OK,
I worked at a gas station in the late 1970's, pumping gas.
One time a guy pulls in in a big RV, and has me fill up both tanks.
When it was full, he wanted me to pour a full can of ATF into each tank as "top oil".
I can't remember if he used Dexron or Type F, but anyway...
I remember asking him "Are you sure?" about 4 times before I was convinced he was serious.
Does anybody out there besides me think this is a bad idea?
Or is it a good idea?
I can't imagine it would be good for his cat and/or O2 sensors, but I can't swear that it had them, it might have been a '74 or earlier RV.
Anybody have any ideas/opinions about this, heard about others doing it, is it an old farmer trick, etc...?
Just curious...

 

alot if diesel owners do this to add lubricity back into the fuel esspecially on the H.E.U.I. type injection system, i would hate to foul spark plugs on a gasser.

 

ATF actually has no lubricity factor to add, its a cleaner. (old mechanics tale) I remember back 25-30 years ago mechanics would run a quart ina full tank of fuel to clean out the intake and carbs on high mileage engines. Would NOT reccommend doing that today at all.

 

actually most diesel pickup owners are adding atf, or two stroke oil to add lubricity into the diesel fuel because the ultra low sulfur diesel fuel does not have the "oil" the fuel had before 2007, and the proper additives like howes, power service, and lucas are expensive. on the 7.3l, and 6.0 they have what is called a heui (Hydraulic Electronic Unit Injector) it drives off the oil rail pressure, the piston inside the injector is lubricated by the diesel fuel, thus adding the need for the atf, or two stroke oil to keep from scoring the injector bore, and eating away the other seals on the engine that depended on the lubricity from the old (pre2007) diesel fuel. i dont state something that is not fact, i actually know a little more about diesels than jeeps. unfortunately i no longer own one, although at $2.89 a gallon plus additives its prolly a good thing, right. lol

 

Just a thought. This was the 70's and leaded fuel was past it's prime and unleaded was the new fuel (about the time I was born). But, as a trick in leaded motors, a lubricant would have been used to substitute lead. I have used 2 stroke oil in the 53 Merc I had to keep the valves and seats lubed. Maybe this could be why?

 

The only time I've heard of using ATF in a place other than a transmission was when my friend accidentally added ATF to her crankcase.......oops....

 

not too much wrong with that, depending how much it was.

ATF is many times added to the oil and run for a bit until oil change.
Its a really good solvent, and helps clean up your engine.


I think the standard is about 1 qt of it added into the oil (drain off a quart of oil first), and run for anywhere from 5 to 50 miles, and change oil.



I've never heard of it being added to gas, but adding to diesel makes a lot of sense. Sounds expensive to own a diesel... geez

 

i just put half a quart of atf in my wifes subaru yesterday before the oil change. there was a lifter that was getting noisy at idle. put the atf in let it run from cold until the cooling fans came on, 20-30 minutes. changed the oil and no more lifter noise. some people say leave it in there for 100 miles, but i never do. just before the oil change is good enough for me. oh yeah, a lot of motor homes didn't get cats until the late 80's or early 90's because of the GVWR of the vehcile. same with some heavier pickups.

zedpapa

 

You're thinking of TEL (TetraEthyl Lead.) It wasn't so much a "lubricant" as something that would deposit an almost-film layer on the valve and valve seat margins, and help with sealing. This was before hardened valve seats became common - they came in right about the same time as "unleaded" fuel (the TEL was added to regular fuel, IIRC.)

TEL was being phased out primarily because it would poison catalyst beds, making them useless. A similar argument is being used for the elimination of organometallic compounds (primarily ZDDP) in making up the new API/SM "Energy Saving" engine oils - the organometallics that make it into the top cylinder as blowby and ring scrapings poison the catalyst beds.

Fine if you're running roller tappets and followers. We're not. Don't use API/SM oil unless it specifically says it's safe for use with flat tappet engines, or you'll end up eroding your camshaft beyond utility.

 

Exactly 5-90!

I really wasn't going to get into the specifics of it, just a thought as to why...

 

As you can probably guess, I've done a good deal of research into general automotive engineering (petrochemistry, materials engineering, structural engineering, electrics, electronics, ...) so I try to take complex subjects and make them easier to understand.

The politics behind some of these decisions is most difficult of all...

 

ATF does wonders man.
If your jeep runs weird like maybe a lifter is sticking or spring or anything just do a oil change. It's going to cost a few bucks to do this. You put ATF +4 in until it's full and run for like 20 minutes.
Wait until after you do this to put your new oil filter on.

DO NOT drive it!!!!

-did i make that clear enough?

Then you just do another oil change and put whatever oil you like! It will run a lot more smooth! At least mine did!