Oil Filter Magnets ?

[427HISS]

Have you used one ?   (I've always used a magnetic drain plug)

Soon, I will be helping a friend with starting his new engine, so I'm interested if they work ?
What about magnets on the bottom pan ?

Type ?
Brand ?

[Stangman]

Never used one but I guess it can’t hurt. I would imagine if it got to the point were you need a magnet
then there’s a problem. But I guess a preventive maintenance thing is good.

[My427stang]

Have you used one ?   (I've always used a magnetic drain plug)

Soon, I will be helping a friend with starting his new engine, so I'm interested if they work ?
What about magnets on the bottom pan ?

Type ?
Brand ?

If the iron parts weren't clean, it "might" catch some debris using a filter magnet, but I really don't think it's that beneficial with a good filter

As far as a big one on the pan, how do you get the stuff out later?  IF there was some, it would sit in a pile and you'd have to hope it drained out.

Of course a magnet won't catch bearing material, gasket material, non-iron sand and grit from machining, so really it's easier to be real clean ahead of time

I would save his money and just use a quality filter and good oil for the type of cam and clearances he is running.  If it behaves normally, take it on a good run or two and dump the oil and filter if concerned

[machoneman]

My auto equipped '88 LX Stang has a circular magnet inside the tranny pan right from Ford (1st time I've ever seen this btw). Easy to remove and clean off but keep in mind a automatic tranny has far more steel/iron sliding surfaces than a babbit-bearing engine. I used to run a big magnet (from dear old Dad's mechanical background) but it was always stuck to the oil filter for obvious reasons. These days, with a magnetic engine oil drain plug, I've not bothered with a 2nd magnet. 

[jayb]

I put a magnet in the pan of my SOHC engines, because of the many needle bearing failures I've experienced with the SOHC rocker arms.  I'd do the same thing with any engine that had roller lifters with needle bearings; if the needle bearings fail and start coming out, they can do a whole bunch of damage to the engine.  I've taken an SOHC apart after Drag Week where I had several rocker failures and found about 50 of those little bearing shards stuck to the magnet.  Problem is, the magnet won't catch all of them, but it helps. 

If you're not running needle bearings in the engine, I don't see any reason to run a magnet in the oil pan, filter, drain plug, or anywhere else.

[cjshaker]

Apparently you guys have never ran a magnetic drain plug. I always use one, and you'd be surprised at the amount of metallic "sludge" that it collects. Where do you think all the metallic debris goes as the rings are breaking in? How about as the cylinders wear? When you get .001-.002 of cylinder wear, that's a LOT of metal floating around.

You can argue that a filter will catch it, but what about when the filter goes into bypass on a cold start? And if you look at the super fine particles that collect on a magnetic drain plug, I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of it gets by the filter.

Until you use one and see the metallic particles that they catch, I wouldn't be so quick to say they aren't necessary.
JMO, but I highly recommend using at least a magnetic drain plug.

[Heo]

Yes and before the  filter it should pass the oilpump and on a chevy
some of it hit the rear main unfiltered    a plug wont catch it all but
it will help

[gt350hr]

  Magnet in the pan or magnet on the drain plug. A magnet on the filter is a no no according the filter manufacturers.

[427HISS]

Why not on the filter ?

[machoneman]

A filter magnet (any old magnet) worked for me. I should add that I'm more a fan of magnetic oil pan plug than other locations. Have not run both.   

[cjshaker]

Why not on the filter ?

Just a guess, but you really wouldn't want all that debris collecting in the filter, where, if it did go into bypass, it could force some of it into the oiling system. On some filter designs, it might also affect the bypass operation. Better quality filters use metal internals, and a magnet could affect how they operate.

[427HISS]

That does make sence to me.

(I'll search now for most liked and disliked filters)

[gt350hr]

  Fram is the least favorite. While you're at it google oil filter magnets and you'll see why people don't like them.