Oil & Fuel ATF and diesel fuel

   / ATF and diesel fuel #1  

Toyboy

Platinum Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
978
Location
Hayward Wi
Tractor
Kubota BX2230D
I've got a couple bottles of ATF and no use for them. Somewhere on here I read that mixing it w/fuel was a good thing. If that it a true story, what would the ratio be per 5 gal in my BX. I'm want to use it up.
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #2  
Use 128:1 ratio (1 oz ATF to 1 gal of diesel) to give extra lubricity. Use as much as 30:1 (4oz per gal) if you just want to burn it up.

Some will see it as a risky adulteration of the fuel, but it's done all the time and won't (IMHO) cause any harm. I use ATF or 2 cyl oil in my diesel fuel truck for added lubricity and use ATF in my old classic convertible to help the rings say free. It doesn't get enough run time with our long winters.
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #3  
This WAS a good idea before ULSD fuel.

Adding anything not made for add to ULSD can reduce lubricity.

I know that it seems impossible that adding oil to diesel, can reduce lubricity, but a study has proven it to be true.

Most diesel additives like Power Service, had to also be reformulated, for the same reason.

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177728
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #4  
unless I misse dit.. I did not see atf in that study.

and with mmo being stoddards solvent mostly IIRC.. I don't doubt it did poorly..

soundguy
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #5  
unless I misse dit.. I did not see atf in that study.

and with mmo being stoddards solvent mostly IIRC.. I don't doubt it did poorly..

soundguy

Who would have thought any of the products that decreased lubricity would do so?

My point was, we should not assume it is a good idea anymore.

If someone has evidence It does not harm lubricity in ULSD, I would like to know for sure myself.

In the mean time, considering the level of hysterical paranoia some have, about what they put in their tractors, is seems they should use caution here.
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #6  
I certainly would not be afraid of putting some unused ATF in with the fuel. It has a lot of detergents in it and may not be much value as fuel, especially if it's synthetic, but I can't imagine it hurting anything in small quantities. In fact, the policy at the International dealer I used to work for, when changing fuel filters on diesels, was to fill the new filter with ATF and screw it on. That was some time ago, but the engine had to run on pure ATF for a bit.

A more valid concern might be used engine oil with it's content of powdered steel and other interesting contaminants. Yet, a lot of it gets run through diesels.

If lubricity is a concern, add some motor oil or some two stroke oil.
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #7  
No, you don't want to put ATF in diesel fuel. Why? ATF typically contains friction modifiers which are beneficial to an automatic transmission but detrimental to a fuel system. Friction is the killer of a diesel fuel system, that's why so many problems occurred when ULSD was introduced, they couldn't handle the lack of lubricity and increased friction created from ULSD. Adding ATF to the fuel would just increase this problem. Run a good additive such as Power Service, Stanadyne,...you pick.

It doesn't matter in a tractor, but another reason why you shouldn't run ATF in a diesel vehicle is because ATF is red, it'll tint the fuel the same color as off road. Need I say more?

:cool:
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #8  
You guys do what you want, but I am going to stick to putting ATF in my automatic transmissions and I'll stick to putting diesel fuel and diesel fuel additives in my fuel tank. Call me crazy, but there is all kinds of stuff in ATF that I'd like to keep from going through my fuel systems.
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel
  • Thread Starter
#9  
OK guys, thanks for the replies. I'll look for another outlet to get rid of it.
 
   / ATF and diesel fuel #10  
No, you don't want to put ATF in diesel fuel. Why? ATF typically contains friction modifiers which are beneficial to an automatic transmission but detrimental to a fuel system. Friction is the killer of a diesel fuel system, that's why so many problems occurred when ULSD was introduced, they couldn't handle the lack of lubricity and increased friction created from ULSD. Adding ATF to the fuel would just increase this problem. Run a good additive such as Power Service, Stanadyne,...you pick.

It doesn't matter in a tractor, but another reason why you shouldn't run ATF in a diesel vehicle is because ATF is red, it'll tint the fuel the same color as off road. Need I say more?

:cool:

so.. get the older atf that you can still get.. IE.. 70's era technology.. like type f..

me? I like some type f and mineral spirits or kerosene and a lil naptha in a hand squirt can as a penetrant oil.

soundguy
 
 
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