ATF as fuel additive?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: SoCal, 91750
ATF as fuel additive?
G ood morning,
I recently sold my '99 &.3L PSD with 235K on the clock and purchased a used '17 6.7L PSD with 83K on the clock.
I used 1/2 qt. of ATF on every full tank fill (35 g) for the 20 years that i owned the '99 and had no injector nor fuel issues.
My question is now, can I still use ATF as an additive, or will it adversely affect the DEF system? And if not, is there a recommended diesel fuel additive that I can use to boost cetane and add lubricity?
Thanks
I recently sold my '99 &.3L PSD with 235K on the clock and purchased a used '17 6.7L PSD with 83K on the clock.
I used 1/2 qt. of ATF on every full tank fill (35 g) for the 20 years that i owned the '99 and had no injector nor fuel issues.
My question is now, can I still use ATF as an additive, or will it adversely affect the DEF system? And if not, is there a recommended diesel fuel additive that I can use to boost cetane and add lubricity?
Thanks
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,147
Likes: 7,975
From: Texas
There should be plenty of threads on this forum about both questions.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-addative.html
just for starters
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-addative.html
just for starters
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 189
Likes: 37
From: Ethel WA.
Also it will not play well with the calif. EPA, at some random smog checks the they are doing they dip stick your tank and see if you are using red dyed (non-taxed) farm fuel. This comes with a $10,000 fine. It is very hard to win this if you take it to court, you will need all the fuel receipts. This is to prove that you bought taxed fuel. They will say red dyed fuel is non tax so you owe all the back taxes from when you purchased your truck, plus the fine. When I lived down there in the Central Valley a customer of mine got tag during a smog check for getting his tags for the plate. Since he owned a farm he had to prove the fuel only went into his farm equipment not his truck. He used atf as a additive also, he had a 55 gal drum and was trying to get rid of it. Bottom line it only cost him 4 days in court and $9000, mostly lawyer fees.
Smokeploe
Smokeploe
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
ATF uses solvent red #164, so it would show up as red fuel in a composition test. It probably won't show on a visual.
Tuned
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 279
Likes: 14
From: Brookings, SD
This guy was looking to run 80% ATF and 20% road diesel in an old 5.9 Cummins. So he actually had his 80 20 mixture analyzed by the DOT Lab in his state of Montana. What they found was that Solvent Red 164 (Used in Both ATF and Dyed off road fuel) was detectable, but results were inconclusive based on the amount of Solvent Red 164 Present.
Heres the relevant comment from the thread.
The State Lab for Montana DOT tested my sample 20% clear Diesel-80% Used ATF. Using the Spectrum Scale it was easy to see that this is not Died Diesel. It is way too dark for the light to penetrate it compared to Dyed Diesel. This only would raise the question as to what it really is, thus leading to a test using an Infra-red. Here we have problems due to the fact that the dye in ATF and Dyed Diesel is the same, Red 164. However, due to the readings at "The End" of the IR spectrum this test would be inconclusive as well. In both tests the amount of dye is far too great for it to be Dyed Diesel. In this case over 10X too much. The lab saved the info so if another sample should arrive they could do a comparison and deduct to a conclusion that they may have a mix of ATF and Diesel.
So what is the outcome? It is up to me if I want to risk a citation and then argue the point before the Law Enforcement Div. of Montana DOT. To do so I must keep records of type of fuel used, miles driven, and taxes paid. Due to the fact that I run blended ATF/Clear diesel only for startup & purge and WVO the rest of the time I believe this record keeping could become quite confused. However if I was to run only blended or straight ATF things would be a lot simpler. MY mind is not made up just yet, but if I choose not to run ATF in the truck it will be because I don't want the hassle of proving innocence to the law enforcement agency.
So what is the outcome? It is up to me if I want to risk a citation and then argue the point before the Law Enforcement Div. of Montana DOT. To do so I must keep records of type of fuel used, miles driven, and taxes paid. Due to the fact that I run blended ATF/Clear diesel only for startup & purge and WVO the rest of the time I believe this record keeping could become quite confused. However if I was to run only blended or straight ATF things would be a lot simpler. MY mind is not made up just yet, but if I choose not to run ATF in the truck it will be because I don't want the hassle of proving innocence to the law enforcement agency.
Trending Topics
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,222
Likes: 4,232
From: Kaysville Utah
Your 99 7.3L did not run a Common Rail Fuel system at 29,000 psi
Why gamble on stuff not certified to work with newer technology
Why gamble on stuff not certified to work with newer technology
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
When I was in the .mil a couple good ole boys from the motor pool would run a couple cans of ATF in the fuel tanks of their 5 tons, they said it was noticeably visible in the dark from the exhaust stacks, under night vision goggles. Hm.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,222
Likes: 4,232
From: Kaysville Utah
With these newer truck, I'd pick a good supplement that has been designed to boost lubrication, increase Cetane and provide anti gel protection in the cold.
There are numerous products that have been tested, choose what you like. I personally use Opti-Lube mainly because it performed so well in that 2007 test of Lubrication.
But I'm sure other products have evolved and improved since 2007 and may be giving Opti-Lube a run for performance if the test were ever conducted again.
There are numerous products that have been tested, choose what you like. I personally use Opti-Lube mainly because it performed so well in that 2007 test of Lubrication.
But I'm sure other products have evolved and improved since 2007 and may be giving Opti-Lube a run for performance if the test were ever conducted again.
FTE Legend
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 31,859
Likes: 9,166
From: Western NY
I've been using K100 since brand new. I know of a few trucking companies that use it locally after I spoke to their mechanics. I just met an owner of 2012 Chevy Duramax dually who uses it every tank with 112k miles. I've bought it at Advance Auto for $19.99/ 32 oz bottle. But now buy it at NAPA for $16.99 a bottle.
https://k-100.com/diesel/
https://k-100.com/diesel/
