ATF as fuel...Diesel Power Magazine

[Marv]

Just wondering if anyone else caught this article in Diesel Power Mag a while back. I know there has been a lot of discussion on Powerstroke.org about using ATF as fuel, but I haven't seen much on here.

Here's the article:

http://www.dieselpowermag.com/tech/f...uel/index.html

I have to admit, he's got a clean little setup going on how he collects the fluid.

Still not sold on using used ATF as fuel though.

[powerstroke73L]

I have to admit, he's got a clean little setup going on how he collects the fluid.

IF I was going to do it I'd only run WMO or ATF in a two tank system. My guess is that a lot of the horror stories you hear over on www.thedieselstop.com have less to do with crud in the oil and more to do with injector coking. This guy says he uses 10% diesel and 90% ATF. I'd hate to see what that mixture looks like on a 15 degree morning here in NJ! Of course, this guy could live in Southern California for all we know.

[Clay]

i run a quart of ATF in a tank of diesel from time to time to clean the injectors...ATF is full of detergents.

[Marv]

That'd be clean ATF though, right Clay?

I'd think used ATF wouldn't be nearly as effective.

[powerstroke73L]

i run a quart of ATF in a tank of diesel from time to time to clean the injectors...ATF is full of detergents.

That I could definitely see-30 gallons on the other hand?

[Clay]

That'd be clean ATF though, right Clay?

I'd think used ATF wouldn't be nearly as effective.

yes, new ATF

[greasyX]

Cancer causing car

Glad I don't live in Cali,burning ATF as fuel has been proven to cause cancer there................Great idea but it isn't real healthy for the guy behind him at the stop light,three fold the dirty emissions that is in diesel..............

[Tampa450]

There are a lot of reasons to NOT run ATF in your Powerstroke.

- The emmissions are off the chart...like greasy said.

- Lots of ATF has alcohol - which is no good

- It's red......red is no good in the OEM tank....

- Its not made to burn clean like fuel or 2 stroke oil... (ever notice good 2 stroke oils says "ashless") ATF does have detergents in it, and it cleans things up nicely, in a five gallon bucket or parts cleaner or something. But it does not burn claenly at all.....

- Adding ATF in a diesel is "old school" ... more like "outdated" IMO The ATF and diesel motors that we have now are nothing like the ATF and diesel motors 10-20 yrs ago.....when adding ATF was the "thing to do"

Ive seem WMO and WVO mix together into something real nasty.... ATF might not mix with WVO that great either....but I dont know.

I used to run a quart of Supertech Ashless 2 stroke oil when Id fill up the OEM tank in the past. (cost was about $2.50)

I stopped doing that when I started using the vegistroke though.

Only thing Ill add to my OEM tank now is a few certian diesel additives.

[h2odrx]

Ive seem WMO and WVO mix together into something real nasty.... ATF might not mix with WVO that great either....but I dont know.

I did a 3 day test with the WVO, WMO and ATF, like a 50/50 mix I'll see if I can pull up the pictures?

[tanya]

And what about the metal that might be in that ATF from wear in a transmission?

Tanya

[greasyX]

Tanya, let me tell ya I own a centrifuge capable of filtering to 1/10th of a micron,and I have turned down hundreds,if not a thousand gallons of ATF.An associate of mine owns a transmission shop in South Boston Mass.He had 275 gallons waiting for me,but after reading of the effects of Aluminum or brass injected into my motor at over 12,000 PSI I declined the offer.You see It would be like sand blasting your combustion chamber with your injectors,if just some minute piece of metal made it past you filtering devices.This could in turn cost you alot of blood,sweat and beers to replace that motor,financially,or physically($8k-12k).If one must burn other than WVO,or Diesel,lend me your ear.I used to captain barges in FLA(Seawall Construction),and I learned of a bounty of "good waste oil".Any ship that requires ballast,that goes from sea water to frash,or even brackish water,by Law MUST use OIL for ballast.This must also be replaced Annually or by hours of service (oil viscosity will alter after time,this is the main reason we change our oil so much).Contact a Marina in your area and inquire as to what they do with there ballast oil,then treat as a regular customer or source.Since this oil is never "used" in a motor or machinery,you only quam would be a little water settlingHopes this helps you all expand your alternative fuel lifestyles.....greasy

[skyskijason]

There are a lot of reasons to NOT run ATF in your Powerstroke.

- The emmissions are off the chart...like greasy said.

- Lots of ATF has alcohol - which is no good

- It's red......red is no good in the OEM tank....

- Its not made to burn clean like fuel or 2 stroke oil... (ever notice good 2 stroke oils says "ashless") ATF does have detergents in it, and it cleans things up nicely, in a five gallon bucket or parts cleaner or something. But it does not burn claenly at all.....

- Adding ATF in a diesel is "old school" ... more like "outdated" IMO The ATF and diesel motors that we have now are nothing like the ATF and diesel motors 10-20 yrs ago.....when adding ATF was the "thing to do"

Ive seem WMO and WVO mix together into something real nasty.... ATF might not mix with WVO that great either....but I dont know.

I used to run a quart of Supertech Ashless 2 stroke oil when Id fill up the OEM tank in the past. (cost was about $2.50)

I stopped doing that when I started using the vegistroke though.

Only thing Ill add to my OEM tank now is a few certian diesel additives.

AMEN! Well put. I used to post like this over at TDS and others and was always pounced on by the guys who support WMO, etc as a fuel. I find it hilarious how offended these guys get who are just wicked proud they have successfully driven their trucks a few 1000 miles on crap-fuel. Hey, these engines are pretty tough and that just proves it - but nobody credible ever comes back and says '100k miles on WMO and no problems'. Sadly, just as few come back and post pictures of the carnage either.

I just saw a 24v Cummins torn down the other day. Dealer replacing due to 2-3 cylinders w/no compression and 'strange' wear on cylinder walls. Obviously this guy ain't confessing, but there were of a bunch of ingenious rednecks around here burning WMO, ATF, hydraulic oil, etc when diesel was so high. (They were also stealing my WVO!)

It seems very irresponsible of the magazine to me. True story - a friend of ours in VO industry got a call from Oprah show folks looking for someone who was using WVO to save money during 'these tough times'. He gave them my number and explained I had just purchased a 2nd vehicle to run on VO so my wife could 'afford' to commute 100 miles/day to college. After several high energy phone calls and wifey trying to get ready for an interview a few days later - they called and said legal shot the story down because VO is not 'recognized by EPA as a motor fuel'. On that episode, they ended up interviewing extreme coupon cutters, etc...