DIY magnetic oil filter

[Fazerider]

I'll admit this wasn't my idea, unfortunately I can't recall who suggested it... kudos to whoever it was!
Anyhow, they pointed out that the magnets you can extract from an old hard disc drive are so strong that you can stick them to the thin steel of an oil filter and enough of the field will penetrate to the other side that you could use it to help clean ferrous contaminants out of engine oil.





So I tried it last time I changed the oil.
6000 miles later I hacksawed the filter open and found that
a) a filter that's spent an hour draining still holds enough oil to make a hell of a mess.
b) the magnet had indeed collected a noticeable quantity of very fine black sludge





I think the oil flows from the outside to the inside, so I can't be sure that that wouldn't have been caught anyway... though I suspect it is fine enough to pass through the filter. Even if it would have been caught, at least it made the filter's job a bit easier.
So the magnet has gone back on the new filter.

[darrsi]

"contaminants out of engine oil"


Just change the stuff regularly, not a problem!!!

[JZS 600]

An oldie but a goodie!


Probably works a hell of a lot better than magnetic sump plugs as well.

[FuZzBoM]

is it possible at all that some of the deposits could be due to the hacksawing of the filter? I am all up for free mods but would like to see one cut open with a pipe cutter instead of a hacksaw.

In fairness it could just be a little hard to see on the picture.

[Fazerider]

is it possible at all that some of the deposits could be due to the hacksawing of the filter? I am all up for free mods but would like to see one cut open with a pipe cutter instead of a hacksaw.

In fairness it could just be a little hard to see on the picture.

Yes, the picture isn't great... my camera won't focus any closer. And there are a few bits of swarf from the hacksawing process, I didn't have a pipecutter that size and it was tricky operation to do neatly without moving the magnet and losing the evidence. But the debris from cutting is all big shiny chunks of steel, quite unlike the ultra fine black dust that the magnet collected.

[Lazarus]

might give that a punt - cheers Fazerider.

just need to find out where I put those old magnets!