Magnetic Oil Pre-filter

[NY-Bronco]

I started tearing apart my old motor just to see what kind of damage I sustained and I was also taking off usable parts from it. I tossed the oilfilter and took apart the magnetic pre filter. As expected it was full of metal shavings. While it does what it is supposed to do, the question is are the metal shavings something the oil filter would have captured anyway? The oil filter did not have any shavings inside. As some of you may know I had a little cam/lifter etc issue ;D

I guess my question is, is the magnetic oil filter just a gimmic? Or it it something useful that can help avoid potential disasters/inconveniences?

Here the pic:

 

[lowpressure]

i've run one on every race motor i've built for years. the magnet will pick up some large stuff that would get caught by the filter element but not all filters are equal and the magnet will catch any size metal that gets close enough. never a bad idea. run em in your motors, trannys, and i even epoxy one in my diffs.......

 

[NY-Bronco]

I do hae to say its a royal pain in the ass to clean metal shavings clinging on to the neodymium magnets. Not to mention when you get pinched by them things. Do you race guys have any special way of cleaning them?

 

[lowpressure]

i dry them out with brake or carb cleaner and then hit them with compressed air

 

[NY-Bronco]

i dry them out with brake or carb cleaner and then hit them with compressed air

Ha!! Thanks!! Here I was like a dumbass with a paper towel getting all frustrated ;D

 

[broncnaz]

While yes the oil filter would ave caught mist if not all of the metal once the oil filter plugged up it would have gone into bypass and sent metal directly throgh the rest of the system. So its not a gimmic as it cleaned out all the metal before it got toyour filter and plugged it up proof enough is that no metal was in your filter.

 

[DirtDonk]

I've never actually seen that particular unit. What brand/model is it?

Paul

 

[NY-Bronco]

I've never actually seen that particular unit. What brand/model is it?

Paul

Its called the MagDog. The pic above is when it open. Closed it looks like this:

I got this unit from BC-Broncos

 

[73azbronco]

it's picking up the metal pre filter media, so the media would have picked it up anyway. Nothing like this used in aircraft engines. I say more gimic than real value. If you think this saves your motor from more damage, you already have a serious case of issues going against your motor.

 

[NY-Bronco]

it's picking up the metal pre filter media, so the media would have picked it up anyway. Nothing like this used in aircraft engines. I say more gimic than real value. If you think this saves your motor from more damage, you already have a serious case of issues going against your motor.

Serious is right! That motor is DEAD

 

[broncnaz]

But the question is what do the crank main and rod bearing surfaces look like? A camshaft/lifter failure will kill the engine but if the bottom end is fine then that magnet saved a lot of $$.

 

[NY-Bronco]

But the question is what do the crank main and rod bearing surfaces look like? A camshaft/lifter failure will kill the engine but if the bottom end is fine then that magnet saved a lot of $$.

Ill pull those tomo and check it out.

 

[73azbronco]

Broncnaz, a magnet is not going to save any motor, a filter is. Any metal small enough to NOT be filtered, is well, to small. If you bring up the filter bypass comment, then again, once it is bypassing, you have let the motor get to a point that it is a gonner already.

 

[broncnaz]

May not totally save it but it could save the bottom end. All I'm saying is it may have caught enough debris so the filter didnt plug up and thus saving the bottom end by not allowing major debris through the oiling system. I'm fully aware that even filters dont stop everything but still I've run several engines for over 300,000 miles on filters only and both the cranks are still STD. So whatever debris is getting through the filter is not that damaging.

 

[chuck]

Oil filters are ~12-20 micron filters so smaller particles will pass through them. That is not big but a mag. will pick up any size particale and I would rather not have any size particales in my oil.

 

[73azbronco]

I understand your points but to play devils advocate, what about the brass, molly and other metals which aren't ferrous? I'm just saying, filters do the job they are designed for:, stopping a certain sized particle. Plastic, metal, hair or whatever, the filter gets it, anything smaller is not an issue.

 

[Dave]

I understand your points but to play devils advocate, what about the brass, molly and other metals which aren't ferrous? I'm just saying, filters do the job they are designed for:, stopping a certain sized particle. Plastic, metal, hair or whatever, the filter gets it, anything smaller is not an issue.

Chromium is not megnetic ans is probably one of the more abrasive particles. We always look at that in the oil analysis to tell when the cam is going. I like magnetic drain plugs in everything. Seldom will they catch anything that is going to cause a catostrophic event but they give you a good indication when something is starting to go.

So I agree with those that question the usefullness. Besides the magnetic fields could interfer with your fuel line magnet and hurt your MPG. ;D;D;D

Cleaning Magnets: I use a lot of welding magnets that get covered with chips and dust from grinding. Trying to wipe them off is usless as you just chase the particles around. Compressed air blows em off clean.

 

[bmc69]

We have pre-filters installed in one of our 4x4 MX racing trucks..the one that is dry-sumped. The real purpose is to help the oil scavenge pump array live longer by pre-cleaning ..and its amazing how much particulate 'junk' we clean out of the pre-filter assys after a race weekend.

 

[chuck]

I understand your points but to play devils advocate, what about the brass, molly and other metals which aren't ferrous? I'm just saying, filters do the job they are designed for:, stopping a certain sized particle. Plastic, metal, hair or whatever, the filter gets it, anything smaller is not an issue.

I understand what you are saying and I am not even saying you are wrong. But this is how I see it. Some particles like brass is softer than the crank so no harm to the crank. Some are big enough to be caught by the filter some are ferrous and will be stopped by the magnet. Some are harder then the crank and non ferrous and small enough to pass through a filter. But most are harder than the babbitt so will cause wear no matter how small as long as they are larger than the oil molecules. I think I am ahead to get as much out as I can.

 

[73azbronco]

agreed......