corvettelvr73

Everybody talks about using good fuel injector cleaners and fuel treatment to gain MPG. I have been putting a quart of autotransmission fluid in a full tank of gas about every 3000 miles. That stuff is GREAT my mileage normally is 12-13 mpg and with the tranny oil in the tank and a couple of tanks latter it is up around 15-16 mpg. Tell me if you guys think I am crazy for doing this???? :wtf:
I will never buy fuel injector cleaner again.

flecker

MMMMMMMMMMMMkay!!! What gives?

I usually use a mixture of sugar and jolt cola... I'm getting around 26 mpg on the hwy. I heard that brake fluid works better than atf
Also... instead of using windshield solution, I use 10-30 synthetic... you should try it.
Look, ATF wasn't meant to be burned... it might not now... but down the road it will do some damage. If it was ok to use, makers of ATF everywhere would promote it... increasing sales. It's too heavy and the detergents in it aren't meant for that.

Amkeer

You can get a quart of Lucas UCL for $7 and it last a long time. Just run 1.5 oz to 10 gallons every fillup or every other. That stuff is designed to be added to fuel not the atf.

Mossback74

I gotta say that when I first read that I was floored. But after some lookin around I see it may have some merit.
Mentions it for diesel engine

I dont know man, it takes some brass ones to pour a quart of ATF in the gas tank.

Mossback74

I also seem to remember someone using ATF to dilute Toluene when adding it.

Trailtoy

I know if you suck ATF in through a vacuum line it will put out HUGE amounts of thick white smoke. Never heard of adding it to gas.

AF1

ATF has been used for many years to clean carbon from pistons.....just and old mechanic trick...just like water.....I see nothing wrong with putting in the gas at all.....bet he has one clean engine..

joez

there is only one reason i dont recomend using it. It dyes your fuel red, and if for some strange reason your fuel gets checked (yes that actually happens), it will come out red, which is agricultural fuel that is not allowed to be on the road. The fine for it us upwards of $1000 PER GALLON. Yes, it works well, especially in older diesels, but i have stopped usiing it due to the fact tthat my fuel could get checked.

kyle_22r

our trick was pouring it down the carb...supposedly it'll blow out some of the carbon from the pistons. makes a nice smokescreen though

i hear water also works if you suck small amounts through one of the smaller vacuum lines, don't do it too fast or you'll hydrolock.

also, you can cut diesel with ATF. there's a guy on the off-road.com forums(wanderer4x4 i think) that goes to tranny shops, gets used atf and cuts his diesel 50/50 with it

Roadtripr

How few $ are you saving using ATF vs. regular fuel injection cleaner (can't be alot) - so is it worth it?

corvettelvr73

ATF is a few dollars cheaper but that isnt why I use it instead of injector cleaner. I use it because after trying many many different brands of injector cleaner this is the only stuff that I have found that gives me a noticable improvement in MPG and responsivness.

flecker

Hey... it will evenyually clog one of your injectors. Have you ever seen burnt atf out of a tranny? That's what will happen to your injector/s eventually. It's an "old" mechanics tale, old being when there were carbs on everything with jets in them... those sometimes got clogged too. Your EFI needs a clean burning formula, like various injection cleaners. That atf will ultimately gum up in there.

jjdeneen

i mix a 50/50 mix ratio of water and ATF and while the engine was running a little above idel i would squirt it down the carb.

ATF is abrasive and with the water is essentilaly steam cleans the carbon and crap from your engine innards...

MTL_4runner

When I was a mechanic we used ATF and water to remove engine carbon deposits on carb'd engines but we never used ATF on EFI engines because of the sensors. Anyone know if ATF is sensor safe?

SoCal4Running

I used to run red-dye in my CUCV and my diesel mechanic told me that the dye is so strong that even if you didnt use it anymore it would still make the fuel look red. He told me to just say its tranny fluid if I got in a accident and the fuel tank ruptured.

corvettelvr73

I thought ATF had a cleaning agent in it. This cleaning agent should keep it from gumming up in the injectors. also if you run your engine every day then it shouldnt have time to sit and gum the injectors up. Just my .02 cents.

Mossback74

MSDS for ATF (if any one cares)

I was trying to compare composition but got distracted with the whole Toluene/Xylene thing, but that's a diffrent discusion for a diffrent thread

Interesting fuel chemistry read

Amkeer

Moss,

Good read! Thanks...

corvettelvr73

Yes great information. Thanks