small to be caught in the filter.

 

[DBMaster]

Why hasn't one of the major filter manufacturers added magnets to an oil filter and offered it at a premium price as an enhanced filter? Strong magnets are super cheap in bulk.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Us the magnets. Who cars exactly how much wear they might prevent. That fuzzy stuff the magnet collects probably does not lubricate as well as engine oil. But, if you don't keep a car very long then forget it, why bother.

 

[UncleDave]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Why hasn't one of the major filter manufacturers added magnets to an oil filter and offered it at a premium price as an enhanced filter? Strong magnets are super cheap in bulk.


Interesting idea. A manufacturer could easily put a few inside the can and they would be even more effective than an external magnet.

I hate throwing away rare earth metals but they are super cheap now.

The other thing in an extended run situation - every gram the magnets hold is one gram of capacity the filter can use for other debris before clogging.

UD

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Why hasn't one of the major filter manufacturers added magnets to an oil filter and offered it at a premium price as an enhanced filter? Strong magnets are super cheap in bulk.


Maybe because of the potential downside (see above)

Or maybe because it draws attention to the fact that the standard filters let so much stuff through.

 

[kschachn]

...

 

[holdorf333]

I do it. I don't think it provides any tangible benefits, I just like to see what has accumulated since last oil change.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: UncleDave
The other thing in an extended run situation - every gram the magnets hold is one gram of capacity the filter can use for other debris before clogging.


Just how many grams of iron, cobalt or nickel is your engine producing in one OCI?

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Magnets on oil filter is dumb.... like said earlier, turbulence could cause buildup to dislodge..

Best place for a magnet is on the oil drain plug.

 

[Brad_C]

Most cheap magnets and those in hard disk actuators lose significant force above about 80C. Some cheaper neodymium magnets (again like those in hard disk actuators) can become permanently demagnetised above those temps, so just be careful about the magnets you use. High temp magnets are available and are not particularly hard to get hold of or expensive.

I dunno about your motors, but mine sees oil temps above 80C regularly.

 

[Ducked]

Originally Posted By: UncleDave
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Why hasn't one of the major filter manufacturers added magnets to an oil filter and offered it at a premium price as an enhanced filter? Strong magnets are super cheap in bulk.


Interesting idea. A manufacturer could easily put a few inside the can and they would be even more effective than an external magnet.

I hate throwing away rare earth metals but they are super cheap now.

The other thing in an extended run situation - every gram the magnets hold is one gram of capacity the filter can use for other debris before clogging.

UD


Taiwanette asked her uncle, and he gave her an old-stock magnetic oil filter which, AFAICT, seems to still be manufactured right next door in Kaoshiung (Gaoxiong). 150NT.

No idea how effective it is, and I don't think I'll fit it until I implement some means of evaluating that (which may never happen), but even so its slightly intriguing. From the picture on the box, its an in-line magnet like the Magnaguard , but it comes "built-in" to a throw-away spin-on filter.

http://www.hiwtc.com/products/s-n-power-auto-magnetic-oil-filters-1377795-71173.htm

http://www.hiwtc.com/photo/products/3/07/11/71173.jpg

Its suspiciously cheap, of course, but not as cheap, or apparently as light as the purely "conventional" (and allegedly OEM) filter from the uncle, which is 100NT. Both seem very small but I havn't measured the one already on the car.

I don't much like a magnet in that location though because detached magnetised particles would go straight into the bearings.

The leaflet in the box makes some fairly risible claims, (see below) but that doesn't prove its useless.

"THE EFFECTION OF MAGNETIC OIL FILTER

Idling RPM of engine will speed up 20-50 RPM after running 30 minutes and CO, HC will be reduced to 50% simultaneously [This sounds like its warming up, and unrelated to the device.]

After one week idling RPM will increase up about 200 RPM and CO, HC will be reduced to 50% to 90% simultaneously

Temporarily increasing of CO means decreasing of carbon"....etc, etc

More discussion here

http://www.forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?f=75&t=103308&hilit=magnets