[5150dhbiker]

Ok, so I was talking to somebody the other day that had a pretty cool powerstroke and he was telling me that instead of using a diesel addative he uses ATF to clean his injectors, etc. Anybody hear of this ?

I've been using small amounts of diesel addative in my truck (duramax) but am kind of sketched out about putting tranny fluid in the gas tank. Anybody on here have any opinions on if I should try it? According to him he also gets better milage as well :~

I'm leaving for Angel Fire on Wed. and gotta change the oil before I go and was thinking I might try some ATF in the tank for the trip as well and see how it fairs. Just looking for opinions from anyone who has/had a diesel and what they think.

 

[4xBoy]

This sounds like a really stupid idea.

 

[gonefirefightin]

that is the lamest thing I have ever hear of, that will actually burnish the piston heads and corode the valves.

dont listen to that kid.

been building diesel all my life and have never owned a gas truck. right now the best additive is this

it has a cetane additive as well so you will clean your injectors the right way. the only other option to clean injectors from the tank is kerosine (this is also what fuel companys add to the mixture for anti gelling)

 

[zdubyadubya]

that is the lamest thing I have ever hear of, that will actually burnish the piston heads and corode the valves.

dont listen to that kid.

been building diesel all my life and have never owned a gas truck. right now the best additive is this

it has a cetane additive as well so you will clean your injectors the right way. the only other option to clean injectors from the tank is kerosine (this is also what fuel companys add to the mixture for anti gelling)

QFT. Again and again and again. ATF in a fuel tank? Stupid.

 

[5150dhbiker]

QFT. Again and again and again. ATF in a fuel tank? Stupid.

See thats what I thought also but just checked out some disesl forums and people swear by it. My friends dad is a trucker and he does it also.

To me it sounds really strange, thats why I figured I'd ask on here also. I mean I could see how it could lubricate things kinda but really don't see how it could clean injectors, etc.

 

[5150dhbiker]

that is the lamest thing I have ever hear of, that will actually burnish the piston heads and corode the valves.

dont listen to that kid.

been building diesel all my life and have never owned a gas truck. right now the best additive is this

it has a cetane additive as well so you will clean your injectors the right way. the only other option to clean injectors from the tank is kerosine (this is also what fuel companys add to the mixture for anti gelling)

And thanks, thats actually the stuff that I use already.

 

[4xBoy]

Looks like ATF is cheaper then actual Diesel additive,......

 

[zdubyadubya]

See thats what I thought also but just checked out some disesl forums and people swear by it. My friends dad is a trucker and he does it also. .

heheheh.... lots of people do alot of things to try and get "performance" gains from diesel trucks. not all of them are intelligent or good for your truck. if you really want to improve fuel economy/power install a water/meth injection system. otherwise, just run the stuff gff recommended and you will be good to go.

on a side note... what year is your friend's powerstroke? your newer duramax will run into alot of problems with sensors if you run anything in the fuel system other than diesel #2; you could open up a whole slew of other problems by adding ATF to the injection system...

 

[5150dhbiker]

heheheh.... lots of people do alot of things to try and get "performance" gains from diesel trucks. not all of them are intelligent or good for your truck. if you really want to improve fuel economy/power install a water/meth injection system. otherwise, just run the stuff gff recommended and you will be good to go.

on a side note... what year is your friend's powerstroke? your newer duramax will run into alot of problems with sensors if you run anything in the fuel system other than diesel #2; you could open up a whole slew of other problems by adding ATF to the injection system...

Thanks.
I don't know exactly what year but it's the newer 6.0L.

Ya, I'll just stick with diesel and the right addatives I guess. I can't afford to fix it if it breaks, haha. I mean this oil change is going to be expensive enough!!

 

[4xBoy]

I can't afford to fix it if it breaks, haha.

Spoken like true American.

 

[zdubyadubya]

I don't know exactly what year but it's the newer 6.0L.

Hard to break an already broken motor.

 

[5150dhbiker]

Hard to break an already broken motor.

Hahahahaha very true!

 

[Pesqueeb]

Wait a minute, did I just read correctly that your taking diesel advice from a guy who owns a 6.0L powerstroke?

 

[5150dhbiker]

Wait a minute, did I just read correctly that your taking diesel advice from a guy who owns a 6.0L powerstroke?

Hahahaha, good point! Ya I was...my bad

 

[Pesqueeb]

Hahahaha, good point! Ya I was...my bad

Yikes. That’s the automotive equivalent of getting tattoo advice from the mooshoo.

 

[Westy]

You may also want to consider lye or fertilizer as a fuel additive.

 

[5150dhbiker]

You may also want to consider lye or fertilizer as a fuel additive.

Even better would be 100LL Avgas.

 

[lovebunny]

meth injection:
.

it does hit you harder that way.... oh, you're talking about trucks? haha my bad

 

[johnbryanpeters]

You may also want to consider lye or fertilizer as a fuel additive.

SAE 90 hypoid, 50% mix, for the ultimate redneck low and slow diesel engine orgasm.

 

[dan-o]

I don't run any additives in my dmax, but check on the powerservice. I think GM frowns upon it due to alcohol contents or something. Most dmax guys (at least those into wasting money on snake oil) use stanadyne.

 

[eric strt6]

I don't run any additives in my dmax, but check on the powerservice. I think GM frowns upon it due to alcohol contents or something. Most dmax guys (at least those into wasting money on snake oil) use .

Stanadyne: Its one of the few additives endorsed by the engine manufacturers.

 

[DirtyMike]

HA....... Sorry guys, but tranny fluid will not damage the engine, strangly enough, it actualyl does a good job at cleaning the injectors..... I have done rebuilds on teh engine of guys doing this, at 500k they were in the same condition as any other engine running the additives.......

Sadly, over running ANY fuel additive in ANY engine Gas or Deisel will have the same effect.... it will corrode the pistoons and valves........ so that part is in fact correct.... But the additives specified for this, if over used will do the exact same damage in a deisel engine as will tranny fluid....... To be specific, the type people use for injector cleaner would be the ford type F..... The dex3 or any other newer will in fact damage the motor quickly



On that note........ it is in fact also illeagal to add anything to your tank that is not qualified and/or approved by DOT.

Tranny fluid is also red..... it will make the rest of the fuel red as well....... meaning hope you dont happen to get checked should you do this.......... Your getting raped for using farm equipment fuel on the street......




Overall........ Unless your close to being in need........ just buy quality fuels to begin with, your quality fuels usually eliminate the need for any type of cleaning additive to your fuels, again gas or deisel

 

[alexrex20]

I would be able to take you more seriously if your post didn't look like a 7-year-old wrote it.

 

[gonefirefightin]

sorry mike, your wrong....

just as shimz and fork tuning are beaten like a dead horse on RM, so is this topic in the diesel forums I belong to.


Automatic transmission fluid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"ATF is sometimes added to the fuel tank of diesel engines to lubricate and clean internal fuel system components like injection pumps and injector nozzles. However the legality of this (both from an emissions and a fuel tax standpoint) is questionable, as are the benefits to the fuel system. There are a variety of tested and approved diesel fuel treatment products on the retail market to perform this cleaning process."


Diamond Diesel- Fuel FAQs

"10- CAN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF) BE ADDED TO THE DIESEL FUEL TO INCREASE LUBRICITY AND TO HELP CLEAN ENGINE DEPOSITS?
It is not a good practice and likely will cause far more problems than it could solve. Using ATF in this way is something of an "old truckers tale" and has been used on everything from Volkswagens to Class 8 trucks. Another erroneous strategy is to add old or new engine oil for lubricity. The problem with these "additives" is they are specifically designed to resist high temperatures and burning. As a result, if they are added to diesel fuel they leave behind ash, heavy metals, and other deposits that can easily cause costly damage to fuel injectors and other sensitive engine components. The best practice is to use quality diesel fuel additives like Stanadyne’s Performance Formula. They are designed to clean and lubricate engine components without leaving behind residues that can be hazardous to your engine’s health. The bottom line is, don’t add anything that is not specifically designed to be combusted in the engine."


Article

"A known practice especially amongst truckers is the adding of Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) to diesel fuel. According to tests performed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the International Standards Organization (ISO) the lubrication benefit from ATF is very slight. The effects and consequential damage that could result from the use of ATF in diesel fuel has not been determined. The addition of ATF in diesel fuel also changes the chemical make-up of the diesel fuel which could result in penalties for use of a NON-EPA approved fuel. ATF is not an additive and it's use could result in costly repairs and/or fines, a more proven and effective conditioner should be used when treating diesel fuel..... More on this to come in the next few months.."


Flash Off-Road Diesel Fuel Articles

"There is *no* advantage to adding motor oil, or transmission fluid to diesel fuel. Period.
There are disadvantages to doing this however, including damaged injector pumps (especially with turbo diesel electronic pumps), clogged filters, etc."

"Bottom line:
A wise owner will add nothing to the fuel tank that is not designed for the purpose. People who pour whatever they have at hand (motor oil, atf, gasoline additives (yes, some do!)) simply add to the profits that repair shops (such as mine) make. It is a big buck job to replace the injector pump, you dno't want to do it any more than necessary." plus the newer engines cant tolerate any other substance due to emissions controls

 

[5150dhbiker]

Now things are getting interesting!

 

[Brian HCM#1]

So what have we learned here children?

 

[jdcamb]

I am an expert on these kinds of things. Go for it.... I get feelings about these kinds of things. You're all good. My Dad (also an expert mind you...) says to put a little in at a time.

 

[Pesqueeb]

So what have we learned here children?

5150dhbiker needz moar shimz?

 

[ridiculous]

Ive heard of addding it to the oil but never to the fuel. Interesting.

 

[zdubyadubya]

So what have we learned here children?

always listen to gff? bewbz, diesel, life.... it doesn't matter.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

So what have we learned here children?

People who drive big-assed diesel powered pickups are as irrational as the rest of us.

 

[DirtyMike]

sorry mike, your wrong....

just as shimz and fork tuning are beaten like a dead horse on RM, so is this topic in the diesel forums I belong to.


Automatic transmission fluid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"ATF is sometimes added to the fuel tank of diesel engines to lubricate and clean internal fuel system components like injection pumps and injector nozzles. However the legality of this (both from an emissions and a fuel tax standpoint) is questionable, as are the benefits to the fuel system. There are a variety of tested and approved diesel fuel treatment products on the retail market to perform this cleaning process."


Diamond Diesel- Fuel FAQs

"10- CAN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF) BE ADDED TO THE DIESEL FUEL TO INCREASE LUBRICITY AND TO HELP CLEAN ENGINE DEPOSITS?
It is not a good practice and likely will cause far more problems than it could solve. Using ATF in this way is something of an "old truckers tale" and has been used on everything from Volkswagens to Class 8 trucks. Another erroneous strategy is to add old or new engine oil for lubricity. The problem with these "additives" is they are specifically designed to resist high temperatures and burning. As a result, if they are added to diesel fuel they leave behind ash, heavy metals, and other deposits that can easily cause costly damage to fuel injectors and other sensitive engine components. The best practice is to use quality diesel fuel additives like Stanadyne’s Performance Formula. They are designed to clean and lubricate engine components without leaving behind residues that can be hazardous to your engine’s health. The bottom line is, don’t add anything that is not specifically designed to be combusted in the engine."


Article

"A known practice especially amongst truckers is the adding of Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) to diesel fuel. According to tests performed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the International Standards Organization (ISO) the lubrication benefit from ATF is very slight. The effects and consequential damage that could result from the use of ATF in diesel fuel has not been determined. The addition of ATF in diesel fuel also changes the chemical make-up of the diesel fuel which could result in penalties for use of a NON-EPA approved fuel. ATF is not an additive and it's use could result in costly repairs and/or fines, a more proven and effective conditioner should be used when treating diesel fuel..... More on this to come in the next few months.."


Flash Off-Road Diesel Fuel Articles

"There is *no* advantage to adding motor oil, or transmission fluid to diesel fuel. Period.
There are disadvantages to doing this however, including damaged injector pumps (especially with turbo diesel electronic pumps), clogged filters, etc."

"Bottom line:
A wise owner will add nothing to the fuel tank that is not designed for the purpose. People who pour whatever they have at hand (motor oil, atf, gasoline additives (yes, some do!)) simply add to the profits that repair shops (such as mine) make. It is a big buck job to replace the injector pump, you dno't want to do it any more than necessary." plus the newer engines cant tolerate any other substance due to emissions controls

This is all legit info........ I tired to be carefull in how I listed what I was saying..... tried to be specific..... I underlined two things here that are extremly valid

Its not a good practice.... thats not what it is intended for

you should only use products intended for this purpose



I was however very specific as to if you were to do this... which type.... that is the type F. Almost every other fluid out there will do damage right away...... Still I dont suggest using it, overal its still a bad idea.....

I wasnt trying to disclaim anything you were saying, everything you said was very valid and you do more than know your way around a deisel motor. Just adding a little bit is all.



I also stand firmly that overusing proper additives can be just as bad, and if your needing to use those additives too often, you need to buy better quality fuel

 

[gonefirefightin]

and if your needing to use those additives too often, you need to buy better quality fuel

or spend about 1500 bucks on intake, exhaust, downpipe DPFdelete and tuner

always listen to gff? bewbz, diesel, life.... it doesn't matter.

if only women would adhere to this

 

[gonefirefightin]

People who drive big-assed diesel powered pickups are as irrational as the rest of us.

at least I have something to tow and arent a pavement pounder

 

[5150dhbiker]

or spend about 1500 bucks on intake, exhaust, downpipe DPFdelete and tuner

As soon as I get back from racing in Angel Fire I'm having a local shop do a 4" full exhaust. I already have an AIRAID intake and saving for a tuner

 

[zdubyadubya]

As soon as I get back from racing in Angel Fire I'm having a local shop do a 4" full exhaust. I already have an AIRAID intake and saving for a tuner

you will be amazed at how your truck comes alive with a good tuner. DMAXs especially love em for some reason. makes you wonder "why the hell doesn't it come from the factory like this?"

 

[IH8Rice]

makes you wonder "why the hell doesn't it come from the factory like this?"

the list is endless...
safety
pollution
zero need for it for the average consumer
longevity of engine
fuel consumption

 

[Sonic Reducer]

atf has detergents in it, I have heard of people putting a quart of it in the engine oil shortly before a change to do some cleaning. But don't some types of atf have friction modifiers in them? seems like those might be kind of hard on an injection pump. for what injection pumps and injectors cost I can't see the cost savings of adding it to your fuel being worth the risk.

I talked to a guy with an older 7.3 IDI ford F350 and he says he runs 2 gallons of waste motor oil per tank. I think as long as you thin it out with regular diesel enough, wmo and watf are fine in an older mechanical IP diesel. would i run it through my TDI? hell no.

 

[zdubyadubya]

the list is endless...
safety
pollution
zero need for it for the average consumer
longevity of engine
fuel consumption

sorry... my ability to be snide must be broken today. I know WHY the factory doesn't do it... I just meant the difference is such that you will wish you had done it sooner or .... nevermind.... basically the truck is nicer once you do it. that plus a DPF delete and regen delete (if your has it????) and your engine will thank you.

 

[profro]

"why the hell doesn't it come from the factory like this?"

Because the factory has different priorities and restrictions.

I have a 2000 PSD with 236k miles on it BONE STOCK. I have never had a lick of problems. Especialli those brought on by tuners, turbo tweeks, and intake and exhaust mods. I want the thing to last forever, it makes more torque and power than I need on a daily basis. All the rest of that dick measuring just f's up a great thing.