ATF mixed in your Diesel fuel

Freybird · Freybird's Garage

Does anyone mix Automatic Tranny Fluid in a freshly filled tank of diesel fuel?

I'd read that this helps to keep the injectors and other fuel delivery parts clean.
If you do practice this, how much (parts of the quart bottle added to Xgallons) and what type of ATF do you use?

Zero10 · 10-17-2006, 11:06 AM

Don't do it.
ATF is NOT ashless, and it will lead to increased piston deposits and possible other side effects down the road, like injector clogging.
If you want to keep your fuel system clean then use a can of lubro moly diesel purge every year or every fuel filter change. You run the engine on straight diesel purge until the can is empty and it has been reported on TDIClub to do some really good things for injectors.

As an every day additive I usually use either ashless 2-stroke oil, power service or stanadyne. All 3 will grealy increase the lubricity of the fuel
Or, the old mercedes diesels take very well to alternative fuels. You could run any blend of biodiesel and it will only do good things.

cashflyer · 11:17 AM

http://flashoffroad.com/Diesel/DieselFuel/about_diesel_fuel.htm

Why not something like this:

Mix is 1oz to 5 gals, so a $5 bottle treats 80 gallons of diesel.
I think that would be cheaper and better than pouring ATF into your tank.

(the bottle image is clickable for more info)

legion · 10-17-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zero10
Or, the old mercedes diesels take very well to alternative fuels. You could run any blend of biodiesel and it will only do good things.

Yep. I saw my old 300D around town the other day. Apparently ADM bought it and is now parading it around as a soy biodiesel poster child.

notfarnow · 10-17-2006, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zero10
If you want to keep your fuel system clean then use a can of lubro moly diesel purge every year or every fuel filter change. You run the engine on straight diesel purge until the can is empty and it has been reported on TDIClub to do some really good things for injectors.

LubroMoly diesel purge is great stuff! I use it once a year to clean my injectors, as preventative maintenance.

I've also used it to "revive" diesels that have sat for a long time, or that have clogged injectors from bad fuel. It really is remarkable stuff... well worth the money.

Freybird · Freybird's Garage

Thanks guys! I've seen LubroMoly in autoparts stores but had never purchased. I'll look for the AMSoil additive next time as well.
Not ashless huh........now I'm questioning my source, Thanks!

cashflyer · 10-17-2006, 12:02 PM

Amsoil products are not usually found in retail stores (a few stores, but not many). Amsoil uses a network of dealers and direct sales. You can also order from many websites.

TimT · 10-17-2006, 12:22 PM

+1 for Stanadyne, Diesel Kleen is another good adjunct. Take note of what the big rig drivers use next tiome your at a TA or big name truckstop.

VINMAN · 10-17-2006, 07:03 PM

I mix 8 oz of Power Service additive and 4 oz of Marvel Mystery oil and dump it in every fill up. Cummins diesels are know to eat up the lift pumps. This mix definately helps lube the pump and injectors.
Standyne is great also.

M.D. Holloway · 10-17-2006, 07:45 PM

Really not a good idea to do. Put a little biodiesel in and the you will see an improvement in lubricity. The new ULSD fuel is low in sulfur and aromatics. Taking out the sulfur removes the lubricity and reducing the aromatics reduces solventcy which will allow fo more desposit build-up.

Zero10 · 10-17-2006, 09:07 PM

The sulfur actually has nothing to do with the lubricity, it is simply that the process by which they remove the sulfur also destroys the lubricative ability of the diesel fuel.
So the 2 are physically unrelated while procedurally connected, or something like that.....

MMO is not ashless wither, so I would advise against using it. There are some interesting wear test results over on TDIClub, showing that normal treatment with (IIRC) stanadyne is more than enough to bring the lubricity of ULSD up to above acceptable levels.
The lubricity of a fuel is determined by the four ball wear test. The wider the wear scar the lower the lubricity. Bosch advises that the wear scars should be no larger than 400 microns. ULSD must have scars of between 450 and 550 microns. So, by the standards, ULSD is not sufficient for bosch (and many other) injection pumps. Once treated with stanadyne the numbers were down in the 230-330 micron range.
Strange, a product designed for the job did it