Anyone use ATF as injector pump lube........

[Mister Fiberglass]

I have heard some pros and cons concerning this.............Your thoughts?

[TMAC]

I have heard it is NOT a good idea because of the different lubricating property's of diesel fuel and ATF. That seems to be the consenses on the TDR.

Anyone else have more info?

[ol ron]

Tranny fluid ain't supposed to burn. Tranny fluid is heavy relative to fuel additives. Additives engineered to lube and burn are available and cheap. Don't think of lubing the injector pump in the context of oil, think of it as a chemical with fuel flow characteristics. Pump lube has nothing to do with thickness and everything to do with surface tension control.
Ron

[BIG RED MACHINE]

Ah yes the old trans fluid in the tank for lube and injector cleaning deal,its kinda like a old school tale,,In the old days some use to claim it helped to keep injectors clean,,Nowadays all it will do is get you in hot water if your ever happen to end up in a fuel check situation,,Its not a approved additive and has no lubricating properties at all,,Its a rather harsh fluid and with the diesel nowadays being low-sulphur and harsh you'd really want to not cause any more problems.
If a top end lube is what you seek try some of the shelf versions,,There are many good quality products out there to accomplish what you want to do,,I myself use Lucas oil's Top End Cylinder Lubricant,,IT works for me and have seen some sucess with it but obviously its your choice....BRM

[Mister Fiberglass]

I am somewhat of a newbie at the diesel stuff..........I was told that the LIFE of the pymp is determined by the lubing of same AND not running water through it.

I am not too worried about top-end lube in the cylinders.......which product offers best PUMP lube?

fuel check with ATF?

[mdandl]

Amsoil makes a real good product that lubes and keeps system cleen, i use it in fleet vehicles and noticed big difference in performance and less problems

[Mister Fiberglass]

JUST came back from a long RV trip to TN.........during my stops at quite a few truck stops to get fuel.......

ALL I will say is this..........I saw a TON of empty bottles of ATF containers in the trash!! That just might suggest something to the people who are skeptics...!

I talked to a few guyz.........their ratio in those HUGE tanks?

1/2 a bottle in each tank every other tank of fuel or so.

[moparguyrjr]

OK, this is the logic I follow on this issue. Transmission fluid had to not only lube all the internal parts of the transmission, it also has to not be so slick or the clutch packs will slip, thereby not allowing power to get back to the driveshaft.

If you replaced the ATF in your auto tranmission with 5wt. engine oil, you'd have a slipping transmission.

To allow the necessary lockup of the clutches, friction modifiers are added to the ATF, think of friction modifiers as a very fine abrasive that causes the oil to not be as slick.

Do you really want to run abrasives through your very expensive fuel pump and injectors? I don't.

I've got some truck driving buddies that add ATF to there fuel, I don't. I change filters and use good fuel, only.

Good Luck, Ronnie

[BIG RED MACHINE]

I'd tend to believe all the bottles you had seen on your trip were not ATF empties but empties of the various brands of additives available to the trucking industry as a whole,,In my many miles weekly I drive and the stops I frequent I can count the number of times that I have personally seen a driver adding ATF to their fuel,like I said MOST guys do not want to risk fuel check problems,,The ATF addition is kinda like a Urban legend deal in the trucking industry,lots say it was done for many reasons,but,many do not do it,,My personal choices for additives are Amsoils Cetane Boost and Diesel Modifier,Red Line Oil's Diesel Fuel Cataylst and Lucas Oil's Top end Lube,,My tank always has Lucas added when fueling and it does help not only to lube the top end but help the pump also,,It has shown me results and even though I am a diehard Amsoil product user I will continue to use it,,Your truck,your choice,if it was mine I'd not use it..........

[fox]

I've been watching this thread for some time and now it is time to input.
When I had my 95 dodge I'd put in about 1/2 quart to a full tank and swear that mileage was up 1-2 mpg and every time. I drove it 105,000 miles doing this. Never a problem.
However, since joinig here and all the good info from other members , I won't do it now. There are additives on the market that are designed correctly to do this lubing request.
Remember, its called TRANS fluid!!!

fox

[Mister Fiberglass]

CAN'T say that I went through the entire trash bag LOOKING - just what I saw at-the-pump and looking at the top of the trash can/bag.............

They were ATF plastic quart containers.

"abrasives" in the ATF fluid...??......AGREED! ......

....from what I have been told - acts like a mild "cleaner".....in the lines, pump and nozzles.