Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Have recently cleaned the 3 magnetic particle pickups that are fitted within the oil flow system on my KH 500.
2 are fitted to pickup magnetic particles as the oil flows into the oil tank and the other to pickup magnetic particles just before the oil enters the engine.
They really do pickup some magnetic junk, see pics, the darker areas are the magnetic particles.

John P.

John, I wonder if this is in combination with a spin-on or cartridge oil filter?

Paul, I do also have a cartridge type filter fitted,the magnetic particles picked up by the magnets may be too small for the cartridge filter, this depends on the grade of filtration within the cartridge, see attached sketch of the setup.

John P.

I'am suprised the magnets still catch small metal(!) particles... and if thats the case it looks like a good addition to a cartridge filter!

I initially fitted the magnetic pickups to try and clean the oil before it enters the engine rather than when it leaves as per the cartridge filter, whether what I did is necessary I would say it is not.
These engine had been running quite well for some years just with a wire mesh filter ie prior to the cartridge filter, probably what this proves is how well they will run even with a small amount of debris in the oil.
Often what we do to our bikes is because we enjoy doing it rather than it being necessary.

John P.

It will only attract steel or iron particles. I've put a strong magnet in the drain plugs of my oil tanks and on any gearbox with a drain plug. I remove and clean the oil tank on every oil change as stuff sinks to the bottom of it when you don't use the bike frequently. If the bigend starts to flake off metal the return (scavenge) pump usually gets damaged. Nev

Evening….I dont quite understand the need for this….infact I definitely dont understand.
If an engine makes metal its pretty much rooted. Engines dont make metal so a magnetic pickup let alone a micron filter appear unnecessary meddling in my opinion but….each to their own.
I’m an oil changer always have been always will.

My BM R100 has had a magnetic sump drain plug for the last 10 years, there's always a lump of fine furry particles on it come oil change time (which is always at the BMW service intervals, I am also a confirmed oil changer....and filter changer, and that fur arrives despite the BM also having a 'proper' paper element filter in the oil feed).
Upwards of 150k miles on that bottom end now (the bike's done more than 250k but it's a bit like the proverbial Trigger's broom)
Michael - engines do make metal. (And I also am surprised at the amount of it but it seems to be a demonstrable fact.)

SG

Look at how the piston ring gap opens up and how the lip develops at the top of the cylinder bore. That is a lot of magnetic particles.
David

Hi

All engines 'make' metal, the degree, time and quantity is indicative of the state of 'health' of the engine. After an overhaul metal will be produced as a product of parts bedding in, during normal running ingested road debris can remove metal as it makes it's way to the sump / oil tank, internal component failure will produce metal. All metal circulating in the oil system causes secondary damage to bearing surfaces so removing it from the system using magnetic plugs is a 'no brainer'. Routine checking of the state of a magnetic plug is an excellent indicator of engine condition and though not originally fitted will prolong the life of your engine, (and gearbox).

In an ideal world the plugs would be fitted immediately before and after the oil pump, not easily done, but plugs anywhere are a bonus.

There isn't an aircraft flying today that doesn't have multiple magnetic plugs in it's engines and gearboxes for the above reasons.

Regards Mick