Question abut atf in fuel filter clean up?

[larson]

I have never done this but I dont see why not with the miles I do have on this truck and ATF fluid I have in the garage. After I let it idle for 10 min and sit over night am I good to start her up and go in the morning? What's to be expected on how it will run until the ATF gets burned off? Sorry guys I'm just a little paranoid and dont want to be stuck without wheels to get to work. If its something I should do on a Friday and mess with it Saturday morning please advise me otherwise.
For the long time forum members yes I did attempt a search but gave up after 5 pages of auto tranny post's
Thanks for any help or advice I know I have been asking newbie questions out the ass but this is the only place I can get straight answers from.

 

[79jasper]

Fill the filter with the atf, let it run for a bit (20 seconds? Someone will have to confirm) then shut it down. In the morning should be good to go.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Clb]

Just fire it up and listen for the sound at idle to change( faintly) its not a big change, then kill it!
She will run fine with atf ...before and after, so don't sweat getting to work.

 

[gandalf]

Both answers above are correct. Fill your fuel filter with ATF, as full as possible so as to avoid introducing air into the system. Put the fuel filter back on the engine as it normally is. Start the engine, let it run 20-30, maybe as much as 40 seconds, until you hear just a slight change in the sound of the engine, then shut it down for the night and let it sit with the ATF in the IP and the injectors. Next morning start it up and drive it hard, like you stole it. You should have no trouble getting to work.

ATF will burn every bit as well as diesel. You could run a whole tank of it if you wanted.

When you fill the fuel filter, pour the ATF into the outer ring of holes. That way it will actually be filtered by that filter before it goes on to the IP. The normal route for the diesel is into the filter through those outer holes, and out of the filter through the center hole.

We're not paranoid or anything. We just don't know what the ATF company may have done, and we want to put that filter to the best use possible.

 

[larson]

Thanks a bunch guys id buy yall a beer if I was near. I did what you guys said exactly. Fired it up it idled rough for a few seconds prolly air in lines then it smoothed out but sounded a hair different and I counted off 45 seconds and killed it.

 

[PwrSmoke]

The ATF thing is a total waste of time. I know a lot about the formulation of ATF and there is very little detergency in it because AT are a closed system and don't need it (like an engine which has to deal with combustion byproducts). Some ATFs have esters with some detergency qualities but all indications are that this ATF "cleaning" is a feel-good thing for the driver that does nothing for the truck. Before I got interested, I saw that this this was tested scientifically a few years back but I didn't take note of where. All I remember about it is that diesel fuel had about the same detergency as ATF (I often use it as solvent). The thing I don't remember is about the esters. They can be powerful cleaners but are relatively new and this possible "old man's tale" (I'll say possible for now) goes back a long way. I've never seen anything but anecdotes and very subjective observations about how it works. When I have specific knowledge or scientific test information, I usually discount the anecdotes and subjectivity.

The other thing about ATF is that it isn't designed to be combusted, which means it will leave deposits in the combustion chamber and the top ring. If it's a synthetic ATF, it may not combust at all. Some time back, there were people cutting their diesel with waste oil. The non-sun oil burned fine but the Group IV and V synthetics didn't until the engine was roasting hot. When cool, it the trucks were spitting liquid oil out the tailpipe.

In the short term, the ATF does no harm but, IMO, it probably does no good either (I hold back a full proclamation on the ester thing a little, but not all ATFs have them). Certainly a good diesel fuel additive is a better choice if you think the system needs cleaning.

 

[Agnem]

Larson, if you are not having a problem per sey, then the best thing to use is a quality additive like Howes Diesel Treat or Stanadyne Performance Forumula. Use it regularly, and thoughts of using ATF will never been needed.

Also, please note that the previous advise should always be done with a NEW fuel filter. Don't just unscrew the one on your truck, dump it out, and use it over. That is a very BAD idea!

 

[PwrSmoke]

Glad you chimed in here Mel!

A question for you: What in a diesel fuel system needs "cleaning" that a mild detergent like ATF will take off anyway. I can see solid contaminants getting caught in the system but the people I have talked to who are obsessed with cleaning out their fuel system seem to think there is a nasty sludge-like material like in an engine. I've never seen anything like that in a diesel injection system but I have seen only a fraction of the innards of pumps and such that you have, so tell us.

 

[riotwarrior]

Yes Mel, please do tell us what is what.

I have not been a fan of the fill atf in filter and run because of two issues.

One ATF as stated is generally a NON detergent specialized hydraulic type fluid.

Two filling a new filter then screwing it on run 45 seconds...already diluted with incoming diesel...

Unless you do a full closed loop setup as I have demonstrated with liqua molly diesel purge you cannot clean out the system per se' all you do is fill a mixture of diesel and atf in your pump and injectors.

Closed loop is the onky way and even then you will have moderate dilution because of what fuel is in the IP injector and return lines.

I was able to hear a difference when I did my purge however 3 cans took near 1/2 an hour to burn through....

 

[Clb]

Jim whats your take on the seafoam product?
I've used it in the air system (smog) on my 83 toyota ....seemed to help its idle quality?!
I use diesel treatment last time as a primer on the 93,did not note any difference .
Of course the truck only has 39k on it.
Just curious.
Thanx for your input.

 

[PwrSmoke]

Seafoam seems to be a good cleaner but, as with anything, it only does some good when there some good that needs doing.

Therein lies my skepticism of the whole diesel fuel system cleaning thing. How do they get "dirty" beyond particulate contamination and possibly algae? How does "cleaning" them help? If cleaning is necessary, I would go for something designed to do it and not something relatively wimpy like ATF (noting the downsides I listed above). Over the years, I've tried prophylactically tried a lot of fuel system cleaning products and never noted a difference. Maybe my system was already clean. When I did my engine in '09, I personally tested the injectors (replaced 10 years previously) and they were absolutely perfect. I had the pump done at the same time and while I had the OE injectors tested and they were still within limits, I replaced them anyway because I got a deal.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

im a big believer in ATF cleaning.iv had cases (only twice now since '09) when the truck would stall on deceleration.
the second time it happened was horrible.it kept stalling out just going down the road whenever id let off the skinny fully.
i pulled in to store after store and poured in 3 or 4 different fuel additives (whole bottles) and nothing would cure it.i knew personally ATF worked because i did this the first time.so i finally got home after continually stalling for about 20 miles and i poured in 4 quarts of ATF.i let the electric fuel pump run for a min and i took off down the road.inside 30 seconds (well ok.probably a couple mins lol.by the time i went around a 2 mile loop,the engine was right as rain) with the gallon of ATF in the system,i couldn't force the truck to stall.it was just like back to new again and has been since.
now every time i remove my dura lift pump bowl to clean and empty the screen.you know what i fill it with......mercon.

 

[ToughOldFord]

Yeah, there's numerous posts in these forums from folks that have had success with the ATF trick. And not just people thinking it made a difference, but a real difference. How many newbies show up with stalling engines and have the ATF method recommended to them and reported success with a lot of thanks? It's actually pretty common.
So it's not just an old wives tale, it does work.

 

[fsmyth]

Well, old wives or no - I will continue to add a quart every fillup.
Got in the habit after I got a Cummins with a VP44.
Figure that if it's good enough for my chain saw and my dirt bike,
it's good enough for me I only use ashless.
It certainly hasn't CAUSED any problems, AFAIK.

 

[PwrSmoke]

You guys are demonstrating perfect examples of unsupported anecdotes. You don't know what the original problem was. You don't know how, why or if it was the ATF that cured it. But you are willing die on that anecdotal hill. Not saying that to provoke or anger you, just to encourage you to step outside the box you are in on that particular topic.

ssmyth are you saying you use ATF in chainsaws instead of two-stroke oil, or are you saying you add two stroke oil to your fuel? If the former, I pity your chainsaws. If the latter, that big Spicer lubricity test in the mid-2000s proved ashless two-stoke oil was a great lubricity enhancer for diesel fuel, better than some special additives sold for the purpose. Way, way (did I say WAY) better than ATF, which has very little effect on fuel lubricity. Pitifully so, in fact. Google "Spicer lubricity test" or something similar and you will see the ratings.