how much ATF?

[89VWdieselGolf]

i have half a litre of ATF left, how much should i put into my tank?

thanks,
Jeff

[dieselpower]

hey,
whats the point of putting ATF in with the fuel to bigin with. Is this something i should be doing?
thanks


Mark

[89VWdieselGolf]

it cleans the injectors, ive never done it (yet) but i had the ATF and remembered i heard about it

[QuickTD]

I would say none. There are additives specifically formulated for use in diesel fuel. ATF is full of friction modifiers, viscosity index improvers and non-ashless detergents. Nasty stuff. Not sure what would be left behind when it is burned. I would think that it is best used in automatic transmissions.

[Rat407]

Interesting.  I have read on other sites as well as on here I think that some fill up a new fuel filter with ATF when they install a new filter. This in turn cleans and lubricates the pump and injectors. I also hear some run it occasionally in their tank, I want to say they put in a qt/.94L at a time.
I also have read that this is more for the IDI and not the TDI or newer engines.  

Just some info that I have seen/read.

[RAMMSTEIN]

I'd put canola oil if it's not too cold outside (1 litre).

[vwwv]

Found this thread via search function.  May be others??  Anyway, some time ago I read about using ATF as a fuel additive to re-swell injector pump seals.  Since the advent of ULSD my 1.6 idi pump had been leaking very badly.  I've been using about 6 oz. of ATF in every fill up and, sure enough, my pump has stopped leaking.  Then again, maybe the filter full of Power Service I ran thru it helped???  I had a return hose failure and had to re-prime the system and that is when I used the Power Service.  I always use the Power Service in the tank at fill-up.  If this continues, I think this tip saved me about $600 US.  Thank you to whomever gave the tip.  VWWV

[VWCaddy]

I used to run a 1/2 - 1 quart of ATF per tankfull in my old '81 at the recommendation of the mechanic I bought it from.  I now run 2-stroke motor oil plus Standyne Perf. Formula, about 1 pint total per tankful of diesel.

[saurkraut]

http://www.vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=45539&highlight=#45539

"A long time ago, I used to put a quart of ATF in my tank at every oil change. After doing this for quite a while, i had to remove my injector lines for some reason, probably an injector check.

Anyway, i looked at the ends of the injector lines were they attach to the injector and noticed that they had little slots eroded in the id of of the line in a pattern that followed the fuel flow into the injector.

I haven't run ATF since, and I haven't seen this errosion pattern either.

Go figure"

[Black Smokin' Diesel]

http://www.vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?p=45539&highlight=#45539

"A long time ago, I used to put a quart of ATF in my tank at every oil change. After doing this for quite a while, i had to remove my injector lines for some reason, probably an injector check.

Anyway, i looked at the ends of the injector lines were they attach to the injector and noticed that they had little slots eroded in the id of of the line in a pattern that followed the fuel flow into the injector.

I haven't run ATF since, and I haven't seen this errosion pattern either.

Go figure"

Every oil change is a bit excessive to me. I do it once a year when I replace the fuel filter, not four times a year.

[saurkraut]

I guess my point is, if it can successfully erode the hard injector lines, why in the heck put it in at all.  There are alot of diesel specific alternatives that are intended to do what ATF is supposed to do.

A better question would be " my engine is doing (fill in the blank). is there any stuff I can pour in the tank to fix it?"  I would suggest that ATF is never the answer to that question.

Also, since I've been more selective about what fuel i put in, i've had no need for injector cleaners.

For the seal thing, maybe the seal conditioner additive for automatics would be a better alternative, if you want to get a few more miles out of a pump.

[vwwv]

Is the seal conditioner aromatic like the ATF?  If it doesn't burn I don't want to use it.  As I stated, my pump (~250 K miles) started leaking last fall when ULSD arrived in the Mountain State and after sitting for 5 months it leaked like a sieve when I fired it up this spring.  I know it is anecdotal but I'm amazed that the pump is no longer leaking.  Torque is increased, also.  I know this by the distance I can run up a certain hill in 4th gear.  I can nearly top it, now, like I can in my '90 Jetta idi.  I think I'll continue to use the ATF.  I have been adding 2 stroke oil to the fuel in my Passat tdi since last fall.  If I had access to biodiesel in either Fl or WV, I'd be using that  - but, I don't.  BTW, no smoke in either the 86 or the tdi.

[saurkraut]

Yep, I had a Datsun diesel pick up back in the early 80s that I would put ATF in.  I could also measure in increase in power when the ATF was in the fuel.

However, ATF has changed over the years as automitic transmissions have evolved.  It now has "friction modifyers" in it.  What do those friction modifyers do, I havn't the slighest idea.  I do know that since I stopped using ATF, I haven't seen the erosion of the hard lines.  I also wonder openly what the inside of that pump looked like.

I haven't run the transmision seal conditioner in diesel fuel.  When my pumps leak, off they come for rebuild.  But I have used seal conditioner in things beside automatic transmissions, and it has performed well.  I have never seen it swell up seals and cause them to fail.  With all the unknown stuff in ATF, I think it would be a good idea to investigate the seal conditioner.  I think i have some in the garage.  If I can remember, I'll check to see if its flamable, and maybe try setting some on fire to see what the residue looks like.  

I found it very interesting that the ATF stopped the pump leaking.  But due to my observations on injector line errosion, i felt it necessary to report it.