RE: The Future of Filters
Tuesday 5th August 2003
The Future of Filters
Race car technology ready to hit the road?
Discussion
[bollox]As the fluid flows through the Magnom’s field effect areas, ferrous and non-ferrous contaminants are drawn into special collection zones. These zones hold significantly more contaminant than a conventional filter - without obstructing fluid flow or risking “wash-off”. Therefore, the Magnom can operate for very long periods without service and - when contaminants need to be removed - is easily cleaned and re-used.[/bollox]
'Field effect areas'? You mean the bullshit zone? We'll presume they use magnets: how exactly does this attract a non-ferrous particle then? If the magnet has nothing to do with attracting the non-ferrous particle to the 'special collection zone', then how is it done? The Dyson vacuum cleaner principle? Might not matter if a bit of dust escapes from the vacuum cleaner, but would you be happy if an ant's toenail escaped this filter and wrote off your V8?
>'operate for very long periods without service'... hmmm. Would you really be content to wait for a long period before checking it, by which time the damage may be done? How many race teams re-use stuff like filters, given that they spend millions on their cars?
>'significantly more contaminant than a conventional filter'. OK, so how much contaminant does a conventional filter hold, and what constitutes 'significantly more'? 2%? 20%? 200%?
Not that I'm sceptical or anything...
Ian
'Field effect areas'? You mean the bullshit zone? We'll presume they use magnets: how exactly does this attract a non-ferrous particle then? If the magnet has nothing to do with attracting the non-ferrous particle to the 'special collection zone', then how is it done? The Dyson vacuum cleaner principle? Might not matter if a bit of dust escapes from the vacuum cleaner, but would you be happy if an ant's toenail escaped this filter and wrote off your V8?
>'operate for very long periods without service'... hmmm. Would you really be content to wait for a long period before checking it, by which time the damage may be done? How many race teams re-use stuff like filters, given that they spend millions on their cars?
>'significantly more contaminant than a conventional filter'. OK, so how much contaminant does a conventional filter hold, and what constitutes 'significantly more'? 2%? 20%? 200%?
Not that I'm sceptical or anything...
Ian
Ditto to Wedgie's comment.
If anyone is interested and prepared to give me £100K backing and 2 4x4s to experiment on - I have an idea to recycle some of my Mum's old tights into a new Nylonator Fuel filter. I see the benefits as being that your car will run smoother and more efficiently giving diesel performance from a petrol engine. Your service intervals will become longer and tappets will rarely require reshimming. Throttle response will be sharper, torsional stiffness of your cars body will increase 30% and pretty girls will want to marry you.
For these and even more fantastic money parting ideas I have to improve your car for pence (compared to what the manufacturer spent millions on R&D - TVR excepted
) visit my website:
www.givemeyourmoneyUmugandbuysomefantasticcrapoffmethatwilldosquatforyourmotor.co.uk
Me? Sceptical?
If anyone is interested and prepared to give me £100K backing and 2 4x4s to experiment on - I have an idea to recycle some of my Mum's old tights into a new Nylonator Fuel filter. I see the benefits as being that your car will run smoother and more efficiently giving diesel performance from a petrol engine. Your service intervals will become longer and tappets will rarely require reshimming. Throttle response will be sharper, torsional stiffness of your cars body will increase 30% and pretty girls will want to marry you.
For these and even more fantastic money parting ideas I have to improve your car for pence (compared to what the manufacturer spent millions on R&D - TVR excepted
) visit my website: www.givemeyourmoneyUmugandbuysomefantasticcrapoffmethatwilldosquatforyourmotor.co.uk
Me? Sceptical?
I am the CEO of FCS, the company that markets the Magnom and thought I would drop a quick note to try and tackle some of your scepticisms.
The first point to make is that the Magnom technology is used in performance automotive from Formula 1 across to Rally NOW. In fact, it is the only fine filtration used by Lola cars in their gearboxes.
Secondly, we have university information outlining why exactly non-magnetic particulate is removed. The process is commonly understood in many industries such as crude oil seperation.
We also have some of the world's biggest OEMs trialling the technology at the moment, the results are very encouraging.
If anyone would like me to email them pdf's of reports demonstrating these points I would be very happy to, please email me on tom.hulme@fluidcs.com
The first point to make is that the Magnom technology is used in performance automotive from Formula 1 across to Rally NOW. In fact, it is the only fine filtration used by Lola cars in their gearboxes.
Secondly, we have university information outlining why exactly non-magnetic particulate is removed. The process is commonly understood in many industries such as crude oil seperation.
We also have some of the world's biggest OEMs trialling the technology at the moment, the results are very encouraging.
If anyone would like me to email them pdf's of reports demonstrating these points I would be very happy to, please email me on tom.hulme@fluidcs.com
I remain to be convinced and always take the position of sceptical until proven otherwise. Remember the tail of the 'Emperor's clothes'. We see this so much in this day and age of 'super products'. It seems to be the case of pay 200% extra for 0.01% improvement. A wonder solution to a problem that you did not know you had.
All cars need fuel filters. As far as I can see, this is just a race spec fuel filter that is being marketed for road cars. No snake oil remedies, just something new for a road car.
And, speaking as a racer, we don't just chuck stuff like fuel filters away all the time. If you buy one that is designed to be cleaned and re-used, you clean it, and re-use it. If your strategy involves chucking out components, you buy components that are designed to be used and chucked (as they're cheaper). No point paying 10 times as much for a feature you aren't going to use
Then again, I don't have a bugget of millions. In fact, I don't know of many racers who do (probably less than 1% of racers have budgets big enough not to worry about where the next upgrade is coming from).
James
And, speaking as a racer, we don't just chuck stuff like fuel filters away all the time. If you buy one that is designed to be cleaned and re-used, you clean it, and re-use it. If your strategy involves chucking out components, you buy components that are designed to be used and chucked (as they're cheaper). No point paying 10 times as much for a feature you aren't going to use
Then again, I don't have a bugget of millions. In fact, I don't know of many racers who do (probably less than 1% of racers have budgets big enough not to worry about where the next upgrade is coming from).
James
james said:
No snake oil remedies, just something new for a road car.
James
...perhaps unnecessary for a road car, given that most cars have adequate (OK, according to the makers) filtration fitted at the factory?
I rebuilt my V8 and took as many precautions against dirt etc. as I could, but I left the fuel filters alone. I worry about rather more damaging influences than precisely what size particles can get past my paper/mesh/unobtanium filters. Let's face it, Rover V8s have been around long enough and endured plenty of the world's dirt in one form or another. Maybe, if I'd hand-carved my engine from a solid block of gold, I might be prepared to go that little bit further.
Good luck to these chaps: I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who will take them up, but whether it REALLY is necessary will remain open to debate, I believe.
Ian
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