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Adding trans fluid to diesel fuel

N

nrowles

Member
I have a 1966 MF135 Perkins diesel. My buddy told me to add atf to the fuel for lubrication. I've been doing this for some time but my last fill up I mistakenly added manual trans fluid rather than atf. Am I ok to finish out this tank of fuel with 8 oz of the 5w-30 manual trans fluid or is this a problem that needs addressed?
 
Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
 
first of all 5-30 is an engine oil. and it is perfectly ok to add it to diesel. i sooner do that then using atf.
 
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
 
(quoted from post at 08:43:37 09/13/20) I have a 1966 MF135 Perkins diesel. My buddy told me to add atf to the fuel for lubrication. I've been doing this for some time but my last fill up I mistakenly added manual trans fluid rather than atf. Am I ok to finish out this tank of fuel with 8 oz of the 5w-30 manual trans fluid or is this a problem that needs addressed?
Click to expand...
e ran several Massy Ferguson's but not with oil mixtures. They were dead reliable. Don't know squat as to their characteristics with running oil mixtures. However...

Here is my experience with diesel, transmission, oil and hydraulic fluids. In March of 2008 when diesel was just under $4 a gallon I was running mixtures in my 1994 7.3 IDI Turbo Diesel. I used a straight diesel fuel in the front tank during winter. In the summer it was 20% oil to diesel in the front tank. The front was for cold starts. Once the engine was warmed up I swapped to the rear tank. With engine oil it was a 50/50 with diesel. In the summer time transmission and hydraulic fluids would be mixed 80/20 diesel. Being mindful not to be one of those inconsiderate punks that purposely annoy people with there smoke I was surprised how little mine smoked. The 80% transmission fluid yielded 1.5-1.7 miles per gallon more than straight diesel.

This was all done with the donations a friend would make from his occupation as a forklift mechanic. I saved him a trip to the Dallas hub to dispose of his oil barrels. It was messy filtering the oil out but worth it. By June of 2008 diesel was over $4 a gallon. Thank's to him my average was less than a dollar a gallon per a 38 gallon fill up.
 
(quoted from post at 10:04:55 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 08:43:37 09/13/20) I have a 1966 MF135 Perkins diesel. My buddy told me to add atf to the fuel for lubrication. I've been doing this for some time but my last fill up I mistakenly added manual trans fluid rather than atf. Am I ok to finish out this tank of fuel with 8 oz of the 5w-30 manual trans fluid or is this a problem that needs addressed?
Click to expand...
e ran several Massy Ferguson's but not with oil mixtures. They were dead reliable. Don't know squat as to their characteristics with running oil mixtures. However...

Here is my experience with diesel, transmission, oil and hydraulic fluids. In March of 2008 when diesel was just under $4 a gallon I was running mixtures in my 1994 7.3 IDI Turbo Diesel. I used a straight diesel fuel in the front tank during winter. In the summer it was 20% oil to diesel in the front tank. The front was for cold starts. Once the engine was warmed up I swapped to the rear tank. With engine oil it was a 50/50 with diesel. In the summer time transmission and hydraulic fluids would be mixed 80/20 diesel. Being mindful not to be one of those inconsiderate punks that purposely annoy people with there smoke I was surprised how little mine smoked. The 80% transmission fluid yielded 1.5-1.7 miles per gallon more than straight diesel.

This was all done with the donations a friend would make from his occupation as a forklift mechanic. I saved him a trip to the Dallas hub to dispose of his oil barrels. It was messy filtering the oil out but worth it. By June of 2008 diesel was over $4 a gallon. Thank's to him my average was less than a dollar a gallon per a 38 gallon fill up.
Click to expand...
remember the $1 a gallon mark. I must have ran a heavier mixture in the front than I remember to achieve it.
 
I have a friend who was an Allis Chalmers dealer for over 50 years. He recommends a quart of ATF in a diesel fill up. It lubes the pump and
it has an affinity for moisture so it removes water from the fuel. It also adds Kinetic energy to the fuel as it too burns. If I didn't have
ATF on hand I would add a quart of motor oil and you could hear the pump smooth out. Trucking companies have been filtering their used motor
oil and adding it to the fuel..you won't hurt a thing.
 


As others have said the difference between ATF and regular trans fluid won't make a difference. I add two stroke oil. It lubricates the pump and burns more cleanly.
 
its probably stuff for these new vehicles as that would never work in a rear diff for sure.
 
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
 
(quoted from post at 10:34:07 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
Click to expand...
n the other post a few of us described the filtration process.
 
(quoted from post at 12:16:31 09/13/20) "it removes water from the fuel."
Just curious. Where does the water go?
Click to expand...

Belgian I was trying to figure that out myself, but also the kinetic energy part because kinetic energy is energy that a body possesses because it is in motion, and the faster it goes the more it has. So I was trying to picture the ATF molecules somehow speeding through the fuel oil.
 
Worked in an air compressor shop one of the techs saved oil from the compressors and dumped it in his old chevy diesel truck. He never had issues
 
I think your miracle view of the oil is a little far fetched.

Oil cannot remove water, the only energy in oil is chemical when the carbon hydrogen bond breaks. There is no such thing as kinetic energy in oil unless it is really moving through a pipe.
 

Some people believe in good luck charms . They are also often the type that add lotions , potions , mixtures , elixers , soccery a and witchcraft to oil and fuel reservoirs .
 
(quoted from post at 18:59:34 09/13/20)
Some people believe in good luck charms . They are also often the type that add lotions , potions , mixtures , elixers , soccery a and witchcraft to oil and fuel reservoirs .
Click to expand...
t is a shame some skim a few words and build an opinion. Years ago I read up on a fellow named Rudolf. Some of the engineers of his day didn't think he knew what he was talking about either.
 
ATF is not formulated to be burned. It has a high detergent and will clean but will leave residue if burned. 2 cycle oil is ashless and meant to be burned. 1oz. per 5 gallons of fuel is plenty. You do not want to add anything to your fuel that will mix water into the fuel. This will cause rust and corrosion to form in the system. Water must be separated from the fuel and drained.
 
(quoted from post at 13:34:07 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
Click to expand...
Cummins offers a series of engines (maybe part of the isx series?) that extends oil change intervals by automatically pumping some of the engine oil into the fuel system and replacing it with new oil stored in an on-board tank while you're driving.
 
(quoted from post at 04:30:47 09/14/20)
(quoted from post at 13:34:07 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
Click to expand...
Cummins offers a series of engines (maybe part of the isx series?) that extends oil change intervals by automatically pumping some of the engine oil into the fuel system and replacing it with new oil stored in an on-board tank while you're driving.
Click to expand...

Timcasbolt, that is a very interesting system. And the oil change interval is lengthened to 525,000 miles with it!! Of course conventional YT wisdom tells us that Cummins does this only so that they can have engines wear out faster so that they can sell more of them, LOL.
 
(quoted from post at 06:42:08 09/14/20)
(quoted from post at 04:30:47 09/14/20)
(quoted from post at 13:34:07 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
Click to expand...
Cummins offers a series of engines (maybe part of the isx series?) that extends oil change intervals by automatically pumping some of the engine oil into the fuel system and replacing it with new oil stored in an on-board tank while you're driving.
Click to expand...

Timcasbolt, that is a very interesting system. And the oil change interval is lengthened to 525,000 miles with it!! Of course conventional YT wisdom tells us that Cummins does this only so that they can have engines wear out faster so that they can sell more of them, LOL.
Click to expand...
Same reason auto companies are saying 0W-30 motor oil. Wear the engine out faster.
 
(quoted from post at 11:26:55 09/14/20)
(quoted from post at 06:42:08 09/14/20)
(quoted from post at 04:30:47 09/14/20)
(quoted from post at 13:34:07 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
Click to expand...
Cummins offers a series of engines (maybe part of the isx series?) that extends oil change intervals by automatically pumping some of the engine oil into the fuel system and replacing it with new oil stored in an on-board tank while you're driving.
Click to expand...

Timcasbolt, that is a very interesting system. And the oil change interval is lengthened to 525,000 miles with it!! Of course conventional YT wisdom tells us that Cummins does this only so that they can have engines wear out faster so that they can sell more of them, LOL.
Click to expand...
Same reason auto companies are saying 0W-30 motor oil. Wear the engine out faster.
Click to expand...


Yes Ozlander!!! The auto manufacturers know that you and many others like you are looking for the combination of oil and engine that will last the shortest time.
 
(quoted from post at 22:42:20 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 18:59:34 09/13/20)
Some people believe in good luck charms . They are also often the type that add lotions , potions , mixtures , elixers , soccery a and witchcraft to oil and fuel reservoirs .
Click to expand...
t is a shame some skim a few words and build an opinion. Years ago I read up on a fellow named Rudolf. Some of the engineers of his day didn't think he knew what he was talking about either.
Click to expand...

Spare us your bogus " False Equivalence " argument .
 
(quoted from post at 08:43:37 09/13/20) I have a 1966 MF135 Perkins diesel. My buddy told me to add atf to the fuel for lubrication. I've been doing this for some time but my last fill up I mistakenly added manual trans fluid rather than atf. Am I ok to finish out this tank of fuel with 8 oz of the 5w-30 manual trans fluid or is this a problem that needs addressed?
Click to expand...

You're better off with the manual transmission fluid than ATF, if you absolutely must put something in your diesel fuel to be able to sleep at night.

Diesel is nothing but light oil, so you're not going to hurt anything by putting other oil products in with your diesel in that old tractor. Whether it helps or not has yet to be scientifically proven.

People only capable of reading the first sentence in a paragraph only get to the part that says the removal of sulfur from the diesel causes lost lubricity. They never get to the part where it states that Federal law says the lubricity must be replaced with additives. (Notice what I did there?)
 
(quoted from post at 10:34:07 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:48:09 09/13/20)
(quoted from post at 09:06:05 09/13/20) Knew a truck driver that wonder why his semi was smoking just a little bit. Then found out where he had his oil changed they were
dumping some of his used oil in to his diesel fuel tank.
Click to expand...

Dumping the used oil in the fuel used to be a common practice in large fleet maintenance shops.

That practice stopped as rail pressures increased, electronic injectors became common and with the advent of DPFs and other pollution devices.
Click to expand...

FUNNY, diesel engine oil gets changed in part because abrasive particles that accumualate that are not good for the bearings and other moving parts in the engine, then some (???????) dumps it out and adds it to the diesel fuel that goes through parts that are a factor of a thousand more close-fitting and wear susceptible and $$$$$$ to repair/replace and thinks they are doing a good thing?
Click to expand...

The used oil was run through a filter with no bypass, not just dumped straight into the tank.
.
 
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