Are Oil Filter Magnets Worth It?
You may have heard of oil filter magnets. They’re high quality magnets you put into your disposable oil filter. The purpose of an oil filter magnet is to create a magnetic field within the oil filter. A good quality magnet will trap the tiny ferrous metal particles in the oil. That way, the metal particles won’t travel through the engine and wear the parts within.
Oil filter magnets sound great, but are they worth it? Let’s find out!
Reasons To Buy An Oil Filter Magnet
First, let’s talk about 2 reasons why you want a magnet in your oil filter:
1. An Oil Filter Magnet Can Help Catch Metal Particles
Sometimes tiny metal particles will end up in your motor oil. The filter media in your oil filter can’t catch these metal particles. They are too small. That means contaminated motor oil will continue to run through the engine. The metal particles will increase wear and tear on the components within the engine.
For motor oil to be effective, it needs to be smooth and slippery. When metal particles contaminate motor oil, the oil becomes abrasive. This is bad news for engine parts. It creates friction between the moving parts within the engine. As a result:
- The wear and tear process is sped up
- There may be a sandpaper effect, which means the metal shavings create more shavings
If you let abrasive oil run through the engine too long, your engine will wear out prematurely. An oil filter magnet helps prevent this.
2. An Oil Filter Magnet Helps Keep The Filter Media Unclogged
This is a great benefit if you’re using cheap disposable filters that clog up fast. Oil filters can catch some of the larger metal particles in the oil. It will cause the filters to clog up faster. What happens when your oil filter becomes clogged up well before the next oil change? Your engine gets dirty oil.
Oil filters have a bypass valve. When a filter is clogged enough that oil can no longer pass through the filter media, it’s rerouted through the bypass valve. When that happens, nothing is filtering the oil. All the oil that passes through the bypass valve is dirty, and it’s being pumped into the engine. As we all know, dirty oil is very bad for the engine, especially when it’s contaminated with metal shavings. The bypass valve exists because without it, the engine will get no oil at all. Dirty oil is better than no oil.
When metal shavings contaminate your motor oil, the oil filter will likely clog up fast. So with a magnet in your oil filter, you’ll have the peace of mind that your oil filter won’t get clogged up too early. The magnet will trap the metal particles in the oil instead of the filter media.
The #1 Reason Not To Buy An Oil Filter Magnet: Cost
The arguments against magnets in filters are mostly about cost. Most of the critics argue that:
- Oil filter magnets don’t always work. If you buy a cheap oil filter magnet, it may not withstand the constant heat and exposure to the motor oil. To get the most value out of an oil filter magnet, you’d have to splurge on an expensive, high-quality one.
- Some oil filter magnets are disposable. You’d have to buy a new one every time you replace the oil filter. These costs can add up fast.
These arguments are valid. These arguments explain why some people stay away from oil filter magnets. What if we told you that there’s a better solution that will help you save money and ensure that your oil stays free of metal particles? Get a reusable oil filter, such as a PurePower! oil filter.
Buy A PurePower! Oil Filter Instead
If you’re planning on buying a good quality magnet for your filter, you’re not too far away from buying a PurePower! filter. If you’re not familiar with PurePower! oil filters, they’re reusable oil filters made with:
- High grade Neodymium magnets that can withstand extreme heat and still work well
- Double-woven 304 stainless steel filter media
- Viton o-rings
- CNC machined 6061T-6 aluminum components
- High quality stainless steel components, including bypass valve and spring
While PurePower! filters have a high upfront cost, you’ll likely save more money in the long run with one. PurePower! oil filters work better than most of the disposable filters on the market. So instead of buying an oil filter magnet that may or may not work, get a PurePower! oil filter. The best part? PurePower! oil filters come with high quality neodymium magnets that will always work!
If you have any questions about PurePower! filters, feel free to contact us.