Oil filter addition - Steve Odell's filterless oil filter

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

Updated: 2010 September 23

Thanks to Steve Odell who posted this information on the old Yahoo! Loopframe_Guzzi news group (which has now moved to Groups.io). In Steve's own words:

FilterMag HPPAN magnet
This is a neodymium iron boron magnet. NdFeB is a type of rare-earth permanent magnet made from an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron to form the Nd₂Fe₁₄B tetragonal crystalline structure. This material is currently the strongest known type of permanent magnet.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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FilterMag
The picture on the box does not represent the HPPAN magnet. The HPPAN model (also called the TM360) is a flat rectangular magnet with sides of 3.1875 inch × 2.9375 inch. It has a pull force of 50 pounds. It cost me USD $44.99 from Jegs.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Machined loop oil pan
I measured and marked an area near the drain plug and had my machinist mill out the fins without digging into the pan itself. I felt this was the optimum location for it. Two skids fit right over it and there was no engine parts directly above it. Be sure to note to your machinist that the pan is V-shaped. He must block it up slightly on one side to get a level cut. Machining cost was USD $30.00.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Fits well
As it turned out the magnet height is almost exactly the same as the fin height. It does not need to fit the cutout tightly on the sides.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Machinists Aluminum Blast paint
I used a high heat paint commonly used on intake manifolds to coat the cut area. It is called Machinists Aluminum Blast. Any type of high heat paint would do. This is not absolutely necessary but these magnets do have a tendency to trap particles between it and the surface so I painted it to prevent any corrosion from forming.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Notched skid plates
Using my grinder I notched the skid plates to the width of the magnet. The worn edges of the grinder wheel made a nice radius on the cutouts.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Notches fit over magnet
The notches fit over the magnet and just touch it when in place. I painted the skids with the same aluminum blast paint.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Finished skid plates
When finished the magnet will suck the skid plates up to it. The magnet cannot fall out while riding.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Installed pan with magnet
It is very easy to install. The magnet holds the skids to it so you can hold the whole assembly in place with one hand while turning in the bolts.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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After 350 mile test run
I drained the oil and then dropped the pan after about 350 miles. You can clearly see the steel filings mixed in with the oil sludge. With a paper towel I wiped the sludge off and reinstalled the pan.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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After 2,200 miles
Over the course of the next 2,200 miles I drained the oil twice without dropping the pan. When changing oil never remove the magnet from the pan unless you are going to drop the pan. At the third oil change I dropped the pan. This is 2,200 miles worth of sludge.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Oil strainer is clean
I did not touch anything in here after dropping the pan. I just let it drain. The strainer is spotless and so is everything else inside the engine case.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Pan before cleaning
The pan itself is very clean except where the magnet is. I did not wipe anything here, I just drained the oil out. The oil I always use is 3 quarts of 15W-40 Rotella-T with 8 oz of STP added. Rotella-T is very high in detergents so it always appears dark colored.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Cleaning the pan
You can't see it but the magnet and skids are still stuck to the bottom of the pan. When you pull the bolts out of the pan it stays there until you wipe off the steel filings. The filings wipe off easily with a paper towel.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Cleaning the pan
With a few paper towels everything will come off. The high detergent Rotella-T keeps everything in suspension until it is grabbed by the magnet. I believe the stickiness of the STP also helps to bind the sludge and filings together.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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Finished clean pan
You can see the edges of the skids still under the pan with the magnet. All cleaned and ready to reinstall. All that sludge never made it past the magnet into my engine.
Photo courtesy of Steve Odell.
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