Are magnets on oil filters a good idea?

[thexav]

I've seen companies selling magnets that fit around an oil filter. Does this change the oil in some way or make it more slippery?

Why would you want to put a magnet on your oil filter?

 

[Lunchmoney]

First thought that comes to me is to keep any metal in the oil from recirculating.


edit: On googling it appears that is not the case... Dont do it (oil magnets, that is)

 

[obi_waynne]

They are meant to catch particles of metal caught in the oil.

If you have metal particles in your engine oil then you have some serious problems in your engine!

Plus the whole point of an oil filter is to er um FILTER THE OIL. The filtration will catch all those metal particles anyway so you don't need a magnet at all.

So oil filter magnets are just one of those wastes of money they sell to the unwary!

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Just like the magnets and crystals around the fuel lines that supposedly increase power and economy

 

[Redd]

Not sure about oil filters, but you can get them in motorcycle oil drain plugs.
They catch small particles of metal so it doesn't keep going around the engine.
They help when you are breaking a new engine in, or to give in indication that there is an issue.

 

[obi_waynne]

Good point @Redd breaking in an engine will cause shards of metal and the sump plugs stop these getting to the filter and clogging it and just pull away with the plug when you remove it.

 

[thexav]

Just like the magnets and crystals around the fuel lines that supposedly increase power and economy

Fuel lines? seriously? What's that all about?

 

[Lunchmoney]

About as much use as red paint.

 

[obi_waynne]

Now red paint is proven beyond reasonable doubt....

... to make it more likely your car is stolen!

Red cars are stolen more frequently than any other colour. (Well it was back in my days as an insurance broker.)

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Then I had better make sure my Milano Red CTR is locked away every night

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Fuel lines? seriously? What's that all about?

IIRC they supposedly improved fuel consumption by aligning the fuel molecules.
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_nkw=fuel saver magnet

 

[Fasha]

No idea at all.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Magnetic drain plugs work well in gearboxes and diffs as they attract fine metal particles that can cause wear and damage if left to circulate freely in the oil.

 

[Friday1]

I used to crewchief a pro stock motorcycle. It did not use an oil filter but had a strainer on the oil return line. I epoxied rare earth magnets to the outside of the strainer. There would be some magnetic debris caught by the magnets occasionally. I checked for debris after each race weekend, probably 15-18 passes down a quarter mile track, when I changed the oil. So yes they do work. I have a oil filter cutter to remove the outside can so you can see what is trapped in the filter media on an engine with a common oil filter. If you can stop metal pieces from circulating, that is a good thing.