Filter Magnets-Your thoughts/Opinions

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Is it a good idea and does it actually make a difference? The motor isn't broken in yet so the particles are still present.

Are there any particular brands you guys use? I think FilterMag appears to be a good one?
 
pop a magnet out of a old computer hard drive and stick it on the side of the filter. Cut the filter open and see if it did anything.
 
Can't do any harm.
Rare Earth magnets can be got for free.

Magnetic Drain Plug is probably better.
 
Drain plug is better because its a hassle to hacksaw an old oil filter to see what the magnet did.

Iron wear is definite and continuous. Any magnet is better than none. So, stick one on the side of the oil filter if its magnetic. Cartridge guys need the drain plug.

If you want to argue the negatives of a magnet on the oil filter, I'll give you one(and just one today). Any magnetic material caught by the filter can possibly be pulled away from the media. If its not caught by magnetic field of the filter's inside wall, it might end up recirculating around until it can be caught again(by the media or by the magnet).

I run both, magnetic drain plug and side-of-filter mags.
 
Millions of engines run for hundreds of thousands of miles without additional magnets. I honestly don't see the value, but hey...it's free and it certainly can't hurt.

Fuel-line magnets...now there's a good idea
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Originally Posted By: RF Overlord

Fuel-line magnets...now there's a good idea
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I've used both the salvaged hard drive magnet on the oil filter and the magnetic oil drain plug.

But I've never been able to find a magnet long enough to fit the entire fuel-line from end to end, lol.
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Magnets pick up stuff, that's for sure. And it's stuff I would not want running around inside the engine. To what degree removing it has on engine life would be tough to figure out. Every engine in every car with it's own collections of drivers and situations is an experiment of one. For me, I think they are worth the trouble. If nothing else it's one more thing I do for my cars that makes me feel good.
 
I use a Fumoto quick drain valve, so the magnetic drain plug idea is a no-go for me. What about putting a magnet on the pan near the drain plug, and removing it after starting to drain the oil?

I'd prefer not to put a magnet on the oil filter, because I just know I'll forget to remove/add it eventually. If it's on the pan, staring me in the face, that won't happen.
 
Here's a Magnetic tranny oil pan bolt from my 2007 Honda Civic Si. As you can see, it collects quite a bit of metal shavings in only 10k.

I have a magnetic drain bolt for the engine as well. The magnet is slightly longer but it doesn't catch nearly as much stuff as the tranny magnet because the engine oil filter does a pretty good job filtering the oil.

drainbolt.jpg


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Originally Posted By: glum
I use a Fumoto quick drain valve, so the magnetic drain plug idea is a no-go for me.


I have seen oil dip sticks with a magnet on the bottom end of them years ago. But haven't seen them lately.
Did a fast search for them but didn't find any.
 
Originally Posted By: Striker
Why would a magnetic drain plug be better?


In some of the early GM Vortec motors with roller rocker arms, people would sometimes find needle bearings stuck on the magnet during an oil change. If you find something big stuck to the magnet, you know your motor has problems. Your filter wont catch the big things because those are stopped by the pickup screen.
 
Quote:
What about putting a magnet on the pan near the drain plug, and removing it after starting to drain the oil?
Won't work. Those filings will be magnetized and stick to the pan in that spot. Just leave the magnet there.

My neo magnet in the drain plug always has ferrous (iron/steel) particles on it even after dozens of drains on these over-100k engines. Wear never stops, and some of the abrasive particles are small enough to pass through the filter. (No filter is perfect, and a bypass filter never pays for itself in ordinary service). And, as said above, abnormal particles are a sign of abnormal wear that you might find and fix (or trade) before you get stuck.
 
OK, so the magnet on the pan is also a no-go. (Though I am not sure the filings would be so magnetized as to not succumb to the oil flow. Anyway, I'll take the advice.)

These rare earth magnets are ridiculous. You can get them in ranges anywhere from a few pounds to 165 pounds, that I found with just a quick search on Amazon. I'm sure someone knows of a 500 pound gorilla magnet ... but what I'm wondering is how strong should the magnet on the oil filter be? I want one with a hook or something I can grab, so it's easy to remove.

The hook ones (like these 125-pound monsters) are available in a range of strength; 25 pounds, 50, 125...

I imagine the 50+ pounders would be a bear to remove, even with the hook.
 
They have a "find your part" facility where you enter the year/make/model to find the magnet for your car. The "SS" line is for cars...

Also found this "oil filter magnetizer"...

I know, yeah yeah yeah, no need for fancy setups like that, some would say. Though the surface area of the SS magnets would really help, I would think.
 
Well, I guess search for whatever vehicle your oil filter is designed for. Those filter magnets seem really nice, but man... Expen$ive!
 
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