Furry oil pan magnets, excessive?

[spannerrash]

I had planned to take my car up to Mackie's for a gearbox service including lower front valve body replace. I am self employed and my work is pretty quite this next week so I decided to do the work myself.

I have done gearbox services on this type of gearbox, 5hp19 and 5hp24 three times in the past without any issues but I have never seen magnets with this much debris on them before.

I changed the oil and filter in this gearbox only 2 years ago and have only covered 2000 mls in that time. The magnets were obviously cleaned when I did this work.

The gearbox has no issues and no codes. The work I am doing is purely as preventative maintenance. Well, that was until I saw the magnets.

This debris has built up over only 2 years and 2000 mls. I was also surprised at how dark the oil looks.

Car has only done 88000mls. Is she getting ready to test my commitment with a gearbox refurb on the horizon?

Any opinions much appreciated.

[spannerrash]

Tore the filter apart and visual looks pretty clean. Could see only a few bits of clutch material. Ran a magnet over it and it looks like a different story.

Only 2 years and 2000 mls since last change.

[Delboy]

Looks like the pin has been pulled on that grenade.

Can't be a good sign I'm afraid.

[spannerrash]

I'm actually hoping that I'm panicking over nothing. Whilst the magnets look pretty dramatic, when I run them between my finge and thumb it just turns to a black greasy substance. Now that I know is much more normal.

Cars gone back together. New front lower valve body, new filter, new sump pan and new oil. I'll let you know how it goes.

[MikkiJayne]

Looks like your gearbox is making ferrofluid

Does it make any unusual noises? If the o-ring is missing from the filter the oil pump can cavitate as it sucks air on acceleration or corners. Cavitation can then send metal fragments around the system which end up on the magnets.

[spannerrash]

Haven't heard any strange noises. As far as I was concerned this was a routine service with a new valve body added. Nothing at all to indicate any problems.

I realise this is going to be controversial but I have shortened the pick up tube on the oil filter by 4mm. It sits awful close to the bottom of the pan.

I'll let you all know if this causes any problems or noises.

I've ordered 21ltrs of transmission fluid so that I can repeat the drain and fill prcess a few times. It seems really wasteful but is the only means I have of changing as much fluid as possible.