Magnefine filter

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Just picked up a new car (Versa) and would like to add a magnefine trans filter to the auto trans (4 4 speed) but I don't want to cut into my new trans lines. Should I see if the dealer will do it or go to a trans shop?

Also, how often do you have to change the filter on the magnefine?
 
Originally Posted By: wn1998
Just picked up a new car (Versa) and would like to add a magnefine trans filter to the auto trans (4 4 speed) but I don't want to cut into my new trans lines. Should I see if the dealer will do it or go to a trans shop?

Also, how often do you have to change the filter on the magnefine?


I cut into the new rubber AT lines on my Corolla and am very happy with how it went. IIRC, you are supposed to replace these annually, but have heard a lot of guys going with a 30,000 mile change interval.

Here is a pic of my install with the 08' Rolla

2vvjgih.jpg
 
When you cut into the line, how much trans fluid did you lose and wouldn't that let air into the system?

Also, how much do you think a trans shop would charge?
 
A trans shop would cut into the lines in exactly the same way, and the air will leave the lines almost immediately when the car is started again, filling the space with fluid. It will do no harm.
 
Originally Posted By: wn1998
When you cut into the line, how much trans fluid did you lose and wouldn't that let air into the system?

Also, how much do you think a trans shop would charge?


Like NFS said, the air into the system is trivial really.

I didn't lose much fluid, maybe 4 ounces or whatever dripped out from the lines residualy. When the car is shut off and you are doing this hardly any fluid even comes out.

Get a foot of spare AT cooler hose from your favorite auto parts store because how big this filter is makes it hard to utilize existing lines because it wants to form a crimp instead of a tidy gentle loop like shown my picture.
 
Originally Posted By: wn1998
When you cut into the line, how much trans fluid did you lose and wouldn't that let air into the system?

Also, how much do you think a trans shop would charge?


A trans shop would charge you way too much for something that costs the Magnefine itself and four bucks in hoses. I mean, you just be careful, make your cuts into the rubber AT lines, a couple standard hose barb clamps and reuse the other hose clamps on the car. I've had this Magnefine on the Rolla for 4,000 miles now and it is great. No leaks at all.

Just make sure you point the flow arrow painted on the Magnefine in the right direction.
 
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That location looks like the line to or from the ATF cooler in the radiator. The fluid at that point is under minimal pressure -- the return line just drains back into the pan. Getting air in there is harmless. The only risk I can see is that a very clogged filter creates enough back-pressure to leak past the o-ring seals where the heat exchanger goes through the radiator bottom tank.

A inline filter is good idea, but I'm suspicious of anything based around the magic of magnetism. That's usually a keyword for scam. A magnet will gather together ferrous dust that falls out of oil sitting still in the pan, but I doubt that it will pull anything out of oil that's flowing past it. My guess is that the filter media provides 99.99% of the benefit.
 
Originally Posted By: djb
That location looks like the line to or from the ATF cooler in the radiator. The fluid at that point is under minimal pressure -- the return line just drains back into the pan. Getting air in there is harmless. The only risk I can see is that a very clogged filter creates enough back-pressure to leak past the o-ring seals where the heat exchanger goes through the radiator bottom tank.

A inline filter is good idea, but I'm suspicious of anything based around the magic of magnetism. That's usually a keyword for scam. A magnet will gather together ferrous dust that falls out of oil sitting still in the pan, but I doubt that it will pull anything out of oil that's flowing past it. My guess is that the filter media provides 99.99% of the benefit.



+1, I bought it for the filter media itself as I am not sold on the magnetic property of an inline filter like this.

It does have a bypass, so I think the Magnefine, even fully loaded would be 100% safe.
 
The only place air is a huge problem is in the cooling system and even then a good design should be some what self purging. You have to really get alot into most systems to cause an issue. In systems that have a lot of pressure like oil ciruits in engines,transmsissions and powersteering systems as long as their is plenty of fluid inthe system the air will be purged onit's own 99% of the time. The powersteering system is more air sensitive then transmission because their is not any excess space for the air to go so if the fill cap is a very tight seal then air can become traped in a transmission though that is not a problem because besides being vented ont he case they also have leak paths for air out the fill tube.
 
The magnet in this filter really does seem to work as advertised. I opened one up with about 17,000 miles and the magnet was coated with silver "paste." On the other hand, there wasn't enough material in the paper element to be noticeable. The magnet was a lot stronger than the thin ones I've seen in transmission pans.
 
Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
The magnet in this filter really does seem to work as advertised. I opened one up with about 17,000 miles and the magnet was coated with silver "paste." On the other hand, there wasn't enough material in the paper element to be noticeable. The magnet was a lot stronger than the thin ones I've seen in transmission pans.


Good to know. Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
The only place air is a huge problem is in the cooling system and even then a good design should be some what self purging. You have to really get alot into most systems to cause an issue. In systems that have a lot of pressure like oil ciruits in engines,transmsissions and powersteering systems as long as their is plenty of fluid inthe system the air will be purged onit's own 99% of the time. The powersteering system is more air sensitive then transmission because their is not any excess space for the air to go so if the fill cap is a very tight seal then air can become traped in a transmission though that is not a problem because besides being vented ont he case they also have leak paths for air out the fill tube.


My Saturn is like that. Self purging. Never had a problem with air in the system for two complete flushes I have done thus far.
 
On my Avalon I disconnected one of the hoses (after the car was warm) and started the car to see which end of the hose the fluid came out of....
 
I bought one at Napa this week. Gonna try to install this weekend when I figure out which hose to attach to.
 
In most cases this is the return line and its just dumping fluid back into the pan, so air is no problem. I installed one in my 94 Camry and just walked it along the return line until I found a place where there would be no crimped hose and it would not bang anything, I cut 4 or so inches of hose off and installed it there. Needed no extra hose in that case.

I also have one on my 2001 Jeep Cherokee and a trans shop did it for free as they were fixing a $600 pressure regulator in the valve body, unsure if they needed extra hose there either.

Try and buy it from our sponsor as its cheaper and they include clamps, which I do not think NAPA does.
 
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