On jet engines we use chip detectors, it is two magnets a specific distance apart and when the metallic particles cause the two magnets to connect a make an electrical connection the chip detector warning light goes on in the cockpit.
We had several chip detectors on our Huey helicopters in the Marines, but only on gearboxes. They weren’t to collect ferrous metals as this filter magnet does, they are used to warn you that one of the gear boxes (main transmission, tail rotor, intermediate, accessory and combining gear boxes) was about to grenade. Protocol was to pull it out, examine chips, clean and see if it popped the light again.
@@h2o100c I think he means the oil sump or pan. They drop a couple small magnets down where the dipstick goes. A magnetic drain plug should do the job and is safer.
I've been using magnets on the filter for decades. I get the magnets out of old starters, they are curved and fit the shape of the filter. Don't cost nuthin. I also cut open every filter and there is always a slight amount of particles stuck to the filter can. Less crap floating in the oil the better.
That is a great idea. It was mentioned today about using ferrite magnets instead of neodymium. their tolerance of heat is much higher than neodymium magnets. Thanks
I don't see why this is controversial. It can't do any harm if it doesn't work, but if the magnets work and collect steel particles then it's all good.
Most friction parts in the contemporary engines use non-magnetic alloys and would not be attracted by magnets (block, pistons, head, slide bearing, etc). The few steel parts in there do not typically wear out aggressively. It's no wonder that those magnets caught just a tiny amount of particles as compared to a transmission oil pan magnet where most friction parts are made of steel.
Oil was already flowing the filter, so why wouldnt these particles get caught in the filter without the magnet? Its not like the magnets drew in metal particles into the filter with magnetic pull. Besiudes, how would you compare the filter without the magnets. If you have metal particles floaing around, damage is already done.
@@hairynames9704 the particles that the magnets a supposed to catch are the ones that are smaller that what the filter is rated for. To me it would make more sense if the magnets were on the inside though, after the filter ekement.
Agreed. Probably would have seen more evidence if running on an old, cast iron block like a Jeep 4.0 or a chevy small block. That said, I am not sure what car/engine he is working on so I do not know what it's made off. I assume a newer engine with mostly aluminum components.
Given that most modern engines are aluminum blocks with aluminum heads and pistons the concept of using magnets can't hurt but will not pick up aluminum in the oil. The bearings are not pure iron or steel and timing gears and belts are also non metallic. I think you get the point. Transmissions, transfer cases, and drive axles have ferrous based gears and bearings along with magnetic drain plugs. If the ferrous components in the engine are throwing that much metal and / or the filter media is not trapping it something else is terribly wrong.
Steel piston liners in aluminum blocks were once used 40 to 50 years ago. Today cylinder walls are specially treated to obtain a very durable surface and the block is all aluminum.
@@garyjarvis2730 well yeah cheaply manufactured cars as they cut corners for costs, look at any performance aluminum block made for high power. Or engines made for longevity. Yes you are correct they stopped using them in some cases to create disposable cars that you have to replace every six years.
@@joshkrause2977 nonsense, some of the most expensive cars in the world use high performance coatings and they last a lot more than 6 years if serviced correctly. Check out how long high revving motor bike engines last using ceramic or nickasil type coatings.
I'm an aircraft mechanic and have been using magnetic drain plugs in my cars for years. Basically all I usually end up with is metallic silt. I would rather have it on the drain plug than circulating through the engine.. It's a good way to monitor wear for a specific number of miles also..
I've never used magnets and have never had engine issues. And I usually have 4 cars in the driveway that are older with high mileage. I'm not saying magnets aren't beneficial. Just saying anecdotal evidence really isn't a scientific way of determining if something works.
@@Healthliving1967why were you so rude to Don? This man has several vehicles with very high mileage so obviously he knows how to properly care for them. And no, this video isn't "proof" of any benefit. The oil in the can was pre filtered oil. So the magnet just caught particles which would have ended up in the filter element anyway. If you can see the particles, then they are over 50 microns. Most filters will catch particles down to 20 or 30 microns. And lastly, the magnets will not attract the aluminum and copper found in most modern engines. In older engines with iron blocks and iron heads, yes magnets could make sense. But in modern engines they just don't work as well. Hope that brings some context to the video.
You use magnets, and then there is the 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of people who have never used magnets and just followed proper oil change intervals and never had a problem. Sometimes people create solutions to problems that don't exist.
@@davidbuck9977 Why would they use it on the tranny? There is a lot of engine ware that if your car doesnt break shops wouldnt make any money. One of the comments motioned oil changes at 3k and had some ridiculous amount of miles on his car. I would never do those crazy long oil changes like 10k or 15k even if the manufacture would say is ok. There is always wear in the motor and by spending a few buck will help 1% I will use it.
Retired mechanic of 45 years, they used to laugh at me when they saw my rare earth magnet strips on my filter, and look at us now, well done for raising this most interesting topic 🇦🇺
Absolutely I just did a fun video and the neodymium magnets are way stronger and more surface area. The plug is limited but some cars with the cartridge filters are hard to put magnets on. Thanks
@@ExtremDIYon my 3.2L Pentastar, which has just a filter media cartridge, it does have a metal lower oil pan. So I have a 1cm x1cm x 5cm neodymium bar magnet near the drain plug and a magnetic drain plug, too. I pull the bar magnet off before I drain the oil.
@@budlanctot3060 There is a company that sells magnetic oil filter cover for BMW but not sure if they will fit this setup. I think you can possibly glue round neodymium magnets around the cover to collect the ferrous metals and clean it when you change the oil. Might be worth a try.
Makes me think of the '37 olds I restored. Flathead 6, oil bath air filter, NO oil filter. I was talking to an old guy about it and he said," Now that the roads are paved the oil should stay a lot cleaner.."
I have been using magnets on my filters for forty+ years on both cars and motorcycles. On some I drilled the plug and glued the magnet into the tip of the plug. Also I have put some on the outside of the filter housing. They work good on ferrous metals but don't work on aluminum and copper. I have a Triumph Rocket 111 motorcycle where the engine and transmission share the same oil so its got a magnet on the filter. My Toyota Corolla has 390,000 miles on it with a magnet on filter. Great video will help new car owners keep their cars longer.
@@h2o100c Hello I used a hole punch not a drill. I wanted to try to drain the oil filter so I could remove it an not make a lot of mess but didnt really work.
Yup been using filter mag since new in my 2007 Ford Focus, opened up and replaced the valve cover this year with an aluminum replacement. It was absolutely pristine. I would also suggest you check out this guy on oil. Channel name " The Motor Oil Geek " the title of the video would be " what makes this oil so special " , normally I have used Royal Purple but have switched. I do still use their filters. Adding extra magnets to the transmission is also beneficial as they do have at least one. I did also add a transmission drain plug at the start B/M sells one that works great and yes I change out a tray-full then wait a week and do a second at every oil change. Happy transmission. 😀
@@SurferJoe46 Well considering the factory transmission filter is more a screen then a filter I drop the pan every three years and change it, I also installed a spin on filter which I change with every oil change. Yeah it stays clean as hydraulic fluid should.
500 hour small motors. A magnetic drain plug installed with conv. Oil. Two changes showed a little fuzz. Syn blend magnets were showing silver black film at 100 hr. Change intervals. 1000 hours later, still a little film. No fuzz!
I use these magnets on my Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle since I got it new - 2015. It's 2024 now, still own that bike has 41.000 miles on ODO. It runs great, I do change oil every about 2500 miles, with those magnets on the filter, I myself cannot confirm or proof if it did catch the metal particles, but all I need is a healthy good engine... ✌️
particulates of steel = abrasive = increased engine wear. any cheap easy way of getting them out of the oil is a real win in my view. well done my friend. btw, I must get one of those can openers for my kitchen
Like anything else, it depends on the application & the amount of ferrous materials comprising your engine. Cheap methods of preventative maintenance & redundancy are always a good idea, however, between the ferrous components of transmissions, transfer cases, drive axles & the tendencies of their regular maintenance being somewhat compromised compared to engines, I imagine the benefits would be quite beneficial in these applications.
My wife and I found that very interesting. Moving the magnets and seeing the shadowy melty particles move, was a delight! It felt like having x-ray vision to see where the magnet was... I have been watching some Super man lately. LOL
This is a good interesting video. Well made. My only suggestion would be if done in the future, flip the filter over when cutting it open. Those cutters create very fine particles of metal when cutting thru the material. Some of your shiny specs were likely there due to cutting it open & they fell down to the magnets.
Exactly, the magnet is a diagnostic tool. I don't get the oil filter magnets, but the drain plug is great for showing you some early warning signs if something very expensive is about to happen. Keeping metal out of the oil filter is pointless, it's a FILTER.. It's supposed to catch the metal in the element. But get a magnetic drain plug if you don't already have one
@@qoph1988Filters only catch particles large enough to get caught in the media. Metal dust can pass through a filter but trapped by the magnet. Also, cold starts where the most wear occurs will also trip the bypass valve which bypasses the filter element. Overall, adding magnets isn't hurting anything and as shown will help trap some metal dust.
in the 1960,s I owned a few British mini cars / vans .the engine oil also lubricated the gearbox and transmission . The factory installed drain plug had a powerful magnet .which collected any metallic particles .. I never thought of adding extra magnets to the oil filter casing .
I've been using a FilterMag on my cars for 25+ years now. My 99 Trans Am and 01 Z28 both with LS engines had one. My Cavalier/Buick I couldn't use one because of the internal filter. But my 2010 Chevy, I've used it since new. I've never opened the filter but logic would dictate that metal would stick to the filter housing where the magnet was attached. I'll use one forever now especially with a canister filter.
Funny I used to do this years ago without any research just plain magnetics but now all my cars have magnets. Still have to figure out my sons BMW with the plastic upside cover. They are very powerful seems to me that if you can have extra protection why not use it. thank you
I leaned some thing new today wow !! I have bunch of speaker round magnets laying around and they are very strong can I just clamp them under the oil pan to cleverly collect iron particles
@@ryanbautista6435 I thought of that but how are you going to clean it. I rather use a powerful magnetic drain bolt. The idea is great if you can remove the oil pan to clean it out every other oil change. thanks
Since the magnets are picking up pre filtered oil in that configuration there would be no way to prove that the filter wouldn’t catch that media anyway. A test with a control fluid and one filter with, one without would be a great test to verify there are actually benefits to this, aside from catching metal the filter may catch anyway. Great video. Cheers
Next text we will be sending out the oil before and after to see if its working. My thing is the bypass valve opens and lets out these metals back into the engine. Nothing beats regular maintenance on your engine and I have shifted from changing oil at 5k to 3500 miles. Lets see what the next oil change comes back as. Thanks for the feedback
@@ExtremDIYFor the bypass valve to get open, must have to be a huge amount of sludge in the filter, so lack of maintenance will destroy your engine at that point anyways. In the winter the valve can be oppened by the petroleum jelly on the mornings, but it will recirculate at the filter media again. Those tings make me to think twice before buy these products.
@@eliezercamilo3713 Its difficult to know when they open and if I can help to keep the ferrous metals on the magnets and not on the media it a win for me. If filters were good you wouldnt have any engine failure or much wear. here is a video to give you an idea just how flawed some bypass filter are. Some racers are even getting filters without bypass. If you change your filter and oil at 3k there shouldnt be any issues. this video shows that some oil will be passing through the filter at all times. If you go down the rabbit hole of oil and oil filters you will see there is a lot more than meets the eye. Also any ferrous metals under 25 microns will pass by the element so magnets help to catch all or most of the metals. ua-cam.com/video/oearzZSwFrA/v-deo.htmlsi=QSjXYTO2v7UWFzI0
Very Interesting, I was a mechanic for 25 years starting in the late 60s, I learned a lot from my late Father {R.I.P.}, he was the best IMHO, he would change oil every 3000-3500 miles, and a new filter every other time, a little side note, he didn't believe in multiple viscosity oil, he used 30-W only, and back then engines didn't have tighter tolerances like they do now. 👍 subbed 🇺🇸
Pretty slick. The small amount of particulate captured on the side of the oil filter would not have posed an issue to the filter media. Nevertheless this is a free method to capture metal particles and provides a positive feedback.
I've been running two smaller bar magnets on the outside of oil filters for several years. My goal was to trap any small steel particles that would go through the filter. It's a much cheaper and easier version of a bypass filter with a finer filtering capability. Those small steel particles definitely cause wear. I don't use a magnetic drain plug because they're a pain to clean. I like that the magnets catch the particles in the filter, where they belong. I assumed the magnets were catching fine steel particles, because physics, but I always wanted to see inside the filter to verify that assumption. I use Fumoto oil drain valves on our three trucks to make oil changes easier and neater. I'm going to add more and larger magnets to the oil filters after watching this video. Thanks!
Magnetic drain plugs are not that hard to clean. Wipe off as much as you can with a paper towel, blast it with a can of engine starting fluid, and then wipe it once more with a clean paper towel. It gets the plug perfectly clean every time.
Magnet on the oil plug is good because then you'll directly see if there's metal particles collected. Rule of thumb is that if you can see the individual particles and feel them you have a problem. If you can't feel them it's no big deal with the engine. But small particles can increase the wear of the engine. Unfortunately modern engines now are built with a lot non-magnetic material. Putting magnets on the oil filter will catch the particles but you need to cut it open to inspect what has been caught.
tried it many wears ago.after opening filter & seeing the ultra fine magnetic powder on the inside held by the magnets.i've used them ever since.whether particles that small matters or not, i cant prove either way.but it DOES work to keep them IN the filter & out of the oil.
I have been running FilterMags on my car for the last 70k miles, and have an oil change interval of 5k (plus or minus maybe 250 miles). Each oil change, I cut the filter open and look for material caught by the magnets, and have noticed that over time, there is less and less that the magnets pick up/hold on to. There are a variety of possible explanations for this, but the one I am choosing to believe is that as ferritic particles are removed from the oil, they have less opportunity to do further damage/cause further wear... which means that over time, the engine wear rate decreases. In other words, having ferritic particles circulating in the oil creates additional ferritic particles which turn create more ferr.... you get the idea.
I am glad you are getting results from using the Filtermags. Your observation is very interesting and informative. On my next oil change I want to send out the oil for analysis to see what is passing through the filter. I noticed from the first video I did with just the magnetic oil drain plug there were a lot more particles on the drain plug. Now it seems there is a lot less since I added the magnets to the filter. I know the filter is suppose to catch most of it but I feel the extra protection is an easy decision for me. Thank you
@@Boyd-p4k I just purchased ferrite magnets to compare since they have higher heat resistance. Mentioned in the comments I have been made aware of this issue. I know the Filtermag ones have higher quality magnets that hold better temps. thank you
@@Boyd-p4k That's a fair point, and I'm not sure how much of it is marketing rah-rah, but the manufacturer of the magnets I use claims that they're good up to 300* F without losing strength. I can't swear in court that there hasn't been a degradation in strength since the magnets were new, but they certainly still snap onto a filter very firmly and stay in place for the duration of the oil change interval.
I've never used magnets. For my high performance engine, I just send a sample from every other oil change for analysis. With Amsoil filters and oil, and 5k miles between changes, this works for me. My truck? Uses oil waaaay too fast to worry about anything other than decent oul and filters, lol. The womans Jeep is on lease so I follow spec on that one.
Keep us posted on the results of the oil. I was using Amsoil but for some reason my suv was burning it more than the other oils that I have used in the past. I know their oil filter does up to 20 microns but a bit restrictive on the flow. Oh pricy too. Did some research and started using Valvoline Extended or high millage with a great additive package and notice my engine is super smooth and quiet. Purolator One with 20 micron filtration so far so good
Even if this method doesn't trap every single metallic particles from circulating in the oil, its still a really good idea to stop iron/steel particles from circulating around. Hard to say how beneficial to the engine's longevity this is but if i had to guess it surely doesn't hurt lol
@@Lucas-ck1po My feelings exactly. What is that black soot that is on the inside of the oil filter can? It's certainly magnetic. I want it out of my engine.
Magnets on the oil filter is a great idea. My Kubota tractor has them, the filter has a recessed area at the mounting flange. I had never seen the ones you can add to a regular filter, gonna order some, thanks. Magnetic drain plugs are always a good idea too.
I believe in the old school 3000 mile oil change. No matter how much better new oils are, they still get dirty and additives deplete. The oil filter is certainly ready to be replaced at 3000 miles.
My truck has a cool feature, it doesn’t need oil changes. cause i just keep adding oil as it burns it up. It always stays clean. Just kidding but there’s a little truth to that
Many newer engines use non-ferrous metals that don't get caught by magnets. I rode high-performance street bikes years ago, and those engines were full of alloy and other non-ferrous metals. I still used magents though.
This has convinced me to put some on my filter now. What would be cool is to somehow have a magnet inside the filter media (ie post filter paper) to see if it catches any metal then. That way if there are any smaller than X micron metal parts going through the filter paper it would prove its catching metal bits that would otherwise pass through the filter paper and get pumped through the engine.
On next test I will send the oil for testing and will also add another magnet to the bottom of the filter. These magnets are strong but apparently the heat makes them lose their strength. Before this video I did with only drain plug but seem like the filter magnets collect a lot more. thanks for the feedback
@@mxpants4884 It would be great to have something designed inside but before the element. Inside the filter is a bad idea specially if the magnets breaks a lot of damage. Thank you
This is very impressive I never heard of these filters but quite expensive. The idea of having very clean oil is essential to engine wear. Specially used in diesel engines. Thank you for sharing this
need like a magnetic coozy you can put over top of it, made of those fridge magnets or something, or even better yet a flexible fridge magnet manufactured inside of the filter around the paper. thats cool.
I do some heavy towing with my trucks. I also put a large magnet on the rear cover of my axle center covers next to the drain plugs that are magnetic also. " Too much is never enough" Keith Richards
Most particles are non-ferrous metals, so adding a magnet is mute. When the filter is on bypass do you really want to take a chance having 1 particle breaking free. If you're catching large metal chunks you have bigger problems!
When did he say he was trying to catch non-ferrous material with a magnet? I didn't hear him speak of trying to catch large chunks of metal either so, what is your point?
First, you're correct... in modern engines, there is less ferrous metal than ever before. HOWEVER, most of the other metals used (various alloys of aluminum, lead, copper) as well as plastics are almost universally softer than ferrous metals, and are less likely to do as much damage. Additionally, even if only 25% of the metallic particles floating around in the oil are ferrous, IMO it's still worth removing that 25%... especially considering how much trouble it *isn't* to have some flavor of magnetic particle retention solution in the oil circulation path.
Obviously it works magnets have been used in cars and industries too clean oil for a hundred years, the only reason car manufacturers went away from it was bean counters and they don’t care what happens after warranty is out, that’s why new car manufacturers tell us too change oil every 15,000 ks which is straight out wrong. PS I’ve been building motors for 50 years.
Interesting video. Do you cut out the filter element and open it out to see what non-magnetic particles it has caught? This is standard practice in aircraft maintenance. There will always be small particles (that is why the filter is there) but larger pieces can indicate excessively worn parts and predict a possible failure.
I have always replaced the oil drain plug with a magnetic one. I worked for a machine shop doing engine swaps in early1980s and the machinist also put a small round donut magnet around the drain plug bolt (on outside of oil pan) to grab every possible piece of metal and then remove the donut magnet when you do an oil change. This gets all metal shavings into the oil change pan. He would also do this on customer cars that were thinking about getting rebuilt engine to gauge just how much bearing wear the engine had.
Thats interesting I just got a very strong magnet like the trany once to do that. I figured if I can catch most of it at the bottom then even better. Like you said remove it and drain oil. Thanks for the feedback
Depending on where the magnet is located, how strong it is, and the design of the oil filter, the magnets could prevent the bypass valve from opening. I had this happen years ago and is the reason I stopped using a magnet on the oil filter.
Yes those bypass valves are pretty sensitive to psi so I wouldn't want to risk changing how that works in my oil filter. Most people don't realize how important the bypass valve is and the psi settings vary from manufacturer
Exactly! At least put the magnet on the oil pan or buy an oil plug with magnet. Don’t ever put anything on the filter. You would be defeating the purpose of the (filter)
I think magnet drain plugs are fun. If nothing else they help you not drop it in the oil catch. Like he did in the video it stuck to the car instead of dropping
Used Gold Plug magnetic oil drain bolts in both my vehicles. They collect a little bit of "fuzz" does it help?? Ehh who knows. Deff can gauge internal wear.
I just have a large 100mm magnet stuck to the bottom of the oil pan, one of the benefits of it being made of steel. Says it has 68kg of pull, once it's on it won't come off without a fight. Just cost £10.
In my opinion: It's normal to have metal floating around in your oil. If you have too many particles then the oil must be changed. Ordinary the heavy stuff finds it's way to the sump & the oil pump draws from the upper mid level of the sump. With Aluminum alloy bearings as apposed to the old babbit, they can tolerate tiny metallic particles being loaded within the oil. It's interesting to see what a magnet will catch, but oil filters just capture carbon with silica & pass a lot of micro particulate. It's really not the small metal you need to worry about, it's the silica that gets past the air filters that kills engines. Running a oil guaze (wet rag) so called air filter will kill your rings & prematurely expended your oil. If you run 10w-30 synthetic, you wouldn't need to worry about the small stuff & your oil won't evaporate as fast as 5w or 0w anything. Your oil filter ran a multi blend or conventional oil because the color says so. These oils don't last as long as synthetic that have a red to amber color when expended. Amsoil 10w-30 is guaranteed for 25K miles with 2 filter changes with normal driving. Realistically what you show off would be only good to 6k miles as 8k would be pushing your luck.
Great information on this. Wouldn't thicker oil not design for your car be too thick for the pump and lubrication. It makes sense what your are saying I did this on the BMW went from 5W-20 to 5W-30 but from 0w-20 to 10w-30 wouldn't that be too thick. Can you elaborate more on the air filter I am doing some research on that. thinking those K&N filters allow too mush dirt to get into the airflow. Thanks
@@ExtremDIY In my opinion: Running oil & start up are two different things. In hot climate thin oil runs down faster & piston rings carbon up. You do not want the carbon to dry or become sticky or your rings can stick resulting in oil consumption that is not beneficially productive leading to gunky rings. 0w & 5W would be winter oils made for very cold start ups. 30 & 40 viscosities don't hurt anything being thicker they benefit from a longer heat soak effect that is beneficial to removing carbon buildup. Having a 10W platform to start out with does sound different than the thinner runny stuff. You don't want to load an engine with "lash". Try running on tile with your bare feet & then put on some some flats. If that's not convincing enough, go with sneakers. You can feel the contrasting difference when it comes to the lashing forces of density that are ignorant of oil engineering. Oil can't be compressed even though metal can. The hydraulic support would time out less in 0W or 5W along with the variable time the oil gets up to viscosity. Slap... Slap... Slap... chatter - chatter. Your engine won't be fully charged at the operating viscosity at the valve train until the temperature catches up. Engine slosh causes bubbly oil & too much "might" be bad even though impossible to control going down a crowned road. The counter weights of the crank splash the top of the oil way up into the cylinders. What looks good on paper, doesn't always sound right in operation. Sloshing oil up the crank case & damping lash does make parts last longer.
My magnetic tipped drain plug always grows an afro. Over time, the quantity has decreased and I suspect it's material coming from the timing chain set as it wears.
@@dequavisjones4869 My point here is that magnets work to prove ferris particles exist and we can expect some amount will be present. Not sure exactly what you're witnessing but there could be numerous reasons. Extended oil change intervals and/or the incorrect type of oil (most likely of sins these days) should both be avoided like the plague, if at all possible. Background: This particular engine was completely rebuilt at least 20 years ago and I've been modifying it through the years, I consider it a test bed. The original timing chain sprocket would've been a nylon coated aluminum piece with an expected life of about 100k miles. This latest replacement aftermarket sprocket (a matched timing set) is cast iron and I've advanced the camshaft by 3 degrees.
@@ExtremDIY Sounds like more metal than you're experiencing and I'd say you're experiencing less than I am, but I'm not totally convinced a 1/4 inch afro is beyond imagination, we need more detail. In your case, I suspect you take very good care of your engine and maybe drive long distances at higher speeds (operating conditions effect rate of wear).
He explained that directly in the video. The less of that stuff caught by the filter, the more the filter can do its job. And anything larger than the oil membrane barrier in your bearings, cam lobes, etc. Will cause wear. If you have a diesel I'd look into bypass filtration systems
Your crankshaft is always made of steel and or iron as well as your piston rings and cylinder sleeves (all aluminum engines have steel piston sleeves).
Oh yes I heard about that issue. Imagine the cost to do that recall this would had possibly fixed it or at least control it. That is why I like the magnetic oil plug it will let you know if there are any issues that can possibly be corrected in time with less cost to repair. Thanks
All of the Volvo Transmission Oilpans i removed for filter change, had 1 or more magnets stuck to the bottom of the pan. They always had some buildup collected. ZF Transmissions.
Been doing this since....forever. Literally I remember my uncle showing me how to read the oil drain magnets on his supercharged VW bug, in the early 70.s Ever since I slap a fat round magnet on the oil pan and gearbox of all my racing engines and reggy ones too. When I became an engine machinist It was also stressed to always read the magnets with a magnifier, and cut the filter open too. Bronze, copper, orange/blue specks= shell bearings. silver blue steel balls=rings. Dull silver gray dust speck and flakes, bores and gears. Tiny round purple black balls, piston/ crown wear. detonation. Rings are toast if you see those hard purple balls, even if it show good compression. a bore camera will show deep scratching.
I do believe that the magnets catch some metal, but I wonder how much of that might have come from when you opened the can. Regardless of how much the magnets catch, I'm sure that it will reduce damage to the engine whenever the filter goes into bypass. A great video. I'm convinced that the magnets are worth it. Thank you.
You are welcome. I will turn can upside down next time just in case. Even though I used a cutter instead of a saw it might be possible that some metals can get caught. Filters are limited and we dont know how many times the bypass opens on a regular basis so I rather have them on there than not. Thank you
Suggestion, take a small shop vac and actually stick it into the fill on the top side. It will actually keep that from splitting out all over your hand when you pull the drain plug. I also do the trick where I use a pair of tinsnips to actually cut the corner of the filter when I do it myself. Put the old garbage awl punch works good too
Kubota tractor hydraulic filters come with a doughnut magnet on top where the oil enters the can. The universal hydraulic oil is shared with the transmission. There are usually very fine black metallic partiicals attached when changing, at the 400 hour recommendation.
The one this about this that may not be great is the fact that both the L83/l84 5.3 and L86/l87 6.2 engines on 2014+ trucks and suv’s are aluminum blocks, so there would be a chance of aluminum particles from the block getting through even the magnets. There are way more aluminum block vehicles out there, but these are just common examples
Yes aluminum blocks but piston sleeves are not and rings with are moving parts that get lots of wear. Any ferrous metal will stick to magnet but other non ferrous metal will get caught by filter if greater than 20-30 microns anything less will go back and wear parts out. There is a reason why engines fail internally except for overheating of course. I rather have it on there and if it can help I good with that. I had an 6.2 go bad on me at 177k miles due to oil issues many years ago so I rather be safe.
You can also get some strong magnets from old computer hard drives to add even more to the filter. It's just too bad that most engines these days are aluminum, so this won't catch much for them.
I actually started doing some research on this a bit ago because I saw it on a motorcycle video the channel was Rev Zilla ua-cam.com/video/dhFUoNIuS2w/v-deo.htmlsi=4sbN-kV0dtgxHghb
Magnetic capture of metal particles is only part of the wear process. Yes remove metal, however during the rotation application of wear and tear, bushings, and some bearings are of different alloys not containing ferris properties. Magnetic capture will not capture non ferris particles. Hence the reason for regular oil and filter changes to avoid wear and oil diluted from compression ring gas blow by. Eg normally around 5000km I change out my filters and oil. It's a cheap insurance policy if you intend to retain the vechical longer in its life.
I believe after mush research 5000 km is a perfect time to change the oil and filters. There are other options out there that give you better filtration but cost more and are not available for most vehicles. Also depends on your driving condition too. Many car companies change your oil at 7k or even 10k which I think its a mistake if you plan to keep the car. Some OEM filters dont filter less than 30 microns and with bypass valves that who know how many times they open and allow particles to get through. I like the magnets on the filter and oil plug to at least remove as mush ferrous metal as possible. I am in contact with 2 companies to a possible upgrade to my filter which do about 2 microns of filtration but not cheap. I mean if you change your car every 4 years OEM is fine with a good oil.
If you do an oil analysis you'll find you remove about 50% of your circulating ferrous metal (Fe) by adding a magnetic sump plug. Adding more magnets probably removes a little more ferrous metal. Less metal in the oil means less wear... and the oil should last a bit longer too: The additives get soaked up by circulating particles. Magnets will pick up the smallest iron particles as well as the larger ones. One disadvantage of putting magnets on your oil filter is you can't see how much metal is being generated by your engine i.e. The amount of metal caught by magnets tells you how well your engine is wearing. This also a good way to work out which oils, additives and filters work... and which ones don't. 🙂
On the next oil change I will be doing an analysis to see the amount of metals in the oil after the magnets. I noticed once I added the magnets to the oil filter the plug is much cleaner of metals. I assume that the surface area of the oil filter magnets are a lot more than just the plug. I can wait to do the next oil change to see the results. Been looking to possibly add a bypass filter to the system to get the filtering down even more but not sure if possible on my car. Thank you
these particles that the magnet picked up isn't going to do any harm to the engine at all. the particles in the sump would have just sat at the bottom of the sump. the ones in the filter would have remained in the filter.
The cleaner the oil the better. If what some manufactures recommend to do would work there wouldn't be engine failures, worn out bearings, etc. Some OEM filters screen about 30 microns and pass the rest. I feel safer to attract these metals into the filter than depend on an oil filter to do all the work. You never know if the bypass valve malfunctions and you get everything back to the engine. You can also use as a gauge to see if you do have an issue can can possibly be corrected in time. Thanks for the feedback
Every engine filter picks up fine metal particles. That is what the filter is for. I noticed that the oil was terribly dirty and the filter was black indicating the oil hadn't been changing a very long time. Some of those metal particles might indicate excessive wear in the engine which means there is a serious problem. If you take the sample of the drain oil it will include some of the medical particles which can be sent to a laboratory to examine what the metal is and what parts of the engine it came from. Professional mechanics through that regularly when there is an issue
On a new engine, the oil comes out really dirty. You have assembly lube , silicone, getting flushed. I just changed my oil on my new car @932 miles. Oil looked nasty. Will do another change at 3000. Screw that recommended 7500 mile mark.
@@pwrshots Absolutely on that new car oil change at 7500. I did the same thing on my wife's car changed it at 2k I should had done it earlier. We got the maintenance package and they change it at 7500 so I will be doing one in between. Thanks
it would be interesting to see if the filter element would have captured the particles rendering the magnets redundant. since it's not feasible to mount the magnets inside the filter on the clean side, perhaps one could install two oil filter relocation kits in series so you can add the magnets to the outside of the 2nd filter after the oil has gone through the 1st filter. then you shuld be able to see if the filter catches the magnetic particles or they go through. i'm going to have a go at the magnets my self, just goonna rip appart some old hard drives.
Not a bad idea and it can be done on a bypass setup on a diesel engine. There are kits that are sold like the Amsoil bypass kit. I will be sending out the oil next time for test and hopefully I can get an answer to that. thanks
I change my oil every 5k. Unless it looks like a Cappuccino, I don't worry about it. No blown engines and I've gotten 150K on some of my cars before I got rid of them. But as long as you don't claim magnets increase your MPG, this is fine.
On jet engines we use chip detectors, it is two magnets a specific distance apart and when the metallic particles cause the two magnets to connect a make an electrical connection the chip detector warning light goes on in the cockpit.
Helicopter gearboxes use those, too. I'm going to try this on my wind turbines gearboxes. Simple & clever these chip detectors! 👍
so it god enough for the military than its good enough for me
i dont need the light just the magnets
That's so cool! Genius! Never too much redundancy in an aircraft.
We had several chip detectors on our Huey helicopters in the Marines, but only on gearboxes.
They weren’t to collect ferrous metals as this filter magnet does, they are used to warn you that one of the gear boxes (main transmission, tail rotor, intermediate, accessory and combining gear boxes) was about to grenade.
Protocol was to pull it out, examine chips, clean and see if it popped the light again.
have been doing the same thing with magnets for 5 years this guy shows the results well done sir
Thank you
I did this once and after cutting the filter open I found my extra set of keys.
lol
😆😂🤣
You need a new mechanic my friend.
Same with me but it was my wedding ring
I found all my 10mm
In goa ,India we taxi drivers put a magnet piece in oil chamber as soon as we purchase new car,this continues from my grandpa days
Where is the oil chamber?
@@h2o100c I think he means the oil sump or pan. They drop a couple small magnets down where the dipstick goes. A magnetic drain plug should do the job and is safer.
I've been using magnets on the filter for decades. I get the magnets out of old starters, they are curved and fit the shape of the filter. Don't cost nuthin. I also cut open every filter and there is always a slight amount of particles stuck to the filter can. Less crap floating in the oil the better.
That is a great idea. It was mentioned today about using ferrite magnets instead of neodymium. their tolerance of heat is much higher than neodymium magnets. Thanks
@@ExtremDIY Also old blower motors have curved magnets. Can't beat the price...FREE
@@scrappy7571 Thanks
@@ExtremDIYthey make high heat neodymium magnets capable of above 200c. Just gotta select the right grade
@@issanesheiwat1396 Good to know, the ones used on the Filtermag kits have a higher heat tolerance. thanks
I don't see why this is controversial. It can't do any harm if it doesn't work, but if the magnets work and collect steel particles then it's all good.
Correct. Just use magnetic drain bolt. 100%.
Agreed
Most friction parts in the contemporary engines use non-magnetic alloys and would not be attracted by magnets (block, pistons, head, slide bearing, etc).
The few steel parts in there do not typically wear out aggressively. It's no wonder that those magnets caught just a tiny amount of particles as compared to a transmission oil pan magnet where most friction parts are made of steel.
While the block might not be ferrous, the cylinder sleeves are. Same with the pistons, they are likely aluminum, but the rings won't be.
Oil was already flowing the filter, so why wouldnt these particles get caught in the filter without the magnet? Its not like the magnets drew in metal particles into the filter with magnetic pull. Besiudes, how would you compare the filter without the magnets. If you have metal particles floaing around, damage is already done.
@@hairynames9704 the particles that the magnets a supposed to catch are the ones that are smaller that what the filter is rated for. To me it would make more sense if the magnets were on the inside though, after the filter ekement.
@@jimmac1185 any particles smaller than the filter can catch are harmless.
Agreed. Probably would have seen more evidence if running on an old, cast iron block like a Jeep 4.0 or a chevy small block. That said, I am not sure what car/engine he is working on so I do not know what it's made off. I assume a newer engine with mostly aluminum components.
Very detailed I have been thinking of adding magnets to my filters and now I will thank you.
Thank you
Given that most modern engines are aluminum blocks with aluminum heads and pistons the concept of using magnets can't hurt but will not pick up aluminum in the oil. The bearings are not pure iron or steel and timing gears and belts are also non metallic. I think you get the point. Transmissions, transfer cases, and drive axles have ferrous based gears and bearings along with magnetic drain plugs. If the ferrous components in the engine are throwing that much metal and / or the filter media is not trapping it something else is terribly wrong.
Your crankshaft and your piston rings are made of steel/iron. Another thing to note is some aluminum engines have steel piston sleeves.
Steel piston liners in aluminum blocks were once used 40 to 50 years ago. Today cylinder walls are specially treated to obtain a very durable surface and the block is all aluminum.
@@joshkrause2977nope
@@garyjarvis2730 well yeah cheaply manufactured cars as they cut corners for costs, look at any performance aluminum block made for high power. Or engines made for longevity. Yes you are correct they stopped using them in some cases to create disposable cars that you have to replace every six years.
@@joshkrause2977 nonsense, some of the most expensive cars in the world use high performance coatings and they last a lot more than 6 years if serviced correctly. Check out how long high revving motor bike engines last using ceramic or nickasil type coatings.
I'm an aircraft mechanic and have been using magnetic drain plugs in my cars for years. Basically all I usually end up with is metallic silt. I would rather have it on the drain plug than circulating through the engine.. It's a good way to monitor wear for a specific number of miles also..
I feel the same way. I wish I would had done it a long time ago. Great way to monitor the motor. Thank you
There's non belivers calling magnets snake oil I've used magnets for decades they are an absolute good thing.
I see the results and think they are great. Thank you
I've never used magnets and have never had engine issues. And I usually have 4 cars in the driveway that are older with high mileage. I'm not saying magnets aren't beneficial. Just saying anecdotal evidence really isn't a scientific way of determining if something works.
@@Healthliving1967why were you so rude to Don? This man has several vehicles with very high mileage so obviously he knows how to properly care for them. And no, this video isn't "proof" of any benefit. The oil in the can was pre filtered oil. So the magnet just caught particles which would have ended up in the filter element anyway. If you can see the particles, then they are over 50 microns. Most filters will catch particles down to 20 or 30 microns. And lastly, the magnets will not attract the aluminum and copper found in most modern engines. In older engines with iron blocks and iron heads, yes magnets could make sense. But in modern engines they just don't work as well. Hope that brings some context to the video.
You use magnets, and then there is the 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of people who have never used magnets and just followed proper oil change intervals and never had a problem. Sometimes people create solutions to problems that don't exist.
@@davidbuck9977 Why would they use it on the tranny? There is a lot of engine ware that if your car doesnt break shops wouldnt make any money. One of the comments motioned oil changes at 3k and had some ridiculous amount of miles on his car. I would never do those crazy long oil changes like 10k or 15k even if the manufacture would say is ok. There is always wear in the motor and by spending a few buck will help 1% I will use it.
I have been using magnets for years and love the results. thanks
Great to hear!
Retired mechanic of 45 years, they used to laugh at me when they saw my rare earth magnet strips on my filter, and look at us now, well done for raising this most interesting topic 🇦🇺
Thank you I think it should be included in the filters. Actually PPE filters come with a magnet into them. They dont make them for many cars though.
Been using Filtermags for years. Much stronger magnetic field then a drain plug magnet
Absolutely I just did a fun video and the neodymium magnets are way stronger and more surface area. The plug is limited but some cars with the cartridge filters are hard to put magnets on. Thanks
@@ExtremDIYon my 3.2L Pentastar, which has just a filter media cartridge, it does have a metal lower oil pan. So I have a 1cm x1cm x 5cm neodymium bar magnet near the drain plug and a magnetic drain plug, too. I pull the bar magnet off before I drain the oil.
@@budlanctot3060 There is a company that sells magnetic oil filter cover for BMW but not sure if they will fit this setup. I think you can possibly glue round neodymium magnets around the cover to collect the ferrous metals and clean it when you change the oil. Might be worth a try.
Makes me think of the '37 olds I restored. Flathead 6, oil bath air filter, NO oil filter. I was talking to an old guy about it and he said," Now that the roads are paved the oil should stay a lot cleaner.."
Almost exactly what I thought!!!
I have been using magnets on my filters for forty+ years on both cars and motorcycles. On some I drilled the plug and glued the magnet into the tip of the plug. Also I have put some on the outside of the filter housing. They work good on ferrous metals but don't work on aluminum and copper. I have a Triumph Rocket 111 motorcycle where the engine and transmission share the same oil so its got a magnet on the filter. My Toyota Corolla has 390,000 miles on it with a magnet on filter. Great video will help new car owners keep their cars longer.
Wow this is excellent to hear. Thank you for sharing your experience with the community. Still 390,000 miles wow.
Yeah this is especially helpful on a shared transmission case. That is too much stuff to be circulating around in the engine
Why did you drill your plug???
@@h2o100c Hello I used a hole punch not a drill. I wanted to try to drain the oil filter so I could remove it an not make a lot of mess but didnt really work.
Yup been using filter mag since new in my 2007 Ford Focus, opened up and replaced the valve cover this year with an aluminum replacement. It was absolutely pristine. I would also suggest you check out this guy on oil. Channel name " The Motor Oil Geek " the title of the video would be " what makes this oil so special " , normally I have used Royal Purple but have switched. I do still use their filters. Adding extra magnets to the transmission is also beneficial as they do have at least one. I did also add a transmission drain plug at the start B/M sells one that works great and yes I change out a tray-full then wait a week and do a second at every oil change. Happy transmission. 😀
He's good!
How do you change the transmission filter through that tiny drain hole?
@@SurferJoe46 Well considering the factory transmission filter is more a screen then a filter I drop the pan every three years and change it, I also installed a spin on filter which I change with every oil change. Yeah it stays clean as hydraulic fluid should.
Great video! I highly recommend magnets on the filter and drain plug as well. Save money by keeping your vehicle for longer.
500 hour small motors. A magnetic drain plug installed with conv. Oil. Two changes showed a little fuzz. Syn blend magnets were showing silver black film at 100 hr. Change intervals. 1000 hours later, still a little film. No fuzz!
Yeah all engines will break down eventually. Just keep changing your filters and oil and keep your cooling system working good. Heat is the killer.
I use these magnets on my Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle since I got it new - 2015. It's 2024 now, still own that bike has 41.000 miles on ODO. It runs great, I do change oil every about 2500 miles, with those magnets on the filter, I myself cannot confirm or proof if it did catch the metal particles, but all I need is a healthy good engine... ✌️
particulates of steel = abrasive = increased engine wear. any cheap easy way of getting them out of the oil is a real win in my view. well done my friend.
btw, I must get one of those can openers for my kitchen
Thank you for your feedback I feel the same.
Nailed it. thanks for the breakdown
Like anything else, it depends on the application & the amount of ferrous materials comprising your engine. Cheap methods of preventative maintenance & redundancy are always a good idea, however, between the ferrous components of transmissions, transfer cases, drive axles & the tendencies of their regular maintenance being somewhat compromised compared to engines, I imagine the benefits would be quite beneficial in these applications.
Old method, but new to me. Excellent sir! Thanks!
Welcome
My wife and I found that very interesting. Moving the magnets and seeing the shadowy melty particles move, was a delight! It felt like having x-ray vision to see where the magnet was... I have been watching some Super man lately. LOL
Thank you
This is a good interesting video. Well made. My only suggestion would be if done in the future, flip the filter over when cutting it open. Those cutters create very fine particles of metal when cutting thru the material. Some of your shiny specs were likely there due to cutting it open & they fell down to the magnets.
If u need a microscope to see particles, ur good. Take my magnetic plug out, the metal particles look like an afro sticking up off of the magnet.
Exactly, the magnet is a diagnostic tool. I don't get the oil filter magnets, but the drain plug is great for showing you some early warning signs if something very expensive is about to happen. Keeping metal out of the oil filter is pointless, it's a FILTER.. It's supposed to catch the metal in the element. But get a magnetic drain plug if you don't already have one
@@qoph1988Filters only catch particles large enough to get caught in the media. Metal dust can pass through a filter but trapped by the magnet. Also, cold starts where the most wear occurs will also trip the bypass valve which bypasses the filter element. Overall, adding magnets isn't hurting anything and as shown will help trap some metal dust.
in the 1960,s I owned a few British mini cars / vans .the engine oil also lubricated the gearbox and transmission . The factory installed drain plug had a powerful magnet .which collected any metallic particles .. I never thought of adding extra magnets to the oil filter casing .
I'm do this "afro-magnet" on my fj cruiser. 😂😂
Cool. Exactly what the filter is designed to catch was not only caught by the filter, but stuck to the sides.
I've been using a FilterMag on my cars for 25+ years now. My 99 Trans Am and 01 Z28 both with LS engines had one. My Cavalier/Buick I couldn't use one because of the internal filter. But my 2010 Chevy, I've used it since new. I've never opened the filter but logic would dictate that metal would stick to the filter housing where the magnet was attached. I'll use one forever now especially with a canister filter.
Funny I used to do this years ago without any research just plain magnetics but now all my cars have magnets. Still have to figure out my sons BMW with the plastic upside cover. They are very powerful seems to me that if you can have extra protection why not use it. thank you
Ferrous metals would stick but pure aluminum or copper won't stick
@@sandasturner9529 Oh yes always buy the best filter you can get for the rest. thanks
I leaned some thing new today wow !! I have bunch of speaker round magnets laying around and they are very strong can I just clamp them under the oil pan to cleverly collect iron particles
@@ryanbautista6435 I thought of that but how are you going to clean it. I rather use a powerful magnetic drain bolt. The idea is great if you can remove the oil pan to clean it out every other oil change. thanks
Since the magnets are picking up pre filtered oil in that configuration there would be no way to prove that the filter wouldn’t catch that media anyway. A test with a control fluid and one filter with, one without would be a great test to verify there are actually benefits to this, aside from catching metal the filter may catch anyway. Great video. Cheers
Next text we will be sending out the oil before and after to see if its working. My thing is the bypass valve opens and lets out these metals back into the engine. Nothing beats regular maintenance on your engine and I have shifted from changing oil at 5k to 3500 miles. Lets see what the next oil change comes back as. Thanks for the feedback
@@ExtremDIY excellent point about the bypass. Looking forward to seeing the new video.
@@ExtremDIYFor the bypass valve to get open, must have to be a huge amount of sludge in the filter, so lack of maintenance will destroy your engine at that point anyways. In the winter the valve can be oppened by the petroleum jelly on the mornings, but it will recirculate at the filter media again. Those tings make me to think twice before buy these products.
@@eliezercamilo3713 Its difficult to know when they open and if I can help to keep the ferrous metals on the magnets and not on the media it a win for me. If filters were good you wouldnt have any engine failure or much wear. here is a video to give you an idea just how flawed some bypass filter are. Some racers are even getting filters without bypass. If you change your filter and oil at 3k there shouldnt be any issues. this video shows that some oil will be passing through the filter at all times. If you go down the rabbit hole of oil and oil filters you will see there is a lot more than meets the eye. Also any ferrous metals under 25 microns will pass by the element so magnets help to catch all or most of the metals. ua-cam.com/video/oearzZSwFrA/v-deo.htmlsi=QSjXYTO2v7UWFzI0
I prefer a rare earth magnet placed on the bolt head. This way you can demagnetize the bolt for easier cleaning.
Very Interesting, I was a mechanic for 25 years starting in the late 60s, I learned a lot from my late Father {R.I.P.}, he was the best IMHO, he would change oil every 3000-3500 miles, and a new filter every other time, a little side note, he didn't believe in multiple viscosity oil, he used 30-W only, and back then engines didn't have tighter tolerances like they do now. 👍 subbed 🇺🇸
If you are already changing the oil I don't see any reason to try to save the $4 by skipping the filter change.
Pretty slick. The small amount of particulate captured on the side of the oil filter would not have posed an issue to the filter media. Nevertheless this is a free method to capture metal particles and provides a positive feedback.
How much is from that cut?
Also, would not be surprised if some engines or manufacturers vary in quality/tolerances etc
They have used magnets in transmission pans for years, seems like a good idea and a catch can for GDI engines.
That is a beautifully machined and anodized can opener. I mean really gorgeous. ❤
I thought so too!
I've been running two smaller bar magnets on the outside of oil filters for several years. My goal was to trap any small steel particles that would go through the filter. It's a much cheaper and easier version of a bypass filter with a finer filtering capability. Those small steel particles definitely cause wear. I don't use a magnetic drain plug because they're a pain to clean. I like that the magnets catch the particles in the filter, where they belong. I assumed the magnets were catching fine steel particles, because physics, but I always wanted to see inside the filter to verify that assumption. I use Fumoto oil drain valves on our three trucks to make oil changes easier and neater. I'm going to add more and larger magnets to the oil filters after watching this video. Thanks!
You are very welcome. thanks
Magnetic drain plugs are not that hard to clean. Wipe off as much as you can with a paper towel, blast it with a can of engine starting fluid, and then wipe it once more with a clean paper towel. It gets the plug perfectly clean every time.
Nice can opener
Best part of the video!
Magnet on the oil plug is good because then you'll directly see if there's metal particles collected. Rule of thumb is that if you can see the individual particles and feel them you have a problem. If you can't feel them it's no big deal with the engine.
But small particles can increase the wear of the engine.
Unfortunately modern engines now are built with a lot non-magnetic material.
Putting magnets on the oil filter will catch the particles but you need to cut it open to inspect what has been caught.
tried it many wears ago.after opening filter & seeing the ultra fine magnetic powder on the inside held by the magnets.i've used them ever since.whether particles that small matters or not, i cant prove either way.but it DOES work to keep them IN the filter & out of the oil.
Absolutely
Magnets are going on the filters of all my cars now. Pack ordered!
Specially on the C5 z06 I will be doing the oil change on my baby soon. Keep us posted on your results
I have been running FilterMags on my car for the last 70k miles, and have an oil change interval of 5k (plus or minus maybe 250 miles). Each oil change, I cut the filter open and look for material caught by the magnets, and have noticed that over time, there is less and less that the magnets pick up/hold on to.
There are a variety of possible explanations for this, but the one I am choosing to believe is that as ferritic particles are removed from the oil, they have less opportunity to do further damage/cause further wear... which means that over time, the engine wear rate decreases. In other words, having ferritic particles circulating in the oil creates additional ferritic particles which turn create more ferr.... you get the idea.
I am glad you are getting results from using the Filtermags. Your observation is very interesting and informative. On my next oil change I want to send out the oil for analysis to see what is passing through the filter. I noticed from the first video I did with just the magnetic oil drain plug there were a lot more particles on the drain plug. Now it seems there is a lot less since I added the magnets to the filter. I know the filter is suppose to catch most of it but I feel the extra protection is an easy decision for me. Thank you
Heat will also cause a magnetic field to weaken over time. Try new magnets every couple changes
@@Boyd-p4k I just purchased ferrite magnets to compare since they have higher heat resistance. Mentioned in the comments I have been made aware of this issue. I know the Filtermag ones have higher quality magnets that hold better temps. thank you
i wonder if heat cycling the magnets affects their strength/molecular polarity at all as well...
@@Boyd-p4k That's a fair point, and I'm not sure how much of it is marketing rah-rah, but the manufacturer of the magnets I use claims that they're good up to 300* F without losing strength. I can't swear in court that there hasn't been a degradation in strength since the magnets were new, but they certainly still snap onto a filter very firmly and stay in place for the duration of the oil change interval.
I've never used magnets.
For my high performance engine, I just send a sample from every other oil change for analysis. With Amsoil filters and oil, and 5k miles between changes, this works for me.
My truck? Uses oil waaaay too fast to worry about anything other than decent oul and filters, lol.
The womans Jeep is on lease so I follow spec on that one.
Keep us posted on the results of the oil. I was using Amsoil but for some reason my suv was burning it more than the other oils that I have used in the past. I know their oil filter does up to 20 microns but a bit restrictive on the flow. Oh pricy too. Did some research and started using Valvoline Extended or high millage with a great additive package and notice my engine is super smooth and quiet. Purolator One with 20 micron filtration so far so good
Not all metals are magnetic
Most in an engine are not... So.
Even if this method doesn't trap every single metallic particles from circulating in the oil, its still a really good idea to stop iron/steel particles from circulating around. Hard to say how beneficial to the engine's longevity this is but if i had to guess it surely doesn't hurt lol
@@Lucas-ck1po My feelings exactly. What is that black soot that is on the inside of the oil filter can? It's certainly magnetic. I want it out of my engine.
All magnets ARE metal so what’s your point!
@@h2o100c A water molecule is polar, ie. magnetic.
Magnets on the oil filter is a great idea. My Kubota tractor has them, the filter has a recessed area at the mounting flange. I had never seen the ones you can add to a regular filter, gonna order some, thanks. Magnetic drain plugs are always a good idea too.
I believe in the old school 3000 mile oil change. No matter how much better new oils are, they still get dirty and additives deplete. The oil filter is certainly ready to be replaced at 3000 miles.
💯
My truck has a cool feature, it doesn’t need oil changes. cause i just keep adding oil as it burns it up. It always stays clean. Just kidding but there’s a little truth to that
5k mi oil changes w/ full synthetic & synthetic media oil filter is VERY CONSERVATIVE .
5k full synthetic, can't go wrong no matter what
@@Javii96 my 97 Land Cruiser fully agrees with your statement
This is why I always cover my oil filters with neodymium magnets
Many newer engines use non-ferrous metals that don't get caught by magnets. I rode high-performance street bikes years ago, and those engines were full of alloy and other non-ferrous metals. I still used magents though.
This has convinced me to put some on my filter now.
What would be cool is to somehow have a magnet inside the filter media (ie post filter paper) to see if it catches any metal then. That way if there are any smaller than X micron metal parts going through the filter paper it would prove its catching metal bits that would otherwise pass through the filter paper and get pumped through the engine.
On next test I will send the oil for testing and will also add another magnet to the bottom of the filter. These magnets are strong but apparently the heat makes them lose their strength. Before this video I did with only drain plug but seem like the filter magnets collect a lot more. thanks for the feedback
@@ExtremDIYlose not loose
@@ryanyoder7573 Fixed thanks
Please don't put anything in the filter. Too easy to have it fuck something up. (This is actually why it's bad to pre-fill the filter with oil too.)
@@mxpants4884 It would be great to have something designed inside but before the element. Inside the filter is a bad idea specially if the magnets breaks a lot of damage. Thank you
Another impressive item is an " Oil Spinner " . Catch a LOT of Crud , those .
This is very impressive I never heard of these filters but quite expensive. The idea of having very clean oil is essential to engine wear. Specially used in diesel engines. Thank you for sharing this
need like a magnetic coozy you can put over top of it, made of those fridge magnets or something, or even better yet a flexible fridge magnet manufactured inside of the filter around the paper. thats cool.
You want the filter to dissipate heat from the oil.
Use zip ties.
I do some heavy towing with my trucks.
I also put a large magnet on the rear cover of my axle center covers next to the drain plugs that are magnetic also. " Too much is never enough"
Keith Richards
Awesome thank you. I see more and more of this magnets on filters.
I have two magnets on my differential and one on the manual transmission in the diesel. Not as critical, but still very telling when you change oil.
Most particles are non-ferrous metals, so adding a magnet is mute. When the filter is on bypass do you really want to take a chance having 1 particle breaking free. If you're catching large metal chunks you have bigger problems!
When did he say he was trying to catch non-ferrous material with a magnet? I didn't hear him speak of trying to catch large chunks of metal either so, what is your point?
First, you're correct... in modern engines, there is less ferrous metal than ever before. HOWEVER, most of the other metals used (various alloys of aluminum, lead, copper) as well as plastics are almost universally softer than ferrous metals, and are less likely to do as much damage. Additionally, even if only 25% of the metallic particles floating around in the oil are ferrous, IMO it's still worth removing that 25%... especially considering how much trouble it *isn't* to have some flavor of magnetic particle retention solution in the oil circulation path.
Obviously it works magnets have been used in cars and industries too clean oil for a hundred years, the only reason car manufacturers went away from it was bean counters and they don’t care what happens after warranty is out, that’s why new car manufacturers tell us too change oil every 15,000 ks which is straight out wrong. PS I’ve been building motors for 50 years.
Always wanted to do this to my cars. Thanks
I would try it and it works well.
Interesting video.
Do you cut out the filter element and open it out to see what non-magnetic particles it has caught?
This is standard practice in aircraft maintenance.
There will always be small particles (that is why the filter is there) but larger pieces can indicate excessively worn parts and predict a possible failure.
I have always replaced the oil drain plug with a magnetic one. I worked for a machine shop doing engine swaps in early1980s and the machinist also put a small round donut magnet around the drain plug bolt (on outside of oil pan) to grab every possible piece of metal and then remove the donut magnet when you do an oil change. This gets all metal shavings into the oil change pan. He would also do this on customer cars that were thinking about getting rebuilt engine to gauge just how much bearing wear the engine had.
Thats interesting I just got a very strong magnet like the trany once to do that. I figured if I can catch most of it at the bottom then even better. Like you said remove it and drain oil. Thanks for the feedback
Depending on where the magnet is located, how strong it is, and the design of the oil filter, the magnets could prevent the bypass valve from opening. I had this happen years ago and is the reason I stopped using a magnet on the oil filter.
Good point. I didn't think about that.
Yes those bypass valves are pretty sensitive to psi so I wouldn't want to risk changing how that works in my oil filter. Most people don't realize how important the bypass valve is and the psi settings vary from manufacturer
Good observation... one possible work-around would be an additional (smaller) micron bypass oil filter kit.
Exactly! At least put the magnet on the oil pan or buy an oil plug with magnet. Don’t ever put anything on the filter. You would be defeating the purpose of the (filter)
I was wondering about that myself. A strong magnet may magnetize the entire filter. Maybe a small magnet on the drain plug would be safe.
I think magnet drain plugs are fun. If nothing else they help you not drop it in the oil catch. Like he did in the video it stuck to the car instead of dropping
Used Gold Plug magnetic oil drain bolts in both my vehicles. They collect a little bit of "fuzz" does it help?? Ehh who knows. Deff can gauge internal wear.
I just have a large 100mm magnet stuck to the bottom of the oil pan, one of the benefits of it being made of steel. Says it has 68kg of pull, once it's on it won't come off without a fight. Just cost £10.
Very good video, thank you so much!
Hello very welcome
In my opinion: It's normal to have metal floating around in your oil. If you have too many particles then the oil must be changed.
Ordinary the heavy stuff finds it's way to the sump & the oil pump draws from the upper mid level of the sump.
With Aluminum alloy bearings as apposed to the old babbit, they can tolerate tiny metallic particles being loaded within the oil.
It's interesting to see what a magnet will catch, but oil filters just capture carbon with silica & pass a lot of micro particulate.
It's really not the small metal you need to worry about, it's the silica that gets past the air filters that kills engines. Running a oil guaze (wet rag) so called air filter will kill your rings & prematurely expended your oil.
If you run 10w-30 synthetic, you wouldn't need to worry about the small stuff & your oil won't evaporate as fast as 5w or 0w anything.
Your oil filter ran a multi blend or conventional oil because the color says so. These oils don't last as long as synthetic that have a red to amber color when expended. Amsoil 10w-30 is guaranteed for 25K miles with 2 filter changes with normal driving. Realistically what you show off would be only good to 6k miles as 8k would be pushing your luck.
Great information on this. Wouldn't thicker oil not design for your car be too thick for the pump and lubrication. It makes sense what your are saying I did this on the BMW went from 5W-20 to 5W-30 but from 0w-20 to 10w-30 wouldn't that be too thick. Can you elaborate more on the air filter I am doing some research on that. thinking those K&N filters allow too mush dirt to get into the airflow. Thanks
@@ExtremDIY In my opinion: Running oil & start up are two different things. In hot climate thin oil runs down faster & piston rings carbon up. You do not want the carbon to dry or become sticky or your rings can stick resulting in oil consumption that is not beneficially productive leading to gunky rings. 0w & 5W would be winter oils made for very cold start ups.
30 & 40 viscosities don't hurt anything being thicker they benefit from a longer heat soak effect that is beneficial to removing carbon buildup. Having a 10W platform to start out with does sound different than the thinner runny stuff. You don't want to load an engine with "lash".
Try running on tile with your bare feet & then put on some some flats. If that's not convincing enough, go with sneakers. You can feel the contrasting difference when it comes to the lashing forces of density that are ignorant of oil engineering. Oil can't be compressed even though metal can. The hydraulic support would time out less in 0W or 5W along with the variable time the oil gets up to viscosity. Slap... Slap... Slap... chatter - chatter. Your engine won't be fully charged at the operating viscosity at the valve train until the temperature catches up.
Engine slosh causes bubbly oil & too much "might" be bad even though impossible to control going down a crowned road. The counter weights of the crank splash the top of the oil way up into the cylinders. What looks good on paper, doesn't always sound right in operation. Sloshing oil up the crank case & damping lash does make parts last longer.
My magnetic tipped drain plug always grows an afro. Over time, the quantity has decreased and I suspect it's material coming from the timing chain set as it wears.
That is funny...
My 6.0 Chevy always has roughly 1/4 inch on it, typical gm junk! Think how much no ferris stuff the filter has to catch
@@dequavisjones4869 wow thats a lot of metal
@@dequavisjones4869 My point here is that magnets work to prove ferris particles exist and we can expect some amount will be present.
Not sure exactly what you're witnessing but there could be numerous reasons. Extended oil change intervals and/or the incorrect type of oil (most likely of sins these days) should both be avoided like the plague, if at all possible.
Background: This particular engine was completely rebuilt at least 20 years ago and I've been modifying it through the years, I consider it a test bed. The original timing chain sprocket would've been a nylon coated aluminum piece with an expected life of about 100k miles. This latest replacement aftermarket sprocket (a matched timing set) is cast iron and I've advanced the camshaft by 3 degrees.
@@ExtremDIY Sounds like more metal than you're experiencing and I'd say you're experiencing less than I am, but I'm not totally convinced a 1/4 inch afro is beyond imagination, we need more detail. In your case, I suspect you take very good care of your engine and maybe drive long distances at higher speeds (operating conditions effect rate of wear).
I have been doing the same thing on my vehicles for years and years. It does catch a lot of debris you would never see. This method is pretty good.
That is great to know thanks for your feedback
That's metal before the filter , the filter will prevent that from going back into the engine. Thats big stuff for a filter it'll get it all.
He explained that directly in the video. The less of that stuff caught by the filter, the more the filter can do its job. And anything larger than the oil membrane barrier in your bearings, cam lobes, etc. Will cause wear. If you have a diesel I'd look into bypass filtration systems
@@oceanwaves83 If you got so much big stuff ( the magnet doesn't get) in your filter that prevents it from doing its job , you got big problems.
Problem is most engines consist primarily diamagnetic metals, mostly Aluminum and Zink-alloy.
Problem is bearing is not steel to grab with magnet. Parts in engine block is not steel (piston cylinders aluminum)
Your crankshaft is always made of steel and or iron as well as your piston rings and cylinder sleeves (all aluminum engines have steel piston sleeves).
@@joshkrause2977 aluminum engines have aluminum piston and steel shaft in bearing.
Magnets attract ferrous metals. Got it.
Toyota should use your magnet setup on their new Tundra engines! Great video!
Oh yes I heard about that issue. Imagine the cost to do that recall this would had possibly fixed it or at least control it. That is why I like the magnetic oil plug it will let you know if there are any issues that can possibly be corrected in time with less cost to repair. Thanks
The crazy thing is that magnets do affect hydrocarbons and the way they flow thru the fuel lines
Sorry, this is not true.
Yes, you might believe it but there's no REAL testing evidence, just fabricated sales BS that people fell for.
Filter magnets....they work....anymore questions??
All of the Volvo Transmission Oilpans i removed for filter change, had 1 or more magnets stuck to the bottom of the pan. They always had some buildup collected. ZF Transmissions.
Been doing this since....forever. Literally I remember my uncle showing me how to read the oil drain magnets on his supercharged VW bug, in the early 70.s Ever since I slap a fat round magnet on the oil pan and gearbox of all my racing engines and reggy ones too. When I became an engine machinist It was also stressed to always read the magnets with a magnifier, and cut the filter open too. Bronze, copper, orange/blue specks= shell bearings. silver blue steel balls=rings. Dull silver gray dust speck and flakes, bores and gears. Tiny round purple black balls, piston/ crown wear. detonation. Rings are toast if you see those hard purple balls, even if it show good compression. a bore camera will show deep scratching.
That is awesome you can use them to gauge to see if there is any issues. Thank you for sharing
Even if it is minimal it's still added cleaning for little cost, plus if you check it every time you might get a heads up your engine is failing.
That is what I think also for the investment its a no brainer. thanks
@@ExtremDIY perfect for my old chev small and big block vehicles.
I use the big round magnet from microwaves on the bottom of the filters of my bulk fuel tanks ,
Magnets do work.
This is why K&P Engineering uses a rare earth magnet in their filters.
Those are very nice looking filters looks like they do use magnets.
I do believe that the magnets catch some metal, but I wonder how much of that might have come from when you opened the can. Regardless of how much the magnets catch, I'm sure that it will reduce damage to the engine whenever the filter goes into bypass. A great video. I'm convinced that the magnets are worth it. Thank you.
You are welcome. I will turn can upside down next time just in case. Even though I used a cutter instead of a saw it might be possible that some metals can get caught. Filters are limited and we dont know how many times the bypass opens on a regular basis so I rather have them on there than not. Thank you
Suggestion, take a small shop vac and actually stick it into the fill on the top side. It will actually keep that from splitting out all over your hand when you pull the drain plug. I also do the trick where I use a pair of tinsnips to actually cut the corner of the filter when I do it myself. Put the old garbage awl punch works good too
Thank you for the tip.
Kubota tractor hydraulic filters come with a doughnut magnet on top where the oil enters the can. The universal hydraulic oil is shared with the transmission. There are usually very fine black metallic partiicals attached when changing, at the 400 hour recommendation.
That is good to know that magnets are used by other industries. Thank you for the feedback
Thanks for SHOWING that this idea is valid!
Welcome
The one this about this that may not be great is the fact that both the L83/l84 5.3 and L86/l87 6.2 engines on 2014+ trucks and suv’s are aluminum blocks, so there would be a chance of aluminum particles from the block getting through even the magnets. There are way more aluminum block vehicles out there, but these are just common examples
Yes aluminum blocks but piston sleeves are not and rings with are moving parts that get lots of wear. Any ferrous metal will stick to magnet but other non ferrous metal will get caught by filter if greater than 20-30 microns anything less will go back and wear parts out. There is a reason why engines fail internally except for overheating of course. I rather have it on there and if it can help I good with that. I had an 6.2 go bad on me at 177k miles due to oil issues many years ago so I rather be safe.
You can also get some strong magnets from old computer hard drives to add even more to the filter. It's just too bad that most engines these days are aluminum, so this won't catch much for them.
Cylinder walls and rings are still steel.
Motorcycles have been using magnetic oil pan plugs for decades. I remember seeing some of them looking fuzzy...
I actually started doing some research on this a bit ago because I saw it on a motorcycle video the channel was Rev Zilla ua-cam.com/video/dhFUoNIuS2w/v-deo.htmlsi=4sbN-kV0dtgxHghb
Magnetic capture of metal particles is only part of the wear process. Yes remove metal, however during the rotation application of wear and tear, bushings, and some bearings are of different alloys not containing ferris properties. Magnetic capture will not capture non ferris particles. Hence the reason for regular oil and filter changes to avoid wear and oil diluted from compression ring gas blow by. Eg normally around 5000km I change out my filters and oil. It's a cheap insurance policy if you intend to retain the vechical longer in its life.
I believe after mush research 5000 km is a perfect time to change the oil and filters. There are other options out there that give you better filtration but cost more and are not available for most vehicles. Also depends on your driving condition too. Many car companies change your oil at 7k or even 10k which I think its a mistake if you plan to keep the car. Some OEM filters dont filter less than 30 microns and with bypass valves that who know how many times they open and allow particles to get through. I like the magnets on the filter and oil plug to at least remove as mush ferrous metal as possible. I am in contact with 2 companies to a possible upgrade to my filter which do about 2 microns of filtration but not cheap. I mean if you change your car every 4 years OEM is fine with a good oil.
whoa whoa on that last detail!!! The 'moving' was actually debris moving and not the light/image/shadow/whatnot of the magnet showing thru thin paint?
Better trapped in filter than working between crank main bearings !
If you do an oil analysis you'll find you remove about 50% of your circulating ferrous metal (Fe) by adding a magnetic sump plug.
Adding more magnets probably removes a little more ferrous metal.
Less metal in the oil means less wear... and the oil should last a bit longer too:
The additives get soaked up by circulating particles.
Magnets will pick up the smallest iron particles as well as the larger ones.
One disadvantage of putting magnets on your oil filter is you can't see how much metal is being generated by your engine i.e.
The amount of metal caught by magnets tells you how well your engine is wearing.
This also a good way to work out which oils, additives and filters work... and which ones don't.
🙂
On the next oil change I will be doing an analysis to see the amount of metals in the oil after the magnets. I noticed once I added the magnets to the oil filter the plug is much cleaner of metals. I assume that the surface area of the oil filter magnets are a lot more than just the plug. I can wait to do the next oil change to see the results. Been looking to possibly add a bypass filter to the system to get the filtering down even more but not sure if possible on my car. Thank you
@@ExtremDIY Look up Trasko. It's a spin on high efficiency filter... similar to a bypass fiter.
🙂
Those 10mmx100mm magnets I bought on amazon 4 years ago. I use two on the side as I dont want to prevent the bypass from opening.
You never know better be safe than sorry. So much going on inside the motors.
these particles that the magnet picked up isn't going to do any harm to the engine at all. the particles in the sump would have just sat at the bottom of the sump. the ones in the filter would have remained in the filter.
The cleaner the oil the better. If what some manufactures recommend to do would work there wouldn't be engine failures, worn out bearings, etc. Some OEM filters screen about 30 microns and pass the rest. I feel safer to attract these metals into the filter than depend on an oil filter to do all the work. You never know if the bypass valve malfunctions and you get everything back to the engine. You can also use as a gauge to see if you do have an issue can can possibly be corrected in time. Thanks for the feedback
Filtermag is the way to go.
They are very good quality
Sad thing is when someone changes their oil regularly it’s usually not that that kills it it’s usually an overheat or a bad radiator or a hose
Every engine filter picks up fine metal particles. That is what the filter is for. I noticed that the oil was terribly dirty and the filter was black indicating the oil hadn't been changing a very long time. Some of those metal particles might indicate excessive wear in the engine which means there is a serious problem. If you take the sample of the drain oil it will include some of the medical particles which can be sent to a laboratory to examine what the metal is and what parts of the engine it came from. Professional mechanics through that regularly when there is an issue
That oil change had 3700 miles on it. I will be sending out oil for analysis next change.
On a new engine, the oil comes out really dirty. You have assembly lube , silicone, getting flushed. I just changed my oil on my new car @932 miles. Oil looked nasty. Will do another change at 3000. Screw that recommended 7500 mile mark.
@@pwrshots Absolutely on that new car oil change at 7500. I did the same thing on my wife's car changed it at 2k I should had done it earlier. We got the maintenance package and they change it at 7500 so I will be doing one in between. Thanks
Thank you for showing this I have been thinking about this for a while.
You are welcome
it would be interesting to see if the filter element would have captured the particles rendering the magnets redundant.
since it's not feasible to mount the magnets inside the filter on the clean side, perhaps one could install two oil filter relocation kits in series so you can add the magnets to the outside of the 2nd filter after the oil has gone through the 1st filter. then you shuld be able to see if the filter catches the magnetic particles or they go through.
i'm going to have a go at the magnets my self, just goonna rip appart some old hard drives.
Not a bad idea and it can be done on a bypass setup on a diesel engine. There are kits that are sold like the Amsoil bypass kit. I will be sending out the oil next time for test and hopefully I can get an answer to that. thanks
I change my oil every 5k. Unless it looks like a Cappuccino, I don't worry about it. No blown engines and I've gotten 150K on some of my cars before I got rid of them. But as long as you don't claim magnets increase your MPG, this is fine.
Nice video! Loved seeing the metal under the scope and really impressive to see the magnets can catch and move the metal like you show at the end.
thank you so much