Oil Pan Magnets

[SR77]

I have read on here of people just buying general magnets and using them on their oil pans, trans pans, etc.. I think this is the route i want to take too instead of a filtermag or magnetic drain plug for the the fact that it is alot cheaper and i can still run a fumoto valve.

1) For those of you who have purchased magnets before, which one do you recommend and where did you purchase it from?

2) What type of magnet is strong enough for use on an oil pan to hold the material, but not too strong to where it can interfere with electrical components(read that this could be a problem). Also one that is not a bear to remove come oil change time?

3) Any other magnet info that would be helpful? I plan to purchase a few of them to place on my oil pan, trans pan and maybe even differentials.

 

[Ray H]

If you want CHEAP, ask a stripmall computer shop if it has any trashed harddrives. Often, they'll give you one just for the asking. The drive plastter magnets aren't all that powerful, but the magnet for the "rotary voice coil" head is quite robust. You'll need the proper "Torx" bit to get the top cover off and tear far enough into the open gizzards to retrieve that magnet (Mine turned out to be a non-descript looking partial arc of silvery metal. Probing with a screwdriver will tell you when you hit pay dirt.). Once removed, you have the choice to stick it on the oil pan or your oil filter. I mount mine on the latter away from the bypass valve. You won't be able to easily pull these powerful magnets off the pan or the oil filter, but you will be able to slide them over to a ninety-degree bend and off that way. I've read about Sasquatch on the internet, too. I wonder if it was he who started the myth about these magnets interfering with the car's electricals?

(Uh, hard drives have electrical components, too...)

If your car has an automatic transmission, odds are there are already several magnets mounted to the pan inside. But, Honda and Hyundai ATs don't have a pan, and their cases are aluminum. No way to hang a magnet onto those.

A hard drive head magnet plopped on the bottom of a pressed steel differential cover might be a worthwhile addition. Though the differential is unsprung weight subject to the full force and pounding of every bump the rear wheels encounter, these rare earth magnets are up to the challenge of staying put.

 

[harry j]

I like the magnetic drain plug idea. You can moniter (and remove) all the loose bits of metal that would otherwize run amok in your engine.

 

[oilboy123]

I just realized I forgot to put the trans magnet back in my taurus trans last week. I had just put on the pan and then see the magnet and said awww ****. So I just stuck it to the outside of the pan.

It had no fluid put in yet but I was not going to put it back in. I have Amsoil and a magnifine so I'm good.
I have put magnets on rear ends before but can't remember checking for debris after some time had passed.

Sonicare toothbrush heads have real strong magnets. Rare earh?
At least the older models do, I would think that the newer models would as well. They are easy to remove. When you are ready to throw them away just grab the magnet with a small pliers and twist, thats it.

 

[porcupine73]

I love these neodymium donut magnets from All Electronics. They're the cat's meow. They are extremely powerful for the price.

They're just about the perfect size to put on the end of an oil filter. I haven't noted any issues electronically with these magnets. I've got ten of them placed strategically throughout my vehicle.

 

[wileyE]

would on the filter be better than on the pan? hate to magnetize the pan and have a nice garden of metal grass that'll stay instead of drain with the oil or get caught by the filter?

 

[SR77]

Thanks for the replys and the link.

That neodymium donut sounds really powerful. Is something that powerful really needed for an oil pan? Sounds like its not easily removable which might be a problem when its time to remove it when changing the oil.

Any other online vendors of magnets and other types of magnets that would work on an oil pan. Don't know much about magnets so thats why i am asking who uses what.

The reason why I wanted to put a magnet on the pan is because it would catch the stuff before it reaches the oil pump unlike a filter mag. Then I could just remove when draining the oil so it flows out of the pan. Plus the pan is furthest away from any computer electric components. thanks again for the help.

 

[porcupine73]

Well, I didn't put a magnet on the oil pan itself. If as WileyE mentioned the pan gets magnetized and the stuff might just stick there even after you remove the magnet. On an AT pan no big deal if you drop the pan you can clean out the shavings, but (I at least) don't normally drop the engine oil pan.

To remove the donut from the end of an oil filter, I slide the magnet off to the side then I can pry it off. If you get two of these magnets stuck to each other, it is pretty difficult to get them apart. I would definitely wear gloves when working with them to avoid pinches.

I'm not sure whether having the donut magnet I mentioned on the end of the oil filter might impact the bypass valve; I think I saw that mentioned in another thread.

There are other retailers (ie eBay) that sell these kinds of neo magnets but they're a little pricey.

 

[denny2w]

I bought my neodymium magnets off of E-bay. Very strong and good price. On E-bay they have many to chose from. Mine are on my oil Filters.

 

[SR77]

I see you guys points and I think you have convinced me not to put one on the oil pan eliminating the risk of the whole pan becoming magnetized.

So if i put one of these neodymium donut magnets from All Electronics like porcupine73 posted about, will these strong powerful magnets have any negative effect on the filter internals like the bypass valve? Is it safe to use a powerful magnet like those without effecting any of the metal internals of the oil filter?

thanks again

 

[PandaBear]

I personally don't think a stationary magnet (on pan or filter) should interfere with the way electronics work. They are shield and you get more interference from your alternator anyways.

What you may want to worry about are: if you put it on the pan from inside, how do you remove it and clean the iron dust. If you put it on the outside, what happen if you remove it and suddenly you have a rush of iron dust flowing through your oil system. If you put it on the filter, what happen if it fell off and a surge of iron dust start to go through the bypass.

I think a strong magnetic drain plug is good enough. You shouldn't have that much iron dust to catch in a regular OCI (or else you have more important things to worry about).

Honda use magnetic drain plug on their AT.

 

[Lumberg]

I think I got mine from forcefield and/or Lee Valley tools

 

[m2200b]

IMO this is snake oil at best. 80 years of auto tech without more than a small magnet in the floor of AT pans. Filters works; magnets catch a little iron.

 

[c_gloriosus]

I don't think a magnet attached to the outside of a steel filter body or to a steel fluid sump is going to collect any iron particles.

Try this experiment. Take your super magnet and stick it to a steel cookie sheet. Drop a pinch of small steel/iron washers or carpet tacks on the opposite side. I don't think many,if any, will stick. Why? The steel cookie sheet creates a magnetic short circuit. The magnetic lines of force would much rather travel through the steel than leap out into the air.

That being said, if your car has a non-ferrous fluid pan, you could glue the magnet on the outside and it would collect iron particles on the fluid side.

I have some concern about placing a super strong neodymium magnet inside the transmission pan. I'm no expert,but,I think there are various check balls,steel springs,and steel solenoid plungers in the valve body. Could mess with the shifting.

A safer alternative might be a magnetic drain plug.

 

[SR77]

thanks for the replys. I have a fumoto valve, so the magnetic drain plug is out.

I may have to order these donut mags and give that cookie sheet thing a try. I though that putting it on the filter would be better after reading a few earlier posts because i don't want to run the risk of putting it on the pan and then magnetizing the pan and not have the particles flow out during an oil Change.

What type of magnet does the FilterMag use? I am sure they put that to the test and it was able to catch and hold the particles. I just am looking for a lower cost alternative that can perform the same.

 

[TonyMazz]

For what ever it's work...I have KlearForce magnets on my filters and cut them open on new motors and found a small amount of particulates captured on the inside of the filter.

Worked fine, and met my expectations....it's the ferrous material that you want to capture anyway...and yes some will / could be captured by the filter, yet some will be captured on filter via the magnet....no brainer, cheap and requires no maintenace .....what's the big deal ?

 

[Intrepid]

I have a question:

I recently dropped my transmission pan to clean/change the fluid. I noticed 3 small, perfect "holes" on the side of the pan where 3 mangets should have been, but the original owner forgot to put them magnets back into the pan.

With that being said, I put a speaker magenet on the outside of the tranny pan. Will this help collect any metal particles or am I wasting my time?

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I knew mechanics who would take these out and collect them every time they did a fluid drop.

Put 'em on the outside, it could do no harm.

 

[Intrepid]

Why would these mechanics take out the magnets just to collect them? It's people like them that ruin our cars & cause us to question their integrity.