[lilleyen]

Thought this would be a good subject to have a discussion about.

There seems to be a lot of interest in do it yourself maintenance, especially the simple money saving things like oil changes.

I'd like to start it off with an idea I've had.

Been reading about breakins and first oil changes at 60 miles, 600 miles, etc.

I have come across (at Lee Valley Tools), some small round button shaped, extremely powerful rare earth magnets.

I was wondering if one of these were to be attached to the inside end of the oil filler plugs on the engine/gearcases of our Burgs, would they attract and hold the metal shavings I've been reading about, the ones we DON'T want circulating in amongst our expensive parts?

I'm assuming the plug end is flat, haven't seen one yet.
If the plugs are aluminum, the magnets can be bought with steel cups with screw holes in the middle to hold the magnets. No danger of falling out. You need a groove cut in the cup edge and a lever to pry it back out, once it's in there. As a bonus this increases the magnetic power as well.

What is the consensus on this Norm, Allan, everyone?

Any merit to this idea?
Any harm in it?

 

[Jim]

As I remember, there is a magnet on the Trans. and final drive plug.

As for the engine I don't think you need one, because there is a filter, which the other do not.

 

[NormanB]

It cannot do any harm - and there is probably a feel good factor too!
You can pick up powerful rare earth magnets pretty cheap too!

 

[Randy]

I use a Suzuki drain plug with a magnet on the end and while I would expect the filter to pick up everything
it does not. In 4000 miles you can see and feel the metal, true, very little but it proves the filter must let some pass.
Bottom line, judging by what I see I would recommend either a drain plug /magnet or perhaps an external
type may work also. Attach it to the pan near the drain hole and then remove just b4 draining.
The drain plug / magnet I use is not from or for a Burgman, I think Suzuki uses
the same size plug / thread on a lot of there bikes.

 

[swstiles]

Rare

It cannot do any harm - and there is probably a feel good factor too!
You can pick up powerful rare earth magnets pretty cheap too!

If they are rare how can you find em so cheap? :lol:

 

[ted clement]

Randy, I like your idea of a magnet drain plug from Suz. Will check with dealer to see if they have one. Used to have a Mitsubishi car with such a plug. On my 400, I epoxied a magnet to the outside of the filter cover. If your 650 filters have enough room around them, get some of the flexible magnet material that is used for signs and cut a piece to fit around the filter. Might have to put a clamp around it to hold it snug. They make such things for autos and airplanes. Expensive tho.

 

[Edwljoseph]

It probably would be easier to go to an automotive parts store and find the right sized drain plug that has a magnet built in. I've seen them at Autozone

 

[NormanB]

Randy, I like your idea of a magnet drain plug from Suz. Will check with dealer to see if they have one. Used to have a Mitsubishi car with such a plug. On my 400, I epoxied a magnet to the outside of the filter cover. If your 650 filters have enough room around them, get some of the flexible magnet material that is used for signs and cut a piece to fit around the filter. Might have to put a clamp around it to hold it snug. They make such things for autos and airplanes. Expensive tho.

What like a worm drive clip? (We call them jubilee clips) (To hold the magnets on that is! :wink:

 

[Timothy Ma]

Good idea guys,

But remember that the 400 is a roller bearing engine and unlike some of the other two wheeled vehicles, there are only a couple of gear driven devices inside. Hence not that much metal particles sludging off grinding gears like in a manual transmission motorcycle. These bikes need even better oil filtration because they share oil with the engine and tranny and I would think because they are plain bearing engines, clean oil is even more critical.

A magnetic pickup in the final drive makes even more sense because the gears inside there may actually be under some stress and therefore have some metal particles enter the oiling system. Even worse, there is no filtering system back there. But also the metal is sitting at the bottom (near the drain plug) and if you think about it, it's heavy and doesn't float around where it could do actually harm.

Great idea to latch on a strong magnet on the outside of a twist on filter...uhmm may do that myself. Now to find a magnet!

 

[lilleyen]

The flexible magnetic vinyl material wrapped around the filter is a good idea too, but I question the amount of magnetic force applied.

From my experience in the printing industry, these pieces of mag. vinyl don't have much pulling power.

The rare earth magnets, on the other hand, well, it takes 3 men and a boy to separate them once they get together, even the tiny ones.

Stick one of these to a filter and you're done, grasshopper!

A 3/8" RE Magnet on a drain plug would grab anything floating by, maybe even the bus next to you. :wink:

"Officer, I didn't actually hit the bus, it's just a proximity thing. Could you help me get loose from it?" :lol:

Imagine arriving home with wrenches, coins, and Harley parts stuck to the bottom of your Burg! :shock:

 

[swstiles]

Wrapped around the filter

The flexible magnetic vinyl material wrapped around the filter is a good idea too, but I question the amount of magnetic force applied.

:wink:

:

I don't see how the filter could work properly with vinyl wrapped around it. :?

 

[ted clement]

What like a worm drive clip? (We call them jubilee clips) (To hold the magnets on that is! :wink:

Norm, you got the idea...but the CORRECT name is Hose Clamp!

By the way, the road I live on is named Jubilee...do you think your Clip Company is infringing on my property rights? Can I sue? Nah, probably only get a free box of Jubilee Clips. :roll:

 

[ted clement]

SW....only on external screw on filters. On your 400 you can epoxy one of those "rare earth" magnets that Norman says are cheap and easy to find to the OUTSIDE of your filter cover.

Norman, send me a box of them...about a half to 3/4 inch in diameter. We can start a Magnetic Magic company. Make up kits with TV infomercials like:

Revolutionary New Product (patent pending)...
Never change your OIL FILTER again....
Transmissions and Gears last forever....
Add one to your GAS LINE for increased milage...
Only $19.95 + Shipping and Handling (in small print $7.95)

The possibilities are endless. You think about this and polish up the advertising ....you can be CEO of Advertising and Procurement; while I, the PRESIDENT, will send out the products and collect the $$$/Quid with a 60/40 split.....OK?

10% of proceeds go to this Forum...out of your 40% of course!

 

[lilleyen]

Good idea guys,



A magnetic pickup in the final drive makes even more sense because the gears inside there may actually be under some stress and therefore have some metal particles enter the oiling system. Even worse, there is no filtering system back there. But also the metal is sitting at the bottom (near the drain plug) and if you think about it, it's heavy and doesn't float around where it could do actually harm.

Great idea to latch on a strong magnet on the outside of a twist on filter...uhmm may do that myself. Now to find a magnet!

Good points Tomothy.
As an aside, if we had a magnetic plug on the final drive, AND it did start showing more than the ususal amount of metal bits (whatever usual is), it could give us advance warning that something is amiss.

If the filter is a steel screw on like a cage uses, the magnet will just stick to it, like glue.

They are quite thin, a little thicker than a quarter, 1/10" to 1/8" inch depending on size, and come in sizes from 1/4" up to 1".

Also come in ring/washer and rod shapes. In Ontario they are available from Lee Valley tools. I could walk to the store in my neigbourhood.

They are international.
http://www.leevalley.com


http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page. ... 42348&ap=1

Cost from 40 cents to 1.20 each up to 1/2"
The bigger ones 3/4 to 1" cost more as they are sold in sets of 5 because they are so strong and hard to separate, it creates handling problems for Lee Valley.
Five 1" mags cost $12.50.

Tip:
I used to work part time for Canadian Tire. They give you a name badge to wear with a safety pin to hold it on.
Never could get it straight, and over time it really puts a lot of holes in the shirt.
Bought four 1/4" magents, removed the badge pin, epoxied two magnets to the back of the name badge, cut a piece off a small plastic ruler, epoxied two mags to that, and voila.
I slip the ruler inside my shirt, put the badge on the outside, and that badge will not fall off. If it's crooked I have only to twist it straight and it stays that way. nothing moves it. If some one were to try to yank it off, the shirt would tear first. Works great, and no more holes in my shirts.
Got the idea from an available magnetic name badge manufacturer.
Tried theirs, but the magnet was wimpy.

There is a little trick to the glueing process because they are so strong.

Put two magnets together, put glue one only one, press it it place on the badge, repeat at other end. After glue is dry, put glue on top of each magnet stack and press the plastic ruler on top of that in the same position as the badge, and let dry.
I found over time, that if you let the units snap together too hard, the glue joints will fail.
Second time around I used Goop, a little more flexible than epoxy. :wink:

 

[pauljo]

I would not cover the oil filter with anything. The reason I say that, is I think an exposed oil filter serves a secondary function of helping to cool the oil. Maybe any cooling effect is negligible - I really am not sure - but I still wouldn't wrap it with a vinyl magnet.

 

[magyver]

Oil Change

I don't know about the 400 but without pulling the drain plug on our 650's I'm about 95% sure that they have magnet's on the end of the drain plugs. I would also bet that if Suzuki did it on the 650 they did it on the 400 also. I'm refering to the engin I also know the trans & final drive have them on the drain plugs.

 

[swstiles]

What I said

I would not cover the oil filter with anything. The reason I say that, is I think an exposed oil filter serves a secondary function of helping to cool the oil. Maybe any cooling effect is negligible - I really am not sure - but I still wouldn't wrap it with a vinyl magnet.

Thanks Paul that's exactly what I said. :roll:

 

[lilleyen]

Re: Oil Change

I don't know about the 400 but without pulling the drain plug on our 650's I'm about 95% sure that they have magnet's on the end of the drain plugs. I would also bet that if Suzuki did it on the 650 they did it on the 400 also. I'm refering to the engin I also know the trans & final drive have them on the drain plugs.

So once again the Burg has everything.
Should have known!

 

[NormanB]

Just found this after following up on an article in the UK Sunday Times newspaper:

Filtermag

and US stockists can be found:

here

 

[lilleyen]

Just found this after following up on an article in the UK Sunday Times newspaper:

Filtermag

and US stockists can be found:

here

OK Norm.
Now you've done it!
Have to get one for my new burg. :wink:

Can we use the transmission one too or is that not possible/neccessary?