FILTERMAG OFFER SUPPORT FOR NEW RESEARCH

Always keen to explore new techniques, Mike will be testing a FILTERMAG on his car in testing at Mallory, to determine how effective the theory is. The US company sponsor several different forms of motorsport including bikes, planes, boats and cars. The owner runs a Baja beach racer which is a real test for engines. Here is what they say about the product.

Modern oil filters remove particles by forcing the oil through paper-based media with very small ports. The technology behind this filtering media is a compromise that has remained relatively unchanged since the 1930s. While oil is necessary to remove these damaging particles, it is equally important that it flows back into the engine fast enough to lubricate all the moving parts.A perfect oil filter media would stop all the particles down to 1-micron (about 1/70th the thickness of a human hair). Unfortunately, a filter with ports that small would also restrict the oil from returning to the engine fast enough, resulting in catastrophic equipment failure.

Filter media developments over the years have certainly increased the life cycle for oil filtration cartridges, but fluid dynamics require the ports in the media to remain 25-micron or larger. An SAE report by David R. Staley, General Motors Corp., states:
"The smallest particles most popular filters captured with high efficiency are sized 25 to 40-micron, depending on the filter brand...[however] controlling the abrasive contaminants in the range of 2 to 22-micron in the lube oil is necessary for controlling engine wear."These tests also confirmed that removal of particles down to 2-micron in size virtually stops the abrasion wear cycle.

We don't expect any performance increases, just the chance that it might reduce the risk of engine damage. As Stock Hatch is all about keeping costs down, this £40 item could save £1000 of engine rebuild? We shall see what it collects after a mornings practice when we cut open the filter case. This is what we expect to see being the inside of a filter used on the Baja buggie for just 45 minutes. The magnetic jacket sucks the debris to the side and retains it there, keeping it out of the filter, oil ways and engine. For more information check out their website http://www.shopfiltermag.com/ Mike is being assisted by the sole UK importer, so if it works, Mike hopes to have a stock available at the circuit for drivers to judge for themselves. They come in a varity of sizes to suit the diameter of your oil filter, and are guaranteed not to fall off due to the magnetic force being exerted. It will only cars with a metal oil filter and is suitable for a number of road or race applications and can be easily swapped from filter to filter, so a one off purchase! In effect it means no more sports oil filters costing twice what normal ones do, and even better, the cheap alternatives at £3 a time will be good enough. It pays for itself in the cost of just 10 filter swaps, never mind the potential damage it can save. To us it's also potentially a safety aid, as there should be less engines going bang and leaving oil all over the circuit.