i have been using magnetic drain plugs in my trucks forever. I was wondering how any iron would show up in a UOA. Seems like if you were going to compair two oils for wear you would make sure you dont have a magnetic plug. Just wondering what other thoughts are.
magnetic drain plug?
- Thread starter jstutz
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i would say leave it out for that UOA OCI then put it back in after the test next OC..
The iron that you can see in a UOA is very small and suspended in the oil. The magnet does very little to affect this, to the point that it doesn't even really affect the UOA. The UOA can't see the larger particles of Iron that would be attracted to the magnet (one weakness of a UOA).
It's hard to explain, but if you get a glass of well water that has alot of Iron in it you can taste it. Put a magnet in the bottom of the glass, overnight... for a year... whatever. It won't affect the taste of the water.
The particles big enough to get picked up by the magnet and not washed away by the oil are probably picked up by the oil filter, but some probably make the magnet. In transmissions with no filter, the magnets are on the pan, not the plug, and they get full of stuff.
It's hard to explain, but if you get a glass of well water that has alot of Iron in it you can taste it. Put a magnet in the bottom of the glass, overnight... for a year... whatever. It won't affect the taste of the water.
The particles big enough to get picked up by the magnet and not washed away by the oil are probably picked up by the oil filter, but some probably make the magnet. In transmissions with no filter, the magnets are on the pan, not the plug, and they get full of stuff.
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I'd rather have the iron on the magnet than in the oil.
Leaving it in the oil indirectly defeats the purpose of the UOA, which is to get a net gain in engine life.
Leaving it in the oil indirectly defeats the purpose of the UOA, which is to get a net gain in engine life.
I might try dropping a small magnet in the inside of my oil filter next time, to see if it collects any sludge. But I have to be absolutely sure it's not going to shed any particles.
You can google "neodymium magnets" and see what you get.
I have a high temp magnet on my oil filter, been there for 3 changes and havent lost it.
There is multiple types of neodymium and one type loses its magnetic ability around 300 degrees, the other around 500. You can search as there are sites that sell the high temp stuff.
Also if you have a old computer hard drive the magnets in there are extremely strong. I have had 2 on my oil pan for 4 changes and havent lost them yet.
It has been my experience that magnetic drain plugs really arent that powerful, and you can do alot better for pennies.
I have magnets on my stuff for giggles. However, fact is if you are catching particles with a magnet, or if you have lots of ferris material in your filters, then you have a set of problems no oil will fix.
Your engine is coming apart and you have much more serious issues.
Regarless of oils, or cars, magnets are fun... just be careful, the strong ones can hurt you and also erase/kill your cell phone.
I have a high temp magnet on my oil filter, been there for 3 changes and havent lost it.
There is multiple types of neodymium and one type loses its magnetic ability around 300 degrees, the other around 500. You can search as there are sites that sell the high temp stuff.
Also if you have a old computer hard drive the magnets in there are extremely strong. I have had 2 on my oil pan for 4 changes and havent lost them yet.
It has been my experience that magnetic drain plugs really arent that powerful, and you can do alot better for pennies.
I have magnets on my stuff for giggles. However, fact is if you are catching particles with a magnet, or if you have lots of ferris material in your filters, then you have a set of problems no oil will fix.
Your engine is coming apart and you have much more serious issues.
Regarless of oils, or cars, magnets are fun... just be careful, the strong ones can hurt you and also erase/kill your cell phone.
The oil analysis and the mag plug tell you two different things. The oil analysis is telling the condition of the oil, and hinting at the condition of the engine. The mag plug is hinting at wear and warning you of impending doom.
The same stuff stuck to the magnet would settle in the sump or in the oil filter.
The same stuff stuck to the magnet would settle in the sump or in the oil filter.
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I might try dropping a small magnet in the inside of my oil filter next time, to see if it collects any sludge. But I have to be absolutely sure it's not going to shed any particles.
Did you mean placing a magnet on the outside of the filter?
I might try dropping a small magnet in the inside of my oil filter next time, to see if it collects any sludge. But I have to be absolutely sure it's not going to shed any particles.
Did you mean placing a magnet on the outside of the filter?
If you look at the pics in the first post of this thread:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1221038
You'll see that magnets can catch larger particles. My point earlier, is that the magnet will only get very large particles, and the UOA will only reveal very small particles.
Hard drive magnets are fantastic, and free!
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1221038
You'll see that magnets can catch larger particles. My point earlier, is that the magnet will only get very large particles, and the UOA will only reveal very small particles.
Hard drive magnets are fantastic, and free!
I asked this same question from Blackstone Labs and this was the response:
Not a lot. If you want to truly see what changes, you'd have to do a
sample before you install it, then do a sample with it. But we don't
see much (if any) change.
So it seems like it won't really alter anything really.
Not a lot. If you want to truly see what changes, you'd have to do a
sample before you install it, then do a sample with it. But we don't
see much (if any) change.
So it seems like it won't really alter anything really.
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
I had a magnetic drain plug on my truck. Every OCI the magnet had a little bit of metal fuzz on the tip.
I would get another one if I could find one for my LS.
This will fit your application:
http://www.magneticdrainplug.com/Automotive_Drain_Plugs/AP02.html
They ship very fast and the magnet is of very good quality. I had it installed recently so can't comment on the longevity but it looks promising.
I had a magnetic drain plug on my truck. Every OCI the magnet had a little bit of metal fuzz on the tip.
I would get another one if I could find one for my LS.
This will fit your application:
http://www.magneticdrainplug.com/Automotive_Drain_Plugs/AP02.html
They ship very fast and the magnet is of very good quality. I had it installed recently so can't comment on the longevity but it looks promising.
Well this is why i asked the question is becuase all mine also have a little "fuzz" on them when i change the oil and always have. So if they are the "big" particles would blackstone or equilivant be measuring them also. I would hope they would and if they do the i would think the reading would come back a little lower just because some of it is on my drain plug
Originally Posted By: Blokey
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I might try dropping a small magnet in the inside of my oil filter next time, to see if it collects any sludge. But I have to be absolutely sure it's not going to shed any particles.
Did you mean placing a magnet on the outside of the filter?
No, inside, against the central tube, where the filtered oil comes out. I've tried putting a hard disk magnet on the oil filter inlet holes, but that's unfiltered oil.
Originally Posted By: oilyriser
I might try dropping a small magnet in the inside of my oil filter next time, to see if it collects any sludge. But I have to be absolutely sure it's not going to shed any particles.
Did you mean placing a magnet on the outside of the filter?
No, inside, against the central tube, where the filtered oil comes out. I've tried putting a hard disk magnet on the oil filter inlet holes, but that's unfiltered oil.
This makes sense as to why my UOA after using a "Filter Mag" still showed more iron than I thought.
I ran my LS1 for 11K miles and the magnetic drain plug had quite a bit of metal stuck to it-granted I was autocrossing it at the time.
Exactly. This subject has come up before with similar conclusions. Blackstone also agrees.
My opinion: A magnet will not affect oil analysis nor catch particles that damage or promote wear in an engine.
My opinion: A magnet will not affect oil analysis nor catch particles that damage or promote wear in an engine.
There is a magnet product that you can wrap around the outside of the oil filter, and the iron collects on the inside part of the filter itself.....supposedly.....I haven't tried it myself, but you might be able to use google to find it. I think it is called the "BearTrap" or something similar, and it wraps around the outside of the filter..
If blackstone don't really see a difference then i guess that is the over all answer. I just don't buy the particles being to small to be affected my magnetism. An electron is affected by magnetism. Atoms are affected by magnetism. How the heck can a small particle of iron not be affected by it? Just dont make sense. I will very easily believe that that little bit on the oil drain plug don't affect UOA results very much, which was my question, but not because the particles are to small. So i guess in conclusion, regardless of the reason, they just don't help much.
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