Magnets on your oil Filter?

The Running Man · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:35

hi guys, just read about magnets being applied onto oil filters - basically will keep and hold any shards of metal which happen to go through the filter which may have made it back out again!

quite novel, yet fantastically simple idea. anyone use it?

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

[huzeeee] · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:39

The idea has been around for ages dude, they use magnetic sump plugs aswell.

The_Dark_Side · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:39

Nickg said:
hi guys, just read about magnets being applied onto oil filters - basically will keep and hold any shards of metal which happen to go through the filter which may have made it back out again!

quite novel, yet fantastically simple idea. anyone use it?

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

Not really new to be honest. Some manufacturers have been making the sump drain plugs magnetic for years.

loltim · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:42

Aye my sump plugs magnetic.

The Running Man · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:42

The_Dark_Side said:
Not really new to be honest. Some manufacturers have been making the sump drain plugs magnetic for years.

so do you use them on your motor? am interested to see one thats been cut open.

The_Dark_Side · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:44

Nickg said:
so do you use them on your motor? am interested to see one thats been cut open.

Not the filters as i'd be a bit wary to be honest.
I'd rather the swarf was trapped in the sump rather than allow it to flow through the oil system.

Dogbreath · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:45

I would be more worried why any metal particles made it through the filter.

I also have to wonder how much of the metalic debris he found when he cut open his filter, where actualy caused by cutting open his filter...

The_Dark_Side · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:47

Dogbreath said:
I would be more worried why any metal particles made it through the filter.

I also have to wonder how much of the metalic debris he found when he cut open his filter, where actualy caused by cutting open his filter...

good point, the swarf is only going to be fine grains of metal...the same that are generated by sawing a metal filter in half, lol.

NathanE · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:53

Sucks to have an aluminium engine

BigglesPiP · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:53

lol, I like it.

But by the time you have any significant shards of metal in your oil it's often too late.

The Running Man · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:56

NathanE said:
Sucks to have an aluminium engine

even aluminium engines can have iron components in them which may wear.

The_Dark_Side · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:58

NathanE said:
Sucks to have an aluminium engine

..Block.
the parts that will wear aren't aluminium though.

Lashout_UK · 15 Aug 2007 at 18:59

Aye, I've got a filtermag which comes with me between cars, seems to work quite well.

If you're concerned, a good budget alternative is to get a decent rare earth magnet or similar and clip or tape (if alloy) it or place (if iron or steel) it on your sump to retain any debris

Simon · 15 Aug 2007 at 19:08

The_Dark_Side said:
..Block.
the parts that will wear aren't aluminium though.

Pistons and cylinder heads wear

The_Dark_Side · 15 Aug 2007 at 19:27

Simon said:
Pistons and cylinder heads wear

of course any moving part will wear, but i've always found that any metal filings found in the oil are from the bottom end, unless we're talking about some catastrophic top end failure.

dalin80 · 15 Aug 2007 at 19:30

i should hope not!

the bits that wear are usually hard metal, the pistons and heads are ally because they shouldn't be wearing parts. the piston shouldn't touch anything but its rings and the little end.

th e problem with magnets on oil filters is that it turns small debris into big magnetic clumps, a bit of oil pressure later and you could have a clump of debris making its way around.

sump plugs are different because they sit at the bottom and any bits that come off should resettle thanks to gravity.

edit-this reply was too simon but i spent too long typing :-(

whitecrook · 15 Aug 2007 at 21:02

a link about oil - half way down there's some text on magnets and oil filters

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

(this took ages to find in my old threads due to no search

)

Simon · 15 Aug 2007 at 21:22

Ah right, I wouldn't know anything about engine wear to be honest.

the pistons and heads are ally because they shouldn't be wearing parts. the piston shouldn't touch anything but its rings and the little end.

Not heard of piston rock? The piston is on a pin, it doesn't stay perfectly vertical

Dureth · 15 Aug 2007 at 21:59

Simon said:
Not heard of piston rock? The piston is on a pin, it doesn't stay perfectly vertical

I don't know about cars but in my Ducati 750SS twin the pistons most certainly do not touch anything but the rings and the small end bearing.

They may move side to side but they sure as hell don't touch the bore. I thought the whole point of the rings is to accomodate this movement without the piston needing to come in contact with the bore and to seal the resultant gap needed to allow this to happen.

Scania · 15 Aug 2007 at 22:04

In the latter stages of the war, the Germans (so I've read somewhere) used to attach magnets to aircraft engines, the logic being that any subsequently damaged & shot up engine, may stay running (as the magnets attract bits of damaged engine away from the still moving parts) for a little while longer (which could be the difference between life & death)

Can't recall if it was a book or the web, I'll try & find the source.