Oil & Fuel Should I Use Transmission Fluid as Diesel Fuel Additive?

wjb-49 · Apr 7, 2013

Hi everyone!

This may sound crazy and I feel some of you can set me straight on this: Yesterday I was talking with a friend who operates diesel equipment in his business and he told me he uses transmission fluid as an additive in his diesel fuel. He said that low sulfur diesel fuel does not provide any lubrication and adding transmission fluid will extend the life of injector pumps and other engine parts.

Do any of you do this?

Thanks!

devildog1 · Apr 7, 2013

I would think that advice falls in the category of smoke & mirrors and snake oil. I'm just saying if you have an owners manual go by what it says in there and save yourself from failure and your hard earned money, go by what the manufacture says.
DevilDog

Gary Fowler · Apr 7, 2013

Lots of folks add snake oil to their diesel claiming it needs extra lubricity since it no longer has sulfur. My tractors say use ULSD and not a mention of needing additional components from the snake oil bunch. I ran my old 1984 Yanmar on straight #2 diesel for the 3 years or so that I owned it and never had a problem with injectors or pumps.
Basically if it makes you feel good to spend more money on additives, go for it, otherwise they aren't needed for lubricity. Anti-gelling agents in winter YES. Biocide, YES if you use BIODIESEL or have problem with water in your fuel. I don't live where it is cold enough for anti-gelling and never used biocides and don't have any problems with my diesel

Don87 · Apr 7, 2013

Transmission fluid has long been thought to help with lubricity in diesel engines. But the facts show that transmission fluid contains 'friction modifiers' to make the clutches 'stick together' in the transmission.

I wouldn't do it

PS. there were several threads about this over in this forum a while back: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/

Tig · Apr 7, 2013

Truckers were doing this when I was pumping fuel in the 70s. I was told the detergent was the reason.

mikehaugen · Apr 7, 2013

I was told this a while back as well when I had recently bought my 1070. An old-timer neighbor of mine told me to do it, especially since it was an older tractor and designed to run on the older fuel. I asked the same question here, and was basically told no to use tranny fluid, but instead to use something like power service or howes if I wanted lubricity. It is cheap enough and I don't go through a lot of fuel so it's not like I am spending a fortune on it, so have been doing it since. I have put about 200-250 hours on in last 4 years and haven't really had a problem... not that it is much of an indication of the performance, especially since I bought the tractor with 2500 hours.

atgreene · Apr 7, 2013

We've used it (power steering/transmission fluid) for years in all number of vehicles and equipment. A local trucker who ran several trucks suggested it to me. He personally put over a million miles on a Brockway and used it as an additive to help keep the injectors clean. We used it in case backhoes (seemed to help), Ford L8000's (3208 Cat turbo and N/A), Cummins 350's, a 671 detroit, my Kubota, my own 3208 in and older Kodiak dump truck (if I didn't use PS in the fuel, after a few weeks the motor would knock and smoke a little, add PS fluid and it cleared up, assumed it was an injector pump issue).

Does it hurt anything in older diesels, no. Would I use it in new diesels, not so sure. Has PS fluid changed over the years, possibly, probaly not worth it in your shiney new tractors, that's what power service is for.

gwdixon · Apr 7, 2013

Here, read this:

Lubricity Additive Study Results - Diesel Place : Chevrolet and GMC Diesel Truck Forums

Soundguy · Apr 8, 2013

big differences in old atf like type f and dex merc 3 and the new stuff today.

no way i';d put in new atf .

I have /do use older atf's on older equipment. gas and diesel. not as regular addatives.. but as loosen-juice and or spot tank treatments.. or adds prior to an oil change.

a more modern diesel in my truck? naa.. put in good oil in the crankcase.. adn fuel in the tank. if I want something else inthe tank.. there are plenty of real diesel adds to choose from.. howes.. PS..e tc.

besides. who wants to add red dyed atf fluid to a clear diesel tank?