ATF Type F in the tank

[AHire]

I was told to start using ATF Type F in every tank for lubrication. 1 Quart to a tank. Whats the difference in ATF types? Any body know anything about this? Why Type F?

 

[Diesel Nut]

Type F for Fuel! :-laf





Just kidding. Don't do that. Use a high quality fuel additive for lubricity from a reputable manufacturer. That way you don't have to ask if its ok and wonder if the guys saying yes know what it will do to your injectors or fuel system.



Good ones are -

Amsoil (of course)

Standyne

Power Service



Amsoil just released their new line of fuel additives designed around the ULSD we have all been dreading. I am waiting for my firs few cases to show up so I can start using it.

 

[NoSeeUm]

Is it red in color? If so might not be a great idea.



Jim

 

[chrleb1]

Transmission fluid has friction modifiers in it. It is not a good idea to toss that in (especially with a vp-44). If anything, add motor oil or something of that sort.

 

[JLEONARD]

ATF in general is not a good lubricant.

 

[kentdiesel]

I suggest running Biodiesel if its available in your area. B5 would provide added lubrication over pure diesel fuel and B20 would be even better.

Kent

 

[Mhannink]

well first off atf has no lube properties it is very dry but it does clean extremly well. it can be used in our trucks but i would never use type f. reason being its meant for older ford c6 and c4 trannies. these trannys had no clutches only steels the ''clutch'' was in the atf. it is very grity and grainy and would tear up your pump and injectors. basically imagine putting sand in your tank.

 

[2-ND TIME]

ATF in fuel tank

There was an article in one of the TDR issues some time ago thought that said it wasn't recommended??? In one of the there was an mention of someone who filled the fuel filter up with ATf when he changed the filter. Think it said it was hard on the catalitic converter as well? I put in 2 cycle oil in the winter sometimes.

 

[MPlunkett]

When I change my fuel filter, I fill the canister with ATF. A cummins mechanic told me it had a detergent type effect and cleaned out the system... ... . I always figured it to be gospel coming from a pro diesel mechanic... ... Is this a bad practice?.....

 

[Joe G.]

When I change my fuel filter, I fill the canister with ATF. A cummins mechanic told me it had a detergent type effect and cleaned out the system... ... . I always figured it to be gospel coming from a pro diesel mechanic... ... Is this a bad practice?.....

It's a horrible practice!!! Especially with a fuel lubed injection pump. Better to use nothing than ATF of any kind.

 

[mhenon]

When I change my fuel filter, I fill the canister with ATF. A cummins mechanic told me it had a detergent type effect and cleaned out the system... ... . I always figured it to be gospel coming from a pro diesel mechanic... ... Is this a bad practice?.....

YIKES! I'm sure it has a cleansing effect. . but so does Lava soap. Can't imagine what a large gulp of that stuff is doing to your injector pump.

Mike

 

[dpuckett]

You sure the "pro" mechanic wasnt trying to gain more business? I figure if motor oil, ATF, 2-stroke oil, et al, were good for the fuel system, it'd be recommended by manufacturers. I only use additives designed to be put in diesel fuel. I can buy a lot of Howe's, Stanadyne, or whatever, for the cost of a new fuel system.



Daniel

 

[Hammer]

Sometime they have a fuel check and dip your tank while your adding ANYTHING except over the counter approved additives and you will wish you didn't listen to the urban legend fuel additive stories.



I'll have to agree with Diesel Nut,use a approved over the counter additive for this. There are so many good ones out there and one has to fit your needs and climate. Personally,I prefer Amsoil and Lucas Oil additives the best..... Andy

 

[Aaron_A]

If the trans fluid isnt bad enuff its type F. Type F is very high in silicates,and silacates = sand,and sand in the fuel system =

 

[Diesel Nut]

I can't stress it enough - DON'T use home grown fixes. Use what is proven and reliable.

 

[d90boy]

ATF also forms a varnish on the injectors when it burns, bad idea. Motor oil wouldn't be as bad but there's no reason not to use real fuel additive. Cummins has/had a system on the OTR trucks that would drain some of the engine oil to the fuel tank and replace with new oil from a tank. This would extend the drain interval and the engine would just burn the used oil.

 

[GLASMITHS]

Purchase some cheap 2cycle oil or at least motor oil. Cummins in the past has said that you can use up to 5% without problems. Also read the below from Cummins/Fleetguard.



Diesel fuel/lube additive reactions can lead to engine filter plugging problems

Diesel Fuel News, Nov 10, 2003 by Jack Peckham





Pittsburgh -- Cummins and its Fleetguard filter division discovered that a dimer-acid fuel additive used to inhibit corrosion in pipelines can react with typical calcium sulfonate lube detergent additive to form a carboxylic acid salt that plugs fuel filters.



Filter plugging can be very costly to fleets, since it can shut down a truck on the road for many hours. Depending upon driver labor contracts, filter changes may require a special mechanic road-service call, adding hundreds of dollars to fleet costs (beyond the costs of delayed shipments).



If there's a silver lining to this cloud, then it may be that it provides a valuable early warning to refiners, pipelines, terminals and fuel distributors to be careful about choosing additives for current and future diesel fuels, as Cummins consultant Dave Stehouwer explained in a paper to Society of Automotive Engineers powertrain conference here (SAE 2003-01-3139).



The dimer-acid additive problem "may have been an over-treat rate" on a particular pipeline, but such problems could be avoided with smarter additive choices.





On-board used-lube recycling schemes such as "Centinel" dribble a little bit of oil into fuel (<0. 5%) and generally this lube addition improves fuel injector equipment (FIE) lubricity and gives longer fuel-filter life, he said. However, fuels containing dimer acid can react with lube additives in "Centinel" equipped engines, causing filter plugging, Cummins discovered.



--Much Faster Plugging Rate



In one such fleet, filters were plugging every 5,000 miles rather than the typical 25,000 to 30,000 miles filter replacement cycle, he said.



Even engines without oil-recycling systems are at risk.



"As we get closer to ultra-low sulfur diesel, we should remember history," Stehouwer pointed out here, citing the likely boost in lubricity additization. "It's not always possible to keep lubes and fuel separate," especially with the very-high-pressure common rail FIE that's increasingly penetrating the diesel market.



Fortunately, several fuel lubricity additives not employing dimer-acid are available, including ester and mono-acid types (see related story, p6). Dispersant additives also can improve filter life, Cummins found.



Engines with both fuel and oil-lubricated pumps can suffer filter-plugging problems, he said. Fuel-lubricated pumps could rely upon a lubricity additive that--if not carefully selected--could cause fuel/lube additive interaction problems.



Reducing the level of sulfated ash in future lube oils also could reduce the rate of plugging caused by acid/base interactions, he added.