Running ATF instead of diesel? Crazy?
 

Well I am fed up with diesel prices and am considering the WVO route. But, I read a post on here about somebody that was running strait ATF and or hydraulic oil. So it got me thinking, a friend of a friend has a tranny shop and has a 4000 gallon tank of used atf that he regularily gets hauled away and he said I could have as much as I wanted.

If this worked it would be much easier than wvo since it wouldn't need to be heated or started and stopped on diesel. I would of course use an extra fuel filter (probably a new one each fillup), and also filter when I transfered out of his tank. The other negative is the source while mostly atf still does get some gear oil and motor oil in it as well. With a 4000 gallon tank I am sure I could skim off of the top to avoid the heavier stuff.

Completly crazy or only mostly crazy?

When Rudolph Christian Karl Diesel ( God bless him ) invented the diesel engine....one of the targeted items to run it was peanut oil. His plan was to build an engine to replace the steam engine on tractors for farmers. So in effect; just about anything that is an oil....that can be delivered to the combustion chamber.....is a candidate for a usable fuel. The key is that the diesel needs said fuel to leave behind a residue to lubricate the upper chamber....valves etc. I hope that this explination puts that wonderful machine under your hood into perspective.

If you had an all fuel vehicle like the army had, then I would say go ahead BUT you don't ! So stay with what is reccommended by the manufacturer. I wouldn't want the repair bills to the injection pump and injectors from trying this.

ATF is actually a solvent base, you injectors in that truck wouldnt last long with that running through them. if it was an ole 6.9 it could probably handle it for a while since the injection pump and injectors see much much much less pressure than the PSD. supply pump runs it at 70~psi. HEUI injector takes it to 25,000PSI for injection. needs that lubrication in the injector itself to live. with that going through it scoring plungers would become a regular thing. in addition to the differnt make up of a solvent based oil, flash points are going to be differnt the way it burns.....my mind a PSD cost too much to take a chance like that.

use wvo but convert it to biodiesel i did a one litre test bach on the 2nd try i made biodiesel out of wvo and it is simple process i building a reactor to do 25 gallons at a time
here a link to a web site that has all the info u need
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

Solvent in ATF???
 

I don't believe that there is much solvent, if any in ATF. Remember that all the bearings in the auto trans use ATF for lubricant. It is a light oil with hydraulic oil abilities, but it still is a lubricant. If this was not the case, all auto trans. would fail because of bearing problems real quick.

I think it's a real good way to gunk up your injector tips with all the varnish and particulates from blown transmissions that are mixed in with the ATF. It's an oily substance and the engine will most likely run for a while, but I wouldn't want to be the one gambling with my $10,000.00 engine combination. You can buy a LOT of diesel for the price of new injectors, engine, etc.

well I do think by the time it went through a 15 micron filter, and two 10 micron filters it would be clean enough, I am more concerned about what it would do to my pump and injectors.

I wouldn't think of atf as a solvent it does have detergent in it though.

That still leaves all the particulates under 10 microns. The clutch material, the metal shavings that small won't fall out of the solution very easily so that will pass through and abrade your injector plungers. The varnish that is in solution is a liquid and not 1% is being removed by the filter. I don't have a clue what else might be in there, also. I don't know what kind of buildup that might make on the nozzle tips and, for myself, would not want to experiment with it. If you want to try it, let us know how it comes out.

Wonder what peanut oil is running now adays?

I can see it now......across America......."All Natural" fuel stations. French Fry Bio - $1.19.......Wesson Blend - $1.62......... Peanut Super - $1.89. How does that sound?

fat chance of that happening. i called a few stations a while back and asked about some biodiesel....its 50cents more a gallon than regular diesel

I guess it takes a lot to dump some kerosene in a barrel of fry grease. LOL

I've got about 100K miles on my '02 F350 PSD and about 25K of that is on ATF, Hydraulic oil and synthetic hydraulic oil. No problems yet although I do change my primary filter often.

Hey fixnair can you elaborate? is this used stuff, from a shop in good shape? Do you run it strait, do you run #2 every couple of tanks or so? What do you do to filter it? Does it start any harder or anything. that 25k miles on atf/hyd oil is that all in a row or sporadically?

My truck has 200k miles on it and runs fine, Not that I am ready to take the plunge on this but assuming I can get used injectors and injection pump for $1200 the current stuff only has to last 7000 miles to make it up dollar wise :) Not that I really care to be swapping that stuff.

Yeah, I can see it now....
Wesson & Crisco fueling stations:
Regular oil $2.50 a gallon
Fat free $3.50 a gallon....

All of course, partially hydrogenated.
Yuck, don't wanna' clog my 7.3's arteries....
Plus, I'd run down the road smellin' like a french fry instead of a real truck!