An idea for ATF flush.

Selahdoor

How can I help you, or make you laugh, today?
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Posts
2,253
Reaction score
2,004
Location
Index Wa
Here's an idea I am batting around for an ATF flush of my IP, lines, and injectors...

Get a gallon bottle of ATF.

Set a line down into that bottle.

Use an electric fuel pump, to connect it to your system.

Disconnect, or shut off the regular fuel system.

Now, run that until the bottle is about half empty.

Turn off the engine. Let it sit overnight, or a couple nights.

Now run it again, until the gallon bottle is almost empty. Turn it off, return everything to the normal setup. Dump what's left into the fuel tank.


I'm thinking that should provide a better cleanup of the system, than just filling the fuel filter.

Yeah, kind of expensive for "a gallon of fuel"... But not so expensive when you consider the benefits...
 

Selahdoor

How can I help you, or make you laugh, today?
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Posts
2,253
Reaction score
2,004
Location
Index Wa
In fact...

Yall know my dual setup with the electric and manual pumps in parallel, and with check valves.

Well, now I am considering altering that setup a bit. Or at least the feed to that setup.

Seems like it wouldn't be that difficult to set up two feed lines. One, being the original. And the other being a line that sits idle, except when being used to feed from a gallon of ATF.

I'd need another WYE. (Wish I had bought the pack of 5, now. LOL) And a shutoff for each feed line.

I don't think it will be that difficult. But it WILL be a while before I try it. Waiting again, for parts is the least of what will push this out in the lineup. LOL

Also probably add another two check valves. To make the system even more failure proof.


Yeah, starting to get complicated. I think when I do this, I'l have to try to simplify the setup and arrangement as much as possible.
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,235
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
How often are you going to be doing this? Unless you're planning on doing the "ATF flush" fairly often, then it sounds like a complicated mess with A LOT more potential spots for air intrusion to me. It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to shut off your electric pump, hook a line up to your mechanical pump (temporarily) for the flush, then hook the factory line back up the mechanical pump when you're done. Of course you'll turn the electric pump back on afterward too.
 

Selahdoor

How can I help you, or make you laugh, today?
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Posts
2,253
Reaction score
2,004
Location
Index Wa
How often are you going to be doing this? Unless you're planning on doing the "ATF flush" fairly often, then it sounds like a complicated mess with A LOT more potential spots for air intrusion to me. It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to shut off your electric pump, hook a line up to your mechanical pump (temporarily) for the flush, then hook the factory line back up the mechanical pump when you're done. Of course you'll turn the electric pump back on afterward too.
True.

I'm going to give my own system more thought.

From what little I know by now about our systems, it seems to me like a good idea to do an ATF flush like that once or twice a year. A pound of prevention and all...

But you are right about the possibility of introducing air leaks.

Hmm. Let me think about this.

Has to be a simpler way to introduce an ATF flush, in the system I already have.
 

IDIBRONCO

IDIBRONCO
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
12,235
Reaction score
10,925
Location
edmond, ks
From what little I know by now about our systems, it seems to me like a good idea to do an ATF flush like that once or twice a year. A pound of prevention and all...
That's why I prefer to use Hot Shot's Diesel Extreme. Dump it in the tank and you're good to go. I like simple things. Could that be why I'm not married?:angel:
 

Kevin 007

Full-floater
Joined
Mar 14, 2011
Posts
1,949
Reaction score
231
Location
Nelson BC Canada
That would be a good method for a situation like resurrecting a truck that has been sitting a while, with a gummed up pump/metering valve. Gives it an extreme does of whatever you are running as a purge, then switch back to your main fuel system. I don't think I would do it as a part of maintenance, but would when something has been sitting forever
 

lotzagoodstuff

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 19, 2007
Posts
2,726
Reaction score
668
Location
Carmel, IN
As a keep it simple alternative:

  1. Buy not one but two gallons of ATF.
  2. Pick a fuel tank, call that tank "flush fuel tank" and run the flush tank until it's close to empty, as in sputter/coughing a little.
  3. Switch tanks to the "non-flush fuel tank", assumed to be full of diesel.
  4. Pull over and dump two gallons of ATF into the flush fuel tank.
  5. Switch tanks while driving to the flush fuel tank.
  6. Drive 15 miles and shut it off to sit overnight.
  7. Start it after your chosen duration of soak.
  8. Drive until it sputters/coughs and switch to non-flush tank again.
Repeat as often as you like. The only additional cost you have is an extra gallon of ATF, which is offset by the elimination of hardware that you didn't have to buy. Time is also saved, but the value of that time can vary from human to human :)

Good luck whatever path you choose :cheers:
 

Selahdoor

How can I help you, or make you laugh, today?
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Posts
2,253
Reaction score
2,004
Location
Index Wa
Much more gooder idea!

Unfortunately, I am running on only one tank.

It'll cost me a lot more than just a few pieces of hardware, to get the front tank up and running again. LOL
 

lotzagoodstuff

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 19, 2007
Posts
2,726
Reaction score
668
Location
Carmel, IN
Funny story: my Powderchoke only has a front tank in it right now, which really does make me a schmo!

(insert phone ringing sound here)

"Hello? You're looking for a Mr Hypocrite? You're speaking to him right now. No, I can't help myself as it's Wednesday and on Wednesday's we only suggest solutions for others as our own rules don't apply under our own roof here at Hypocrisy Highlands."

:D
 
Top