There's an advert in this month's Caravan Club magazine (I know, I know) for a magnet device that fits around your oil filter and claims to hold particles down to as small as 2 microns in the filter, particles which would normally get re-circulated. When you change the oil/filter you slip it off and put it on the new one.
Now I must say this seems perfectly feasible to me, engine "debris" would be magnetic wouldn't it (apart from aluminium bits of course) but would stuff this size do any appreciable harm anyway?
What's the considered wisdom of the backroomers?
Terry
"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand"
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Many sump plugs are magnetic for this reason. When you change the oil, have a look at the "furry oil" on the plug.
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My Harley's oil filter has a built in magnet.
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So what happens when magnetic oil filter meets magnetic oil (Castrol magnatec)? ;)
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So what happens when magnetic oil filter meets magnetic oil (Castrol magnatec)? ;)
They cuddle each other and you get no flow.
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I think it's a great idea, I have seen no sump plugs with a magent except those on older cars where the gearbox shares the same oil as the engine. I dare say most modern cars don't have a magnetic sump plug?
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You could always stick a small powerful rare earth magnet onto the sump (assuming it's ferrous) near the sump plug then when you change the oil remove magnet just before draining the sump. That way all the 'filings' will be flushed out. This may work better than the oil filter magnets because you'll not cause any flow restriction in or near the filter and there will be less chance of the oil flow recirculating the particles of metal. Could be cheaper too!
Steve.
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If you put the magent on the sump, I think when you remove it, the sump would be magnetised where the magent had been, thus the particles would remain.
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How much of a modern engine's internals are magnetic?
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This subject was covered in an earlier thread, when a magnetic collar fitted to the oil filter was discussed.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=12...6
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"How much of a modern engine's internals are magnetic?"
All the iron and steel bits :-)
To answer the question properly, this means many of the wearing parts, but, more importantly, those bits whose debris is most abrasive. Alloy and white metal (bearing material) swarf is pretty soft and unlikely to cause damage, which is just as well, as a magnet won't catch it. The filter is supposed to trap all the debris, of course, but the fact that a magnet will attract some of it suggests that there is still some room for improvement.
I'm all in favour of magnets, although if you're sticking one to your drain plug or inside the sump, make sure it's well secured! One on the outside of the filter sounds safer to me...
I imagine that Nikasil bores yield some interesting wear products - possibly why BMW have had so much trouble with them?
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have you seen the new bmw gizmo?
www.anewwaytocook.co.uk/shef/index.htm
www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_908920.html
in keeping with the bmw annual tradition, on this anniversary.
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RAF jet engines often have a magnetic plug in the oil return, to catch debris. An electronic sensor detects the rate of build-up. It's normal for there to be some initially, but if more debris collects after the engine is run in then they take the plug out and collect the metal. They can analyse it metallurgically and identify which engine part is losing material.
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Like Growler, but Yamaha, my oil filter comes with a magnet inside.
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