Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Great way to increase engine life!!! Cheap as hell!!!

greg116greg116 Member Posts: 116
All right. Youre changing your oil. Stop for a minute. Go to your fridge. Yes, your fridge. See all those stupid little magnets? Grab one of those plastic flexible thingys with the magnetics all over the back, and slap it on your oil filter! Take two if you can find them!

Most of the junk that goes through that oil filter is metal from your wearing-out engine anyways, so why not take that much more out? Get yourself a stronger magnet if you want, just not TOO strong or you'll kill your vehicle computer. But give it a shot! Wrap it on with some tape, just in case.

Comments

  • tommy100tommy100 Member Posts: 12
    magnetic wrap or shell seems like a good idea,any ways doent the filter
    trap particles anyway?
  • hengheng Member Posts: 411
    My 2000 Jimmy came with a magnetic drain plug. Metal slivers were on the plug at the 1st oil change. Some sort of sludge was on it on the subsequent oil change.

    Magnetic plugs are cheap and easier to use than magnets on the oil filter.
  • 0patience0patience Member Posts: 1,712
    Uh folks,
    you are aware that most bearing material is non-magnetic?
    Granted, it could pickup particles from the cam and lifters and cylinders, but most of those particles are larger than 15 microns and most filters are designed to trap particles larger than that.

    I'm not saying that the magnet stuff isn't a good idea, just that it won't make that great a difference.

    heng,
    The metal particles were more than likely from the break in or wear in period, which most engines go thru. The sludge is more than likely assmembly lube that is used when an engine is put together to avoid any parts from scuffing on initial start up.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Magnetic filters which do help are the aftermarket magnetic transmission filters installed inline in the cooler return line. They'll stop some ferrous particles which otherwise might find their way into trans solenoids despite the magnet in the pan.
  • mactheknife1mactheknife1 Member Posts: 6
    If think if you check the "sludge" carefully in the sunlight you'll find it to be very fine metal (steel) particles.

    I had a '97 Mere Mountaineer. It came with a magnet in the rear miff. drain plug, the cranny fluid pan and the oil pan. I can't see how removing debris from any fluid is a waste of time.
  • 0patience0patience Member Posts: 1,712
    There is a big difference between the differential, transmission and the oil pan.
    I didn't say it was a waste of time.
    Will it extend the life of the engine? Probably not a noticeable length of time.
    Is it a bad idea? No.

    A differential has a magnetic plug, because almost the entire unit is magnetic metal and usually hardened steel which doesn't go thru close tolerances very well.
This discussion has been closed.