Hi all,

I would like to know if someone have tried those magnetic oil filter, and how good they are.
Here is a link to one of those: FilterMag is the name. http://www.sojdm.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=&idproduct=13

Any comments greatly appreciated.

Grande

Why not just buy a sheet of thin magnet at the corner store for $1 and wrap it around the filter. Save yourself like $30.

Subscribe.

Thanks EtoS!

I have oil as the blood of engine, so I try to buy using the best of my knowledge. Actually I have been using NEO Synthetic, it has been great, but even so I read that oil can have lots of metal particles.
I would like to know if this magnetic stuff is really effective.
Thanks again,
Grande

Why not just buy a sheet of thin magnet at the corner store for $1 and wrap it around the filter. Save yourself like $30.
Same effect without the cash spent.
Save your money for something else. ;)

Thanks EtoS!

I have oil as the blood of engine, so I try to buy using the best of my knowledge. Actually I have been using NEO Synthetic, it has been great, but even so I read that oil can have lots of metal particles.
I would like to know if this magnetic stuff is really effective.
Thanks again,
Grande

The only thing that MIGHT be effective is a magnetic drain plug, but that is more of a diagnosis tool than a protectant. Stick with the OEM filter (or better, but you know that the OEM filter has the correct bypass spring...) and good quality oil (NEO Synthetic? WTF is that?) and you should be golden.

I have 3 cars, The Miata has 189k miles on it, it has had the OEM filters every 5k miles since 105k miles, and Mobil110w30 since that same time. The 2000Tacome V-6 has 120k miles, Mobil1 5w30 since new and OEM filters since new, also every 5k miles. Has yet to burn a drop of oil, runs like a champ. nearly too much power for the truck The Subaru just hit 11,500 miles. Had the dealership change the oil at 5k (They did it for free if I brought them the questionare) and I watched those guys throught the tiny window out to the service bay. Pretty sure they just used dino oil in it, but then at 10k miles, I put in, you guessed it, Mobil1 5w30 and an OEM filter.

-Peter

The only thing that MIGHT be effective is a magnetic drain plug, but that is more of a diagnosis tool than a protectant. Stick with the OEM filter (or better, but you know that the OEM filter has the correct bypass spring...) and good quality oil (NEO Synthetic? WTF is that?) and you should be golden.

I have 3 cars, The Miata has 189k miles on it, it has had the OEM filters every 5k miles since 105k miles, and Mobil110w30 since that same time. The 2000Tacome V-6 has 120k miles, Mobil1 5w30 since new and OEM filters since new, also every 5k miles. Has yet to burn a drop of oil, runs like a champ. nearly too much power for the truck The Subaru just hit 11,500 miles. Had the dealership change the oil at 5k (They did it for free if I brought them the questionare) and I watched those guys throught the tiny window out to the service bay. Pretty sure they just used dino oil in it, but then at 10k miles, I put in, you guessed it, Mobil1 5w30 and an OEM filter.

-Peter


Thanks Peter!
I decided go NEO Synthetics after some research. And I can tell you that I could feel the difference right after the change. I started using synthetic with 5K miles, and before that I used the same oil as you do (Mobil 1 5w30).
Here is a link for more info about NEO Synthetics: http://www.upgrademotoring.com/performance/whyneo.htm
I buy from this vendor here in CA. It's more expensive, but I can assure it worths.
I got 3 years of oil change for free from the dealeaship, but even so I prefer to provide my own oil, since their free oil change doesn't use synthetic. And I change oil every 35 hundred miles.
I have been using OEM filters as well, and I am happy the way it is.

So, according with your tips, should I forget about using the magnetic stuff?
Thanks again,
Grande

The magnets will assist with removal of those metalic particles shaved from the engine internals that the filter may not get, and also decrease the cloging of the filtration element as an added benefit. You could waste the same amount of cash on the dollar menu at Mcdonalds that you would use in purchasing the magnetic strip.

Pallendo, why would you try to insinuate that added protection is bad? What would be lost in including a three dollar removable magnetic strip against the outside of the oil filter? I just don't get why some people are so quick to condemn something without even really considering what is being proposed.
<----shaking head...........

Why not just buy a sheet of thin magnet at the corner store for $1 and wrap it around the filter. Save yourself like $30.

These are high powered Neodymium magnets. Good luck finding those at the corner store! I've seen this product at SEMA and yes it really works. I've been using a Neodymium drain plug and you should see the crap it has on it after an oil change. This can only help and I don't see any harm.

Off-road Baja Bug after 45 minutes:
http://filtermag.com/ART/offroad45m.jpg
If your filter doesn't catch the steel/iron particles, would you rather have that going through your engine???

More info here:
http://filtermag.com

BTW- I'm also using Neodymium magnets to hold my trunk up which I did a thread on. These magnets kick ass!:)

As for the oil, I never heard of Neo oil. Any real tests on this? I prefer not to use an oil until I see how well it does under a lab test. So far, the only oils I would ever run in my STi are Amsoil, Redline, and German Castrol. Mobil 1 sucks since my car likes to burn it.

Thanks Peter!
I decided go NEO Synthetics after some research. And I can tell you that I could feel the difference right after the change. I started using synthetic with 5K miles, and before that I used the same oil as you do (Mobil 1 5w30).
Here is a link for more info about NEO Synthetics: http://www.upgrademotoring.com/performance/whyneo.htm
I buy from this vendor here in CA. It's more expensive, but I can assure it worths.
I got 3 years of oil change for free from the dealeaship, but even so I prefer to provide my own oil, since their free oil change doesn't use synthetic. And I change oil every 35 hundred miles.
I have been using OEM filters as well, and I am happy the way it is.

So, according with your tips, should I forget about using the magnetic stuff?
Thanks again,
Grande

You spend extra money on an off brand full (I assume) synthetic, but then you still change it every 3500 miles???

If you throw money away changing your oil that often, then go ahead and buy a magnetic oil filter. I also sell e-chargers if you are interested.

I have a FilterMag. As RODENT said, it can only help and can't hurt (except perhaps your wallet). As for me, I use it because I've replaced the magnetic oil drain plug with a fumoto valve, so as I see it, this is the only way to really filter out those little metallic fragments from my oil.

You spend extra money on an off brand full (I assume) synthetic, but then you still change it every 3500 miles???

If you throw money away changing your oil that often, then go ahead and buy a magnetic oil filter. I also sell e-chargers if you are interested.

Subaru doesn't void warranty if I use synthetic oil, since I keep a 3500 miles oil change interval.

Al Block and heads...

These are high powered Neodymium magnets. Good luck finding those at the corner store! I've seen this product at SEMA and yes it really works. I've been using a Neodymium drain plug and you should see the crap it has on it after an oil change. This can only help and I don't see any harm.

Off-road Baja Bug after 45 minutes:
http://filtermag.com/ART/offroad45m.jpg
If your filter doesn't catch the steel/iron particles, would you rather have that going through your engine???

More info here:
http://filtermag.com

BTW- I'm also using Neodymium magnets to hold my trunk up which I did a thread on. These magnets kick ass!:)

As for the oil, I never heard of Neo oil. Any real tests on this? I prefer not to use an oil until I see how well it does under a lab test. So far, the only oils I would ever run in my STi are Amsoil, Redline, and German Castrol. Mobil 1 sucks since my car likes to burn it.

I have a FilterMag. As RODENT said, it can only help and can't hurt (except perhaps your wallet). As for me, I use it because I've replaced the magnetic oil drain plug with a fumoto valve, so as I see it, this is the only way to really filter out those little metallic fragments from my oil.

Thank RODENT and cannibal869!

Mobil 1 is too thin for my taste. NEO is a 100% synthetic oil, and you can find lots of information about it over the internet. There are more people on NASIOC using NEO as well. Used by NASCAR, NHRA and Formula 1 Grand Prix teams as well.
I also replaced transmission and differentials, using now Neo Synthetic Gear Oil 75W - 90 RHD RACING HEAVY DUTY 100% Synthetic Base. More info at http://www.upgrademotoring.com/performance/neo_7590rhd.htm.

Also use NEO Fuel Injector Cleaner and Gasoline Fuel Additive (http://www.upgrademotoring.com/performance/neo_gasadd.htm).

I will try to find the Neodymium magnets.

Thanks again,
Grande

I got more info about FilterMag:

Below is the inside of a filter that was cut open after just a short period of run time. It is truly unbelieveable how much metal your oil filter allows to pass through, significantly shortening the lifetime of your engine. Having a FilterMAG™ installed not only increases the life of your engine, but it also increases the amount of time you can go between oil changes, a huge savings, even greater for fleet owners. The FilterMAG™ is a must-have for every vehicle!

http://www.primetimesolutions.com/_img/filtermag/testimonial_2.jpg <-- Click for picture

Modern oil filters remove particles by forcing the oil through paper-based media with very small ports. The technology behind this filtering media is a compromise that has remained relatively unchanged since the 1930s. While oil is necessary to remove these damaging particles, it is equally important that it flows back into the engine fast enough to lubricate all the moving parts.

A perfect oil filter media would stop all the particles down to 1-micron (about 1/70th the thickness of a human hair). Unfortunately, a filter with ports that small would also restrict the oil from returning to the engine fast enough, resulting in catastrophic equipment failure.

This is where FilterMAG saves the day. The powerful rare earth magnets pull damaging metals as small as 2-micron to the side of the oil filter. They do not pass through the engine which means less engine wear. Less engine wear means longer engine life, including longer periods of time before changing your oil. All of these factors help you save time, and money.

Filter media developments over the years have certainly increased the life cycle for oil filtration cartridges, but fluid dynamics require the ports in the media to remain 25-micron or larger.

An SAE report by David R. Staley, General Motors Corp., states:

"The smallest particles most popular filters captured with high efficiency are sized 25 to 40-micron, depending on the filter brand...[however] controlling the abrasive contaminants in the range of 2 to 22-micron in the lube oil is necessary for controlling engine wear."

These tests also confirmed that removal of particles down to 2-micron in size virtually stops the abrasion wear cycle.

Subaru doesn't void warranty if I use synthetic oil, since I keep a 3500 miles oil change interval.


Huh???:confused:

If you are using a full synthetic you should NOT waste the money to change it every 3500 miles. On my second oil change I sent my oil to get tested and they told me it was fine, that was at 7000miles. Subaru will not void your warranty if you use synthetic and they won't void it if you change it every 7-10k miles.

Huh???:confused:

If you are using a full synthetic you should NOT waste the money to change it every 3500 miles. On my second oil change I sent my oil to get tested and they told me it was fine, that was at 7000miles. Subaru will not void your warranty if you use synthetic and they won't void it if you change it every 7-10k miles.

Well, I was informed by the dealership that I could use synthetic, but should keep the same interval...
Probably I will change this practice, and change every 7k miles. I agree with you about 7k miles interval, and agree that the oil will be fine as well... but will be the filter okay, since I still using OEM oil filter? Probably so, but I am asking just in case...

BTW, I bought the Rare-Earth Neodymium-Iron-Boron Magnets;
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/detail.aspx?ID=43 <--- For the filter
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/detail.aspx?ID=92 <--- For the drain plugs (transmission and engine oil pan). It will make the drain plug to work as a Magnet. I will personally check on my next oil change if the bolt comes out full of metal particles...

Hope it adds protection to engine.

Thank you so very much all!!! :) :) :)

Grande

These are high powered Neodymium magnets. Good luck finding those at the corner store! I've seen this product at SEMA and yes it really works. I've been using a Neodymium drain plug and you should see the crap it has on it after an oil change. This can only help and I don't see any harm.

Off-road Baja Bug after 45 minutes:
http://filtermag.com/ART/offroad45m.jpg
If your filter doesn't catch the steel/iron particles, would you rather have that going through your engine???

If you are getting that much on your plug, you might have another problem.

Also, as to that pic, think some of the particles might have come from... you know... Cutting the filter in half?

-peter

BTW, I bought the Rare-Earth Neodymium-Iron-Boron Magnets;
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/detail.aspx?ID=43 <--- For the filter
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/detail.aspx?ID=92 <--- For the drain plugs (transmission and engine oil pan). It will make the drain plug to work as a Magnet. I will personally check on my next oil change if the bolt comes out full of metal particles...

Hope it adds protection to engine.

Grande

Good find on the magnets but those magnets for the filter are only .75" tall. I think I might spend the extra and get the larger filtermag myself.

If you are getting that much on your plug, you might have another problem.

Also, as to that pic, think some of the particles might have come from... you know... Cutting the filter in half?

-peter

Its totally normal just like on all my other cars I've owned in the past. Put one on your drain plug and find out for yourself. Thats metal from the oil, not from the cut. Read the oil analisys!

Good find on the magnets but those magnets for the filter are only .75" tall. I think I might spend the extra and get the larger filtermag myself.



Its totally normal just like on all my other cars I've owned in the past. Put one on your drain plug and find out for yourself. Thats metal from the oil, not from the cut. Read the oil analisys!

Hi RODENT,

Thanks a lot bro!
Actually wasn't a good find, because the temperature. I think those magnets may crack. Also they're not corrosion resistent. I already canceled my order.
I was thinking about putting both in one side, but I am not sure if the curve would fit.
I think it should be used in just one side of the filter, because if you put on both sides the magnets can repel each other and then fall off. If the polarity is inverted it may be safe.

Here is a good find for the drain plugs: http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SMCO%2D62
I will use one for the oil pan and other for transmission (might use on the diferentials as well).
I think I might spend the extra and get the larger filtermag as well.

Hope my car won't be as bad as the picture you posted. As you stated, this is a off-road Baja Bug, and the car may work in extreme conditions.
Thanks again,
Grande

If you really want a magnetic filter, then acquire the magnets yourself and stick them to the outside of the filter. Rare earth magnets are easily available -- snag an old hard drive (especially the older ones, physically bigger is better) and there are a pair of high strength magnets inside. Be careful with them, though, when they find a good piece of metal to attach to, any skin in between them and the metal is in for a rude surprise.

Me, I just buy good filters and change them fairly often. Any filter that would actually let metal particles through it and back into the engine is not one I'd be using on my STI...

Al Block and heads...

The cylinder liners aren't Aluminum.

Me, I just buy good filters and change them fairly often. Any filter that would actually let metal particles through it and back into the engine is not one I'd be using on my STI...


A perfect oil filter media would stop all the particles down to 1-micron (about 1/70th the thickness of a human hair). Unfortunately, a filter with ports that small would also restrict the oil from returning to the engine fast enough, resulting in catastrophic equipment failure.

Filter media developments over the years have certainly increased the life cycle for oil filtration cartridges, but fluid dynamics require the ports in the media to remain 25-micron or larger.

An SAE report by David R. Staley, General Motors Corp., states:

"The smallest particles most popular filters captured with high efficiency are sized 25 to 40-micron, depending on the filter brand...[however] controlling the abrasive contaminants in the range of 2 to 22-micron in the lube oil is necessary for controlling engine wear."

The Filtermag tests also confirmed that removal of particles down to 2-micron in size virtually stops the abrasion wear cycle.
http://filtermag.com/tech.php?PHPSESSID=08f07629b22dd35dcf3d09192d7b347 f

BTW- The particles on my magnetic drain plug are almost look like black grease. It doesn't look or feel like metal particles at all. I assume thats the crap the oil filter is not stopping (2-25 micron) size of particles. Like I said, anyone doubting this should actually try it and see for themselves before they call BS here. What would it hurt to have a $30 high powered magnet around your filter and/or have a high powered magnetic drain plug? I can only see it helping the life of the engine.

....Any filter that would actually let metal particles through it and back into the engine is not one I'd be using on my STI...
FYI
Even the best oil filters cannnot filter out all of the particles. Any filter mesh that does will not be able to flow enough volume to properly lubricate the motor.

Did you kids read the Oil FAQ? Magnets are for kids. A magnet will only trap particles that you can see with the human eye. Oil filters generally filter down beyond the range of the human eye. So.....when you cut open a filter and look at what you are trapping, you are only seeing stuff that would have been caught in the filter anyway. :rolleyes: Magnets are cheap sure, but damn.....you are getting duped.

Big rigs that go like 50,000 miles between oil changes don't use magnets, they use bypass filters. If you REALLY want protection get off the wallet for a bypass unit and quit messing with the Turbonator of oil products.

Sorry but I have to disagree with you. Just because you wrote the oil faq, doesn't mean its 100% correct.
What about magnetic drain plugs or magnets for your oil filter? An oil filter has the ability to filter objects smaller than the human eye can see. If you use a magnetic drain plug, magnets on the bottom of your oil pan, or magnetic devices on your oil filter, they do work, however, they are only holding particles that would normally end up in your oil filter anyway. There is no harm in these devices, however they provide no additional protection.
Please PROVE how they don't provide additional protection! All I can find is test that show they help. Where is an actual test that shows they don't work??? What about the particles that are smaller than 25 micron? An oil filter will not catch this!

From an actual SAE test:

Independent Laboratory Test

The subject was a Peterbuilt engine (CAT C12) using a Premo LT-30P oil filter system equipped with a 1.2 micron filter. A baseline test was performed at an interval of 15,000 miles as indicated on the Analysis Report dated 4/11/01. Ceramic Oil Filter Magnets were then inserted into the oil filter. After 15,000 miles, the second test was performed on 4/30/01. Please note the dynamic improvement in particle reduction (in PPM), especially in nonferrous materials. Final column is percent of change from 1.2 Micron super filter system that costs over $200, 25 times better than any standard street vehicle filter.

Tests conducted by:
Titan Laboratories, Denver, CO

Samples taken 4/6/01 & 4/25/01 respectively.
Oil analysis report measuring parts per million (PPM), particle size 0.5 microns.

As demonstrated by SAE Technical Papers, the benefits of oil particle reduction in the 10 micron range are:

a) An 8 to 14 times reduction in engine wear.
b) Up to 2 times increase in oil service life.
c) Up to 2 times increase in filter service life.
d) Up to 5% improvement in fuel economy.

The ultimate benefits are greater engine performance over extended life with lower operating costs.


Also look up SAE Technical Papers: 881827, 881825, 95255

BTW- Its a fact that 95% of new automatic transmissions are factory installed with magnets in the pan. Why? Because it helps get them through the 5 to 10 year power-train warranties now being offered by manufacturers.

The only thing that MIGHT be effective is a magnetic drain plug, but that is more of a diagnosis tool than a protectant. Stick with the OEM filter (or better, but you know that the OEM filter has the correct bypass spring...) and good quality oil (NEO Synthetic? WTF is that?) and you should be golden.

I have 3 cars, The Miata has 189k miles on it, it has had the OEM filters every 5k miles since 105k miles, and Mobil110w30 since that same time. The 2000Tacome V-6 has 120k miles, Mobil1 5w30 since new and OEM filters since new, also every 5k miles. Has yet to burn a drop of oil, runs like a champ. nearly too much power for the truck The Subaru just hit 11,500 miles. Had the dealership change the oil at 5k (They did it for free if I brought them the questionare) and I watched those guys throught the tiny window out to the service bay. Pretty sure they just used dino oil in it, but then at 10k miles, I put in, you guessed it, Mobil1 5w30 and an OEM filter.

-Peter

just wanna warn you, be really careful running 5w30 M1 in your WRX for more than 3k (I would not want to do it for more than 2k).

OP: I think the magnetic oil filter and/or drain plug is a great idea if you use it on a new car. After 10-15k miles, I don't know that it would do much. Prior to that; however, I think it'd be an excellent move. I do not know weather you need high-power magnets or not for it to work right.

Believe what you want RODENT, I'll believe what I want. Start this conversation over at http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ and see what they say though if you are brave. I'm sure you'll be enlightened there. ;)

I have to agree with Unabomber. Oil filter magnets don't provide any additional protection beyond what a good oil filter does. I have read the SAE papers on the subject and found no evidence that they help. Road tests providing single data points are not proof of anything in my book.

If you still beleive that magnets are the best thing ever I have a bridge to sell you.

Believe what you want RODENT, I'll believe what I want. Start this conversation over at http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ and see what they say though if you are brave. I'm sure you'll be enlightened there. ;)

Thats fine, everyone has their own opinion. Its funny how nobody can show a test that a high powered magnet on the filter does not provide additional protection.

How do you guys explain a 77% drop in iron particles when a magnet is used???

Threads already started on BITOG:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB6&Number=756478&Searchpage=1&Main=754973&Words=magnet&topic=&Search=true#Post756478
http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB42&Number=636399&Searchpage=1&Main=636396&Words=filtermag&topic=&Search=true#Post636399
http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB42&Number=642847&Searchpage=1&Main=642841&Words=filtermag&topic=&Search=true#Post642847
http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB42&Number=647557&Searchpage=1&Main=647556&Words=filtermag&topic=&Search=true#Post647557
http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB42&Number=653198&Searchpage=1&Main=653190&Words=filtermag&topic=&Search=true#Post653198
Nobody really proved these don't work. Actually most were positive comments about this.

Another thread that shows this working on an STi filter:
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31786

Quote from BITOG

I have for some time been interested in the use of magnets to augment oil filtration. I am generally a Doubting Thomas and want to see proof of things so I called the president of Fluid Rx to find out about their Magna-Guard product. I received several products to test and reading material. Several SAE papers were referenced: 8881827- Review of Lubricant Contamination and Diesel Engine Wear, Needelman and Madhaven, and 881825 - Correlating Lube Oil Filtration Efficiencies with Engine Wear, Staley (GM). Both are from the Truck and Bus meeting, Indianapolis, IN, 1988. They also quoted a later paper - 991927 - Review of Lubricant Contamination and Diesel Engine Wear (author(s) not listed). All papers included a host of additional references.

All these references are old but certainly hold true. Maybe there are few new papers as we already know all there is to know about filtration and it’s usefulness. One recurring theme is that the concentration of particles, particularly in the 0 - 20u range cause the most wear. This was brought out in the latest SAE handbook as well. Particles 30u to 80u and more cause wear but actually less than a higher concentration of smaller particles.

The problem with filtration is, well, filtration. The filter gets clogged, the pressure drop through the filter increases and eventually the filter is just bypassed altogether. There has to be a happy middle ground where there is some filtering but not too much. The use of magnets is certainly helpful. Just look at any transmission or differential magnetic drain plug.

I had several questions for the president of the company. 1- What was the reduction of oil flow as this magnet they sell is placed into the oil filter itself? (It must be a metal spin on filter). He showed another paper that shows an average pressure drop of 0.4 PSI at an oil flow rate of 8 GPM (separate paper). This is certainly acceptable. 2 - Why is not everybody using this? He said people were slow to accept this concept but that several large trucking companies (his major sales) have been using them for years. He has simply not gone for a national advertising campaign. ?Maybe he makes enough money? I see no reason not to use these magnets.

Several endorsements were quoted:
Motor Trend, Nov., 1999, Aftermarket Business, Feb., 2000, PowerLine, NYT and others.

Now, having endorsed their use I will say that every car I own will get them. I have not figured out how to use them in the MB’s (SL600 and Maybach) where the filter is just a paper? glass? element and the cover is aluminum. I will figure it out.

One thing complicates the effort to quantitate their benefit. If your gas mileage slowly increases as iron containing particulates are removed then that would be a measurable criteria. When doing a UOA however, the iron (Fe) would be picked up by the magnet. If my engine had increased wear with that new 10 wt oil I was trying I may get an artificially low Fe level. On the other hand at least that Fe would not be circulating causing even more wear. It would seem that Cu, Pb and other metals would be high anyway in my failing engine. If the magnet was making the engine better with removal of all the circulating Fe particles then other wear particles would also have to go down. There would still be a reduction in Cu, Pb and others. Perhaps, with less wear and better lubrication the additives would last longer. This is actually a claim of the engineer. They say that oil change intervals may be doubled with the use of their magnets. (This I would have to see).

I think we should all try these things, give the data to the manufacturer and get published. Maybe something we do would benefit others in this way.

Other things that I have obtained are graduated filter paper tests for motor oil, gear lubes power steering fluid and other fluids. There are charts and pictures to compare. These are all inexpensive but standardized filter paper tests and with the aid of any UV light, particulate tests. Again, I see no down side to these products and I will incorporate them immediately.

Sources:
www.magna-guard.com
www.fluidrx.com

The number of views this thread has just blows my mind. There are dozens of used oil analysis threads here and they usually get 100-200 views. :disco: If you say Mobil1 sux without any documentation, it'll get 2,000 views. :lol:

Here's a 2.5 n/a UOA on 5W20 conventional Havoline where a magnetic drain plug was used. (http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=726933&an=0&page=2#Post726933) Not sure it resolves anything. :)

-Dennis

Hi all,

I would like to know if someone have tried those magnetic oil filter, and how good they are.
Here is a link to one of those: FilterMag is the name. http://www.sojdm.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=&idproduct=13

Any comments greatly appreciated.

Grande
------------------------------
I had a pair of those magnets that you find in the back of "small" speakers (laying around the garage) and attached them to the bottom of both the engine-oil filter and tranny filter to aid with the ridding of that ugly gray metallic stuff. I made sure they stayed in place by adding some epoxxy before attaching. Reason I did this is cause I'm short on cash right now and can't afford a tranny fluid change:( (NOT THAT IT SERIOUSLY NEEDS ONE!...anyways).:rolleyes:
The tranny fluid had that gray metallic cloud (not too much though!) but no odor...fluid seems fine (no driving problems)! After attaching the magnets, I've checked it again after a couple of days and surprisingly enough...the gray cloud of metallics has lessen or I should say, completely disappeared!:eek: So...I did do my engine oil change but after the change and filter, I went ahead and put one magnet on the engine oil-filter also, in hopes that it'll maximize the filters capabillities (like it did on the transmission filter).
Like I said, I didn't even had to spend on magnets and my transmission can wait a little longer, till I get back on track with the money issues.
Hope this helps.

Reading this thread makes it a 50 50. Any other opinions?

I’m sure you guys want the most protection for your cars and stuff but magnets are not going to do anything. Particles captured by most decent filters are so small that the ones who are blown by the filtration media will most likely not cause any appreciable wear throughout the life of the engine. Furthermore, magnets typically are temperature sensitive....
“A neodymium magnet or NIB magnet (also, but less specifically, called a rare-earth magnet) is a powerful magnet made of a combination of neodymium, iron, and boron — Nd2Fe14B. They have replaced marginally weaker and significantly more heat-resistant samarium-cobalt magnets in most applications, due mainly to their lower cost. These magnets are very strong in comparison to their mass, but are also mechanically fragile and the most powerful grades lose their magnetism at temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius.”

The thing no one has thought of is the bypass spring. Will the bypass spring operate the same in a high magnetic field? I don't see how it will be the same it has to pull things one way or the other. I don't think messing with the fail safe system of a filter is good.

I got more info about FilterMag:

Below is the inside of a filter that was cut open after just a short period of run time. It is truly unbelieveable how much metal your oil filter allows to pass through, significantly shortening the lifetime of your engine. Having a FilterMAG™ installed not only increases the life of your engine, but it also increases the amount of time you can go between oil changes, a huge savings, even greater for fleet owners. The FilterMAG™ is a must-have for every vehicle!

http://www.primetimesolutions.com/_img/filtermag/testimonial_2.jpg <-- Click for picture

Modern oil filters remove particles by forcing the oil through paper-based media with very small ports. The technology behind this filtering media is a compromise that has remained relatively unchanged since the 1930s. While oil is necessary to remove these damaging particles, it is equally important that it flows back into the engine fast enough to lubricate all the moving parts.

A perfect oil filter media would stop all the particles down to 1-micron (about 1/70th the thickness of a human hair). Unfortunately, a filter with ports that small would also restrict the oil from returning to the engine fast enough, resulting in catastrophic equipment failure.

This is where FilterMAG saves the day. The powerful rare earth magnets pull damaging metals as small as 2-micron to the side of the oil filter. They do not pass through the engine which means less engine wear. Less engine wear means longer engine life, including longer periods of time before changing your oil. All of these factors help you save time, and money.

Filter media developments over the years have certainly increased the life cycle for oil filtration cartridges, but fluid dynamics require the ports in the media to remain 25-micron or larger.

An SAE report by David R. Staley, General Motors Corp., states:

"The smallest particles most popular filters captured with high efficiency are sized 25 to 40-micron, depending on the filter brand...[however] controlling the abrasive contaminants in the range of 2 to 22-micron in the lube oil is necessary for controlling engine wear."

These tests also confirmed that removal of particles down to 2-micron in size virtually stops the abrasion wear cycle.

I am very skeptical of that shot of the supposed metallic particles stuck to the insides of the filter. Besides what was posted (the engine must have a problem for that amount of particles in 45 minutes...), I don’t see how this pattern can happen. IIRC, magnets have two magnetic poles, positive and negative. Then why are the particles collected evenly, in rectangular shapes? I’ve played with magnetic dust and magnets under the table as a kid and I can’t imagine how you can make rectangular shapes like that with magnets. :huh: Furthermore, magnetic fields distort in the presence of other fields so if you put a bunch of rectangular magnets together you get a big, probably “8 shaped” field. Ah and one more thing, when you place a magnet to a non-magnetic metal, the field gets cut off because of induced Eddy currents. You would have no field across the filter metal. And if the filter material is magnetic, then the whole filter case becomes a “temporary magnet” and the field of the filter case would not be local to the attached magnets. Like sticking a strong magnet to the middle of a screwdriver.

the most powerful grades lose their magnetism at temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius.”


as much as it pains me to do it, I should point out that there are grades of neodynium-iron-boron magnets and samarium-cobalt magnets with max use temperatures over 300C - there are also grades which have max use temps as low as 50C - the question is, what have the people above purchased? (or do they even know...)

that being said, I think the idea is pretty silly, myself - if you have so much wear going on that change after change you are constantly picking out tons of iron particles that the filter couldn't deal with for some bizarre reason, you have other problems on your hands.

(generally, you see magnets in the transmission and differential - regions which don't get as hot, and more importantly, can have very long drain intervals (if you look at the service manual, for normal use they never recommend changing the gear oil in the transmission or differential... not even at 120k miles... so a magnet which can keep the crud from when the transmission first broke in under control is a good thing)

Just came across FilterMag for the first time and was gonna post in General Community. Then I said "wait!, maybe its been brought up." So I SEARCHED and what do you know, here I am.

First of all, if that much shiza was collected after 45 mins, then your engine will be toast after, lets say a month!:lol:
Seriously, how can MINIMAL amounts of stuff you CANT see cause SO much wear to a engine designed to be strong enough to handle small INTERNAL explosions?!?
Rodent sounds like a sales rep for FilterMag.
Those rectangular areas of "particles" are BS...magnets dont work that way.
No evidence proving the FilterMag is bogus/doesn't work?..........there is also no evidence refuting that the universe was just created 5 mins ago(with our memories being "planted" and fossils placed in their rightful positions too).
Too each is their own, nobody is stopping anyone from using it.

Oh yea, as for the Unabomber comment from Rodent...show me countless threads proving Unabomber's Manifesto wrong as a whole, or its individual texts.