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[Mr.OmegaMan]

Was just looking for a powerful magnet for something and was checking the reviews etc.. As you do. I came across this review in particular which does sound like a good idea.

"Fast delivery and received undamaged. I bought 2 of these to attach to my car and motorbike oil filters. They have attached really well and are very powerful I doubt if they will ever shake lose as they havn't already! Doing this to your filters holds any bit's and pieces of metel deposits floating around in your oil. I've used this method for years and when I change the filters and oil I just reattach the magnets to the new filter. After removing the filter with the magnet still attached then remove the magnet and empty the filter you can see so much debris comes out, proves that the method works well."

Here's the magnet LINK

Question is though has anyone tried this? Might be a good idea or it could well possibly be a hideous disaster 

Thought i'd share either way.

[Entwood]

My instant thought is "pointless" ..

1) any metallic particles, of significant size, would be caught and held by the filter medium anyhow.. that is its purpose. 2) metallic particles below that size are not all going to, necessarily, be iron/steel based (magnetic) so would be ignored by the magnet anyhow ..

leaving me to the belief that it's probably a waste of time and effort.. if it was that important/necessary it would have been fitted to the system years ago by engine manufacturers..

but I know nothing ....   

[Steve B]

My instant thought is "pointless" ..

1) any metallic particles, of significant size, would be caught and held by the filter medium anyhow.. that is its purpose. 2) metallic particles below that size are not all going to, necessarily, be iron/steel based (magnetic) so would be ignored by the magnet anyhow ..

leaving me to the belief that it's probably a waste of time and effort.. if it was that important/necessary it would have been fitted to the system years ago by engine manufacturers..

but I know nothing ....   

But it can only do good OP said he gets loads of crap out owing to it being there 

[Entwood]

My instant thought is "pointless" ..

1) any metallic particles, of significant size, would be caught and held by the filter medium anyhow.. that is its purpose. 2) metallic particles below that size are not all going to, necessarily, be iron/steel based (magnetic) so would be ignored by the magnet anyhow ..

leaving me to the belief that it's probably a waste of time and effort.. if it was that important/necessary it would have been fitted to the system years ago by engine manufacturers..

but I know nothing ....   

But it can only do good OP said he gets loads of crap out owing to it being there 

I don't use a magnet and get loads of crap out of the filter bowl when I change the filter ... thats what the filter does !!  I get loads of crap (literally) on top of the fish tank filter when I change that as well and not one bit of that is magnetic !! .. that's what filters do .. they trap particles ...  you then throw the particles away 

[Andy H]

The AR25 gearbox has a doughnut shaped magnet stuck on the inside of the sump (as well as the coarse filter on the pump inlet)

When I changed the oil & filter, at around 190,000 miles, the magnet was covered in a great mass of magnetic particles.

I think a magnet makes more sense for gearboxes due to most of the wear being of steel components (gear teeth). An engine with cambelt, alloy pistons and regular oil changes probably won't benefit so much. (An old fashioned engine with cast iron pistons and steel cam chains might benefit though )

[Webby the Bear]

My instant thought is "pointless" ..

1) any metallic particles, of significant size, would be caught and held by the filter medium anyhow.. that is its purpose. 2) metallic particles below that size are not all going to, necessarily, be iron/steel based (magnetic) so would be ignored by the magnet anyhow ..

leaving me to the belief that it's probably a waste of time and effort.. if it was that important/necessary it would have been fitted to the system years ago by engine manufacturers..

but I know nothing ....   

But it can only do good OP said he gets loads of crap out owing to it being there 

only one way to find out.....

at oil change rinse crud from your old filter (take a photo perhaps), then do the magnet thing and collect the crud from that at next oil change and compare.

[Webby the Bear]

The AR25 gearbox has a doughnut shaped magnet stuck on the inside of the sump (as well as the coarse filter on the pump inlet)

When I changed the oil & filter, at around 190,000 miles, the magnet was covered in a great mass of magnetic particles.

I think a magnet makes more sense for gearboxes due to most of the wear being of steel components (gear teeth). An engine with cambelt, alloy pistons and regular oil changes probably won't benefit so much. (An old fashioned engine with cast iron pistons and steel cam chains might benefit though )

...plus, and correct me if I'm wrong here, but as auto boxes are designed to slip somewhat its normal to see ''goo'' thats made up of tiny metal particles on an autobox magnet......not sure youd see the same from the engine though I don't know 100% 

[tigers_gonads]

Maybe of use on old school engines from the days when they had ferrous metal heads as well as bottom ends but on todays modern alloy blocks, heads ect, I would say its a waste of money 

Now gearboxes are a different matter 
Lots of crunching cast / ground cut gear cogs and stressed out bearings in there so maybe worth banging a nice fat magnet on the bottom of the box. That's if you can get it to stick to the alloy casting that 99% of gearboxes are made of 

[flyer 0712]

Totally agree..oil filters are there to trap the crap and they do just that otherwise we would never have to change them...whereas gearboxes are full of metal moving parts so makes sense if you fancy fitting a magnet then fit it to the box 

[Steve B]

Well that is that one sorted then  Mr.OmegaMan You do come up with some stupid ideas  Get off the drugs...

[Mr.OmegaMan]

Well that is that one sorted then  Mr.OmegaMan You do come up with some stupid ideas  Get off the drugs...

Aye well it sounded like a good idea at the time of reading that review in my head, Then again it is Saturday 

[Terbs]

Well that is that one sorted then  Mr.OmegaMan You do come up with some stupid ideas  Get off the drugs...

Aye well it sounded like a good idea at the time of reading that review in my head, Then again it is Saturday 

Don't let them drag you down........I thought it sounded logical

[btc]

Don't some cars use a magnetic sump plug

[Lazydocker]

Don't some cars use a magnetic sump plug

Yes... But not many modern ones

[Andy H]

It isn't going to do any harm and it might do some good - especially if you believe the official service interval and only change the oil every 20,000 miles.