What's the Story on Oil Filter Magnets?

Bob In Ct · #1 (**permalink**) 10-06-2010, 12:35 PM

Do these things work? Has anyone used them? Are they yet another scam?

Bob

Wbulk · #2 (**permalink**) 10-06-2010, 01:11 PM

Drain plug magnets work.

zrayr · #3 (**permalink**) 10-07-2010, 11:42 AM

I've seen an oil filter that was cut open after running 3000 miles with a magnet. There was an accumulation of iron paste on the inside opposite the magnet. Now whether the filter would have caught all that w/o the magnet in place is up for debate. The good strong ones that summit sells aren't cheap, but at least you know they can't do any harm, which is more than you say for many engine "improvements".

Z.

cdnus · #4 (**permalink**) 10-07-2010, 05:24 PM

I installed one 200mi. before my fall oil change. I left the magnet on after removing the filter,Cut the filter open & drained the can thoroughly.
Inside was a ghost like pattern of the magnet composed of ( I assume) iron particles that the filter had not removed.
I might note I have been using Fram HP1 filters & have switched to Wix with this change of oil & filter. I also have always had a magnetic drain plug.

Craig

Luce · #5 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 06:35 AM

My mom's 85 crown vic had a magnet in the oil pan. It came out the drain hole when I was changing the oil once when I was in high school. It was encased in plastic and looked like a suppository. I poked it back up the hole after cleaning it. Luckily, it didn't smell like a freshly ejected suppository.

My 78 Dodge Magnum had a big donut shaped magnet in the auto transmission pan. The pan even had a dimple for the magnet to hole itself in place.

And yes, both were bug furballs.

JCoop · #6 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 07:17 AM

Bob, I put 4 rare earth magnets around my filter and I think they do work. I had used these on filters for my Mooney 201 when I had the plane and the oil analysis that came back (before & after) showed significant improvement.

Rare Earth magnets aren't cheap. Usually, you'll need pliers to pry them apart and if your finger gets pinched between them, you could get a blister. These are the ones that work...

Excaliber · #7 (**permalink**) 10-17-2010, 11:09 AM

I understand they re-align the oil molecules for more slippery surface tension.

Maurice Butler · #8 (**permalink**) 10-19-2010, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCoop

Rare Earth magnets aren't cheap. Usually, you'll need pliers to pry them apart and if your finger gets pinched between them, you could get a blister. These are the ones that work...

Try getting an old hard disk pull it to bits and you find a couple of small rare earth magnets inside.

Fisher & Paykel (whirlpool in USA) Smartdrive washing machines, Dishdraw dishwashers are another source

Ronbo · #9 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 02:42 PM

Speaker magnet on the bottom of the oil pan. Filter magnet does nothing to protect the oil pump.

Any shop that does car stereo installs will have a trash can full of OEM speakers.

madmaxx · #10 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 03:42 PM

Not to highjack thread but Filtermag if you can afford is incredibly strong. The problem with magnets on the oil pan is you have to remove the pan to clean. The drain plug magnets are a joke.

The smaller the particle the stronger the magnet has to be. I beleive the filtermag has a heavy duty, the one that would fit an fl-1a that cost $69 and has an advertised 600lb pull!!!!!!!! Sheet it may collapse the oil filter, LOL!!!

dcdoug · #11 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmaxx

Not to highjack thread but Filtermag if you can afford is incredibly strong. The problem with magnets on the oil pan is you have to remove the pan to clean. The drain plug magnets are a joke.

The smaller the particle the stronger the magnet has to be. I beleive the filtermag has a heavy duty, the one that would fit an fl-1a that cost $69 and has an advertised 600lb pull!!!!!!!! Sheet it may collapse the oil filter, LOL!!!

Which Filtermag part number fits the FL-1a/FL-1HP?

Edit: So it seems that either one of these should fit:

300lbs pulling power: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FTM-SS375/ ($46)
600lbs pulling power: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FTM-RA365/ ($69)

So if you did it, does the extra 300lbs really make a difference on the heavy duty version or is the standard 300lbs version more than enough? For me it's less the extra $23 than it is the red color of the heavy duty version vs the black version of the standard version. I'm not a big fan of anything red or colored in my engine compartment.

zrayr · #12 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcdoug

Which Filtermag part number fits the FL-1a/FL-1HP?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FTM-RA365/

Z.

Bxx1 · #13 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 07:23 PM

As Seen On The Internet:

A few filter manufacturers are extolling the virtue of placing magnets in the filters to trap metal particles. They claim that magnetic forces stabilize the oil molecules; that the longer the magnetic field is in place the greater the benefit; that fuel mileage is increased; oil consumption and emissions are decreased; and engine power is increased. None of these claims are true and several are impossible.

Magnets do remove some sub-micron sized iron particles that are there as catalysts to aid combustion and also attract small ferrous metal particles that might be inside the engine oil galleries, but neither of these account for much effect in the real world. The bulk of the metallic particles floating around in an engine are from bearing materials and these aren't ferrous. Magnets won't "see" them.