OEM VW oil strainer vs replacement strainers

[Tony Z]

A few days ago I was cleaning an oil strainer (I wanted to see what kind of dirty got stuck in it) when I noticed that there were more parts to it and made the video below.

All parts have VW stamps (OEM kit I got a while back).

Seems to me that VW actually used a magnet to keep the metallic objects from circulating with the oil and eating up the engine...

anyone have any thoughts?

https://youtu.be/jiBxqhpXKdg

[Haans]

Ripe old age is no reason to believe you know everything !!!!!! I chucked one out not so long ago,.....g'na look for it and check it out !!!
Thanks Tony.

Haans

[73type2]

If you don’t have the magnet there, could you put one that fits? That would do the job, I would think?

[Tony Z]

you do get magnetic drain plugs

[73type2]

Aha!

[AlanH]

Didn't know the stock strainer had a magnet, but have been adding magnets to drainplugs for years and also added one to my rebuilt engine that I got recently. Best to use are the strong neodymium magnets or ones out of an old hard drive. You don't want then to come loose and cause something else to fail.