Oil filter magnets..

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BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
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Well after starting my earlier thread about oil changes I came across this site that sells magnets that install inside your oil filter catching stuff that makes it's way through the paper media...http://www.oilfiltermagnets.com/
why didn't anyone tell us or is this another form of snake oil???
 
NutBucket

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,131
616
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As long as the particles you're after are magnetic. I would think there are a lot less magnetic materials in modern engines than there used to be.
 
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BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
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NutBucket said:
As long as the particles you're after are magnetic. I would think there are a lot less magnetic materials in modern engines than there used to be.
Click to expand...

A lot of engines are all aluminum but some (like mine) have aluminum heads but an iron block..
 
phucheneh

phucheneh

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2012
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There's still plenty that's ferrous, the question is, is it actually getting into your oil? Iron and steel aren't going to start falling off your crank and cam(s) or something...modern engines are tight tolerances with hardened parts.

But any debating in that area is moot, anyhow...because oil filters can, in fact, filter tiny bits of metal. I certainly wouldn't advise putting some kind of magnet inside the filter. You can slap one of those magnetic coozy things on the outside if you really want.

The best place is still going to be the pan, though. And I'm gonna be very not-me right now and say that if you really had any need for a magnet in your crankcase, it'd be there. They're common in trans pans because transmissions make a lot more metal debris than engines as they wear. And, of course, why the pan? 'cause it's always going to be the best catch-all for grabbing stuff before it can even get into the pickup tube and then go on to your oil pump, which, in some cases, is pretty damn sensitive to debris.
 
Meghan54

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,684
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Continuing pcucheneh's thought....there are more than a few vehicles that come with magnetic tipped drain plugs from the factory. And that's also something easily retrofitted to most any vehicle.
 
tortillasoup

tortillasoup

Golden Member
Jan 12, 2011
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Actually if they wanted to make a "useful magnet" they should have an electromagnet on the oil filter, that way it would catch ALL metallic materials, not just ferrous materials.
 
Bartman39

Bartman39

Elite Member | For Sale/Trade
Jul 4, 2000
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tortillasoup said:
Actually if they wanted to make a "useful magnet" they should have an electromagnet on the oil filter, that way it would catch ALL metallic materials, not just ferrous materials.
Click to expand...
Yes uh like WUT...?:confused:

Unless you were absent that day in school magnets either natural or electromagnets only attract ferrous metals... Might be a idea but you have your facts a little off...? Plus we have strong natural magnets so no real need for an electromagnet...

Also either a magnetic drain plug (best idea) or put a strong magnet on the bottom of the oil filter will work...
 
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JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,553
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Bartman39 said:
Yes uh like WUT...?:confused:

Unless you were absent that day in school magnets either natural or electromagnets only attract ferrous metals... Might be a idea but you have your facts a little off...? Plus we have strong natural magnets so no real need for an electromagnet...

Also either a magnetic drain plug (best idea) or put a strong magnet on the bottom of the oil filter will work...
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: The drain plug on my Ducati has a magnet on it that extends a short way up into the bottom of the drain pan.
 
T

TopCat502

Member
Feb 16, 2013
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Agree with several others that replacing the factory oil drain plug with an aftermarket magnetic one is the easiest and inexpensive step to take
 
B

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
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TopCat502 said:
Agree with several others that replacing the factory oil drain plug with an aftermarket magnetic one is the easiest and inexpensive step to take
Click to expand...

Yea, it also make more sense in that oil traveling through the filter is doing so at high pressure and a magnet there could collect ferrous material only to have a clump of it get pulled off by the flow, a drain plug on the other hand sits at the bottom of the pan and oil does circulate there as well of course but not at high speed or pressure..
 
9

996GT2

Diamond Member
Jun 23, 2005
5,212
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My Accord has a factory magnetic drain plug for the transmission fluid. When the fluid was changed earlier this year, it definitely had some particles on it, so it does what it's supposed to do.

Not sure about the oil drain plug, but it's a cheap and potentially helpful retrofit, so it couldn't hurt.

Not mine, but here's someone's picture of the gunk attached to a magnetic transmission fluid drain plug:
4532943996_1b7970f533.jpg
 
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T2urtle

T2urtle

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2004
3,432
3
81
Almost all drain plugs for ATF and rear diffs have magnets in them that i've pulled out.

I thought about putting one for my engine oil but just got lazy. I would get that over an oil filter drop in
 
dawp

dawp

Lifer
Jul 2, 2005
11,347
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BUTCH1 said:
A lot of engines are all aluminum but some (like mine) have aluminum heads but an iron block..
Click to expand...

even aluminum blocks have iron cylinder liners. GM tried a full aluminum block in the 70s in the vega and that did not turn out well.
 
tortillasoup

tortillasoup

Golden Member
Jan 12, 2011
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Bartman39 said:
Yes uh like WUT...?:confused:

Unless you were absent that day in school magnets either natural or electromagnets only attract ferrous metals... Might be a idea but you have your facts a little off...? Plus we have strong natural magnets so no real need for an electromagnet...

Also either a magnetic drain plug (best idea) or put a strong magnet on the bottom of the oil filter will work...
Click to expand...

PottedMeat said:
wat?
Click to expand...

Soundmanred said:
Yeah, that made me laugh out loud!
Click to expand...
An electromagnet can affect other metals besides iron, nickel, cobalt, and other rare other metals.
 
B

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
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dawp said:
even aluminum blocks have iron cylinder liners. GM tried a full aluminum block in the 70s in the vega and that did not turn out well.
Click to expand...

Sure it did, within the first year the smoke was killing mosquitoes everywhere.. :biggrin:
 
phucheneh

phucheneh

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2012
7,306
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dawp said:
even aluminum blocks have iron cylinder liners. GM tried a full aluminum block in the 70s in the vega and that did not turn out well.
Click to expand...

Every wearable part on a modern engine that I can think of is iron or steel. Camshaft, crankshaft, cylinders, rings, tappets, gears, chains. Two exceptions would be bearings (or bearing-less aluminum bores in many modern OHC engines) and pistons. I doubt either of those contribute significantly to the metal content in the oil/filter of a properly operating engine.

I think we're pretty well past the era of 'intentional wear.' Like sacrificial brass gears to save wear on the iron or steel gear they mesh with.

Basic point (not in reply to dawp; his post just prompted me to think about it): I just don't think there is any reason to worry about metal debris in a decently-maintained modern engine. Auto trans pans have magnets because wear is simply intrinsic to their function. Engines, not so much.

Going to the trouble of putting an electromagnet in an engine? LOL.
 
Bartman39

Bartman39

Elite Member | For Sale/Trade
Jul 4, 2000
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tortillasoup said:
what? my idea is that the electromagnet would be operational while running and it would somehow redirect the metallic materials into some sort of trap that closes shut when the electromagnetic field isn't operational.
Click to expand...
Again lets try to be practical the words "somehow" and "some sort of" are not of this variety... Something to consider is what phucheneh just pointed out that it is really a mute point with today's engines... Anything more than a magnetic plug in the pan is not needed... If your engine is tossing around more metal than what that little plug can catch then its on its way out and no "electromagnet" will save it either...

At this point I think you are just wanting to argue and not be practical as I have stated so understand I am done with this... Does kinda remind me of "snake oil" though...:p
 
tortillasoup

tortillasoup

Golden Member
Jan 12, 2011
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Bartman39 said:
Again lets try to be practical the words "somehow" and "some sort of" are not of this variety... Something to consider is what phucheneh just pointed out that it is really a mute point with today's engines... Anything more than a magnetic plug in the pan is not needed... If your engine is tossing around more metal than what that little plug can catch then its on its way out and no "electromagnet" will save it either...

At this point I think you are just wanting to argue and not be practical as I have stated so understand I am done with this... Does kinda remind me of "snake oil" though...:p
Click to expand...

I just want confirmation that my idea theoretically could work.
 
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