I have read here that adding ATF to oil makes a good cleaner. Another post suggested that it was not a good idea. Does ATF make a good (safe?) engine cleaner? If so how much should be added and how long should you run it through the oil? What type of ATF; Dexron, Type F, doesn't matter?
ATF with oil?
- Thread starter otis24
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Nowadays you have some seriously good cleaner like AutoRx, LC, etc. then why you still risk your engine with some yesteryear's trick such as running ATF with motor oil to perform cleaning?
Get a couple of bottles of AutoRx and be happy with it.
ATF in the oil would be bad. If you want to clean your engine, assuming it even needs cleaned, use an engine cleaner.
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quote:Otis, take everything read on the computer with a grain of salt.
Originally posted by otis24: I have read here that adding ATF to oil makes a good cleaner. Another post suggested that it was not a good idea. Does ATF make a good (safe?) engine cleaner? If so how much should be added and how long should you run it through the oil? What type of ATF; Dexron, Type F, doesn't matter?
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Otis, ATF was recommended for noisy lifters in some older SBC engines by the factory in some (either) 60's or 70's applications. It was a thinning agent that quieted them down ..hence the association that it "cleaned" something was adopted.
Ancient history and mostly myth.
The ATF as cleaner got started, at least in part because some fans of MMO found out that the main ingedient was ATF(or a form of it).
Some cheapskates though that ATF was (it is) cheaper than MMO, so they used that, with no adverse effects.
While the ATF MAY be a cleaner agent, the solvents in MMO are the main cleaning agent.
MMO isn't that expensive.
Thirty years ago when I had several diesel cars in succession, the "word" in CB trucker and diesel talk circles was that a diesel engine owner could extract hundreds of thousands of extra engine, turbocharger, and fuel injection pump hours by pouring a quart of ATF in the fuel tank at every fill and a quart of ATF in the engine sump at every OCI. It was bovine stuff then and it still is. Some myths never die, though their adherents' engines do.
quote:I'm constantly amazed at the number of euphemisms for ******** that people can come up with on this site. Amazing. If you search around, you will probably find a lot more, but here are two good threads to get you going: http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=002977 http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000251
It was bovine stuff then and it still is.
JHZR2
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In the old days, ATF had more additives, detergents and dispersants as compared to engine oil...
Plus, when oil choice was the heavier the better... ATF thinned things down more, allowing oil to get into more passages and do better cleaning just by virtue of flow.
Nowadays, ATF has less detergent and dispersants than oil... though perhaps it does have a better basestock...
Using a well-formulated oil is the best bet... Use a HDEO if you want extra additive. I believe that mobil delvac 1300 is a group II+ with moly, and a bit of group I mixed in for enhanced cleaning properties.
JMH
In the old days, Dexron had Sperm Whale Oil, as a component, now it doesn't. That's when it lost it's beneficial effect. ![[Patriot]](/forums/graemlins/patriot.gif)
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Originally posted by pastmaster: In the old days, Dexron had Sperm Whale Oil, as a component, now it doesn't. That's when it lost it's beneficial effect.
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