Why Not to Buy Oil Filter Magnets for Your Car - Myth Busted

Oil filter magnets explained and why not to buy one for your car, myth busted with Scotty Kilmer. Engine oil and filters should be changed regularly on your car, but you should never use one of these add-on oil filter magnets, they don't work. Don't be scammed by magnets that attach to your car's oil filter, they don't do anything except waste your money. DIY car repair with Scotty Kilmer, an auto mechanic for the last 50 years.

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⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools:

⬇️Things used in this video:
3. Common Sense

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[azmrblack]

The best oil filters generally only filter down to 20 microns. The magnets will stop particles smaller than 20 microns from continuing on, and technical papers have shown these very small particles are what do the most damage because they are constantly circulating in the oil system, not being caught by the filter. They aren't necessary but are an added benefit.

[peterdubro]

I am not sure you busted any myth - you just stated your opinion. Newer car engines are designed to tighter tolerances and smaller particles can have greater impact. Also - why do a lot of drain plugs provided by manufacturers have magnets if they do nothing? Also - cheap insurance... does putting on a $2 reusable rare earth magnet on a filter break the bank?

[PlXELPUNK]

Based on what I've learned watching this video, after you began working as a mechanic, the oil filter was invented and then implemented to help solve or help prevent what I can only imagine to be early engine failure. Oil filters obviously catch contaminates, but what would it hurt to add a magnet either to the filter itself or onto the drain plug?

I have magnetic drain plugs on multiple vehicles and every single time I change the oil there are metal shavings piled on the tip of the magnet and I'm using OEM filters on practically new cars! Saying that magnets are "snake oil" and won't capture metal shavings is like saying cars still don't need filters at all.

[McSquiggins]

Oil filter magnets do work. Cut open a filter after using filter magnets and see for yourself. Even a premium filter will not catch all the metals floating around in your oil. If they are smaller than the micron rating of your filter they just pass right on through. I have personally been using two filtermags along with a magnetic drain plug with fantastic results. My oil appears cleaner for much longer as I check its condition regularly. I changed oil on a vehicle without any magnets, placed some of the used oil in a glass jar and held a filtermag on the jar. Even though the car was running a premium filter you could see the metal in the oil being drawn to the magnet on the side of the jar as i gently swirled it. It works period. Prove that it does or does not work but don't slam a very logical idea with zero data to back it up.

[paulsommers]

Magnets do work, the oil filters can't remove super small metal particles in the oil which magnets can.

[underwaterdick]

Scotty, I respect you and I think you are a very experienced mechanic. Be careful in the way you say things though, as people without a mechanical mind might get the wrong idea.
Having metallic particles in your oil is NOT a sign of a problem, it is perfectly normal. The second a car is started from the factory it will start to produce microscopic particles of metal and will do until the engine dies... This is one of the reasons we carry out oil changes, apart from degradation of the oil properties.
This is also the reason we fit oil filters.

The magnetic filter bands ARE pointless, just as you said, because the filtration on a normal filter is so fine.

A magnetic drain plug can be a good investment, not just to catch metallic particles, but mainly so you get an indication if there is something wrong inside your engine if large particles start showing up. Aircraft use them in their gearboxes to check the health, and in helicopters they are actually connected electrically to detect any metallic particles when operating. -particles detected means bring that helicopter down before it comes down!
Obviously you could go the whole life of a car without getting any large particles, but it is certainly handy on performance and high mileage cars to be able to keep a check on engine health at oil changes..

Keep up the tips!

[arttafil]

Scotty, Years ago I installed a magnetic oil pan drain plug on a 427 Chevy engine I had rebuilt. I heavily prelubed the engine and ran it at 2, 500 rpm no load for 30 minutes to seat everything. I changed the oil and when I looked at the drain plug, it looked like it hfhad as huge "Afro" of metal shavings. I kept the drain plug with that car two trap shavings too fine for the oil filter.

[averyalexander]

I have a magnetic drain plug, and it does work. At every oil change, it has a coating of abrasive metal paste. Not something I'd want running through my engine.

[TTRVision]

I use a magnetic drain bolt, but just for "monitoring" potential oil contamination not for "filtering". and that is on a track car. All the best from Romania and have a nice weekend there in the States !

[IndependenceCityMotoring]

Correct, but worth mentioning that magnetic oil drain plugs do work to catch metal shavings. And they help you identify engine issues before they become a bigger problem.

[christopherjameswall]

Um..
Magnets have been in oil/transmission pans stock for decades..

[hovered]

I am surprised at your answer to this one. Magnets are always welcome to attract "fines" which if you remember you have seen on the magnetic drain plugs you have been servicing. Super fine material feels like a metallic paste that collects on magnetic drain plugs. Good house keeping would suggest immobilizing any metals any way you can in the oil any where in the system. Fine's sources include ring / cylinder wall wear debris, oil pump gear gnashing, lifter/ cam follower natural wear etc..

[brazenbunnies]

Try it. Put on the magnet and cut open the filter after 5000 miles. Scrape of all the metal shaving from the magnetized area. Ask yourself do I want circulating around my engine 100 times per minute for years.

[Philosophe]

Take a shot for every time Scotty applies the magnet to the top of the oil filter. Love your videos Scotty!!!!

[myvtec]

That's what I like about scotty, his no bullshit aproach, straight to the point and consistent common sense. keep it up man.👍

[heavymechanic]

I found a magnet that went through a differential, its also common to see them in a transmission, and some drain plugs have a magnet. It may be true that a magnet is not typically needed on an engine oil filter, but they are used to trap iron and steel particles in other fluids. The magnefine filter has gained some respect for its design and Allison has a magnet under the filter for the same purpose. Oil analysis identifies Fe in all fluids and people who are OCD will buy any gimmick even if its not essential. I put a filter on my transmission cooler line and put a small magnet inside the return side and there was stuff that collected on the magnet and all over the filter base, this filter system saved my transmission from destructive effects of contamination.

[notrightmeow]

I have a geo metro with 150K miles on it. Im the original owner, and it still runs fine. I’ve always used a small magnet on the filter. I think it works 💁‍♂️

[danex]

It makes more sense to put a magnet to the drain plug. After 30k km someone drained the transmission oil to put a new one and when he checked the old oil there was some metal shaving.

Metals shavings can be in the oil pan, since they are heavy they don't flow so it wont go throuh the filter. So a magnet to the drain plug is always good (more expensive cars have this built in the plugs)

[Rincon]

Love these short 'quick tip' videos! Almost @ 1M subs!