Using Rare Earth Magnets

Grumpy · Mar 26, 2020

Using rare earth magnets on/in your oil pan, drain plug, etc.. Do you do it?

Or at least when breaking in a motor? You can get them for free if you have any old computer hard drives laying around. I split and opened up a total of 14 older apple hard drives that I had down in the basement, took me about 5 minutes each. The magnets range from 2.5 inches to 1.5 inches in length, by about .75-1 inch wide, and are shaped like half-bent horseshoes. Little fuckers are powerful as shit. Get 2 of them stuck together and you can play hell trying to pry them apart, especially without tools.

I put them inside the bottom of trans pans, inside oil pans, on the bottom outside of oil pans, etc.., on drain plugs, wired and glued to dipsticks of small 4 stroke motors when breaking in, etc. They grab a lot of ferrous material, especially on break in. You can also buy them fairly cheap from China on ebay, etc.

be aware that all magnets are damaged to some extent by heat,
but some are far less likely to be damaged than others
oil temps can raise the magnet temp of a hard drive magnet,
in some cases oil temps get too high,
high enough heat or permanently damage the hard drive magnets

there are better magnets for that application
Samarium Cobalt MAGNETS HELP
SmCo Disk Magnet Dia 1x1/4" Samarium Cobalt Magnets 608 F Temperature
magnets are ceramic and glass hard, don,t try to drill or grind them, as they can shatter

proper magnets trap metallic debris
SmCo Samarium Cobalt Disc Magnets
http://www.magnet4less.com/

the magnets RICK linked too have a max operation temp of 302F
which is higher than your oil temp should ever get even close too.

Genius Tools 3/8" Dr. Three-Legged Adjustable Metal Oil Filter Wrench 3" - 5" Filter Size Capacity - AT-B01

SUPERIOR DESIGN - Allows for broad range and tremendous gripping power EASY TO USE - Features heavy-duty grooved legs for positive grip to make your automotive job easier SPECS - Fits 3/8 inch drive and can be used directly with 3/8" drive ratchet handle ADAPTABLE FIT - Fully adjustable from 3"...

www.geniustoolsusa.com

Mark Bradley · Mar 29, 2020

I actually add one to the outside bottom of my oil filter and it is impressively strong.
Every time I change a filter on the Camaro I cut it open, inspect it and transfer the magnet to the next filter.
It typically only gets a real lite dust like ring inside around where it was installed.

NewbVetteGuy · Feb 6, 2023

Mark Bradley said:
I actually add one to the outside bottom of my oil filter and it is impressively strong.
Every time I change a filter on the Camaro I cut it open, inspect it and transfer the magnet to the next filter.
It typically only gets a real lite dust like ring inside around where it was installed.

I also added one that I found on here to the bottom of my oil filter this weekend:

K&J Magnetics: RZ0X84

www.kjmagnetics.com

176F max operating temp, but they're stuck to the bottom of the oil filter and should get plenty of airflow over them, so I think they'll be ok.

Adam

Indycars · Feb 7, 2023

I used the same temp rating, but didn't want to cough up $36 per magnet so I went with a RX864 that cost $11.88 and bought two. Your RZ0X84 has considerably more pull thou at 57 lbs.

K&J Magnetics: RX864

www.kjmagnetics.com

.

NewbVetteGuy · Feb 7, 2023

$11.88 sounds way better than $36.

Using Rare Earth Magnets

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.

Genius Tools 3/8" Dr. Three-Legged Adjustable Metal Oil Filter Wrench 3" - 5" Filter Size Capacity - AT-B01

Mark Bradley

Da guy in Newbury

NewbVetteGuy

Well-Known Member

K&J Magnetics: RZ0X84

Indycars

Administrator

K&J Magnetics: RX864

NewbVetteGuy

Well-Known Member