Question About Magnet Use On Filters on Aluminum Block/Head Engines.

[RipRocK]

Greetings!

I'm interested in using a magnet product, such as a FilterMag on my oil filter for my 2003 Honda Pilot. The review of it over at http://www.off-road.com/ford/reviews/filtermag was rather compelling.

However, one question or concern I have about using something like the FilterMag on my car is that since my Pilot's engine block/heads is aluminum, even if there are any particles due to wear on the engine that are floating around, it wouldn't "stick" to the magnet placed on the filter. IOW, there wouldn't be as much as ferrous particles associated with other types engines, therefore, I would not benefit much at all by using FilterMag.

Is this a fair assumption? I really don't know much about cars, but this was something that was pointed out to me by someone when I was discussing the use of a product like the FilterMag. Thanks for your time and courtesy.

 

[sciroccoGTX16V]

Nah, just find an old computer, open the hard drive and you will find two metal pices with strong magnets attached on them. throw them in the oven for few minutes, the magnets should fall off, stick them on the plug and you are good to go.

 

[Chris]

There are a few parts in there that are made of harder metals such as the crank, rods, rings, cams, rocker arms... The hard drive magnets can also be put on the filter and they always attract some material.

 

[GatorJ]

I have FilterMags on two of my vehicles. The problem with conventional magnets not designed for high temperature use is that they lose a great deal of their strength with heat. That's the problem with the cheaper versions that are held on with elastic bands. The FilterMag is designed for this application and it will attract and, more importantly hold, ferrous metal particles when the oil is at operating temperature. The cheaper ones or magnets not manufactured for this use will drop much of the particles they had captured at those temperatures.

[ August 16, 2003, 09:22 PM: Message edited by: GatorJ ]

 

[sbc350gearhead]

Aluminum blocks still use iron cylinder sleeves.

 

[GatorJ]

deleted

[ August 16, 2003, 09:21 PM: Message edited by: GatorJ ]

 

[Fillherup]

I bought two FilterMags and like then. They are actually cost effective if you try to buy the magnets (I don't have access to old HDs).

The only misleading marketing is that only the large heavy duty magnets filter the best. You have to really read the specs to find this out. The one that fit my Camry and Pathfinder are somewhat smaller. THe HD ones just will not fit.

 

[Silk]

I use the magnets found in auto trans pans - they have done untold kms running hot by the time we get to toss the trans and salvage the magnets.

 

[Luchsea]

Another source for strong torroidal-shaped magnets is from the magnetron of a dead microwave oven. There are usually two magnets about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter and have been exposed to heat already. Why can't you just apply a magnet to both the bottom of the oil filter and to the oil drain plug? (The drain plug essentially becomes a sort of mag plug right?)