RAD FANS

john alexander · Post by **john alexander** » 29 Apr 2006, 23:36

Hi there , just had to replace a radiator fan on my xantia, so I took the old one to bits for a look. The magnets fitted to the case are a perfect fit on the bottom of the oil filter. might attract some metal in the oil and I cant see it doing any harm. Regards john.

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » 30 Apr 2006, 00:47

I have been using some very, very strong magnets (ex. HDD drives) placed around around the oil filter since I saw an article about a commercially produced magnetic 'collar' for oil filters published a couple of years ago.
In the article the author said that he had cut up a filter that had been fitted with the device and there were readily identifiable patches of metallic sludge where the magnets were.
Whether this sludge would have been caught by the filter anyway, I've no idea but, as you say, it can do no harm and the cost is zero.

Dave.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 30 Apr 2006, 08:46

The effect of putting a magnet on the outside of the filter is somewhat negated by the steel of the can causing a 'closed circuit' but no doubt some flux 'leaks through' so its certainly worth a try. Now if it was an aluminium casing.....the magnet would fall off.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 30 Apr 2006, 16:29

Larger metallic particles will always end up on the bottom of the sump - and then drift out with the flow when you empty the sump on an oil change.
Particles that small they can flow around with the oil will of course be trapped on a magnet. No doubt a very clever way to re-cycle magnets 8)

f00lzz · Post by **f00lzz** » 30 Apr 2006, 17:08

I believe that BMC mini's/1100's etc employed a magnet attached to the sump plug which effectively caught ferrous material at the bottom of the engine/gearbox.

(These and a few more models using the old A and B series engine had the gearbox at the base of the engine, so the engine oil was also the gearbox oil!!)

deian · Post by **deian** » 30 Apr 2006, 17:35

Now why don't car manufacturers do clever things like that these days huh?

ci_newman · Post by **ci_newman** » 30 Apr 2006, 23:07

Well, I found that the magnet fell off the sump plug in the bottom of my mini sump... Fortunately it was with the plug outside of the car, but I would've hated to think what would have happened if it was floating about inside!!

Clogzz · Post by **Clogzz** » 01 May 2006, 12:17

Don’t think the magnet would have come out with the plug screwed into place.
Even then, it’s magnetic and heavy enough to stay stuck at the bottom, and the oil pump has a strainer.

Think to have read that the Xantia automatic gearbox has magnetic inserts in the drain plugs.
Never seen any debris on them.

PowerLee · Post by **PowerLee** » 01 May 2006, 12:27

f00lzz wrote:I believe that BMC mini's/1100's etc employed a magnet attached to the sump plug which effectively caught ferrous material at the bottom of the engine/gearbox.

(These and a few more models using the old A and B series engine had the gearbox at the base of the engine, so the engine oil was also the gearbox oil!!)

I remember the old A + engine, The magnetic bit on the end of the sump plug was a brilliant idea

There was nothing wrong with having the gearbox in the sump, As long as you didn't drop the distributor drive shaft down the hole inside the block & into the sump, Crunchy crunchy time & sump off if you did

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 01 May 2006, 13:34

My Xantia has one of those sump plugs because the previous owner managed to strip the threads on the sump.