Friend of mine living in PariDiSE is tryin to tell me to use ATF in the fuel Anyone ever hear od such a practice??

I would not use ATF in the fuel. There are friction modifiers in modern ATF that will chew up a fuel pump. Unless you have a real old diesel that can run on anything, don't do it.

yes

Many people have done different things in the past that they found out later where wrong,IE using leeches to help rid the body of poisons, same thing on blood letting Once the U.S. Goverment got involved in determining what comercial diesel fuel specs. are we all got the short end of the deal Pump diesel use to have 225,000 BTU per gallon in it, not anymore It was considered "dirty so they removed a bunch of the " dirty contaniments" so it now has less than 130,000 BTU per gallon As already mentioned what use to work doesn't apply now in todays world

Why did they tell you to put ATF in the fuel?

Go ahead but don't let the department of transportation find out about it. Massive Fine!

I have been selling diesel fuel and heating oil since 1983 when I entered the business. The company has been here since the 1920s selling coal first, then heating oils in the 50s and now LP gas since the 70s. I watched the diesel market take off, when I came to work here we had all international trucks with gas engines. We bought our first diesel in 1985.

I installed a new underground bulk plant for diesel fuel and gasoline in 2009. The newest in Cincinnati and one of the very few.

I have in front of me a cheat sheet that was made up in the 60s I'd say that says #2 diesel has 138000BTUs per US gallon. Propane has 91500BTUs per gallon. I have shared this information with many people over the the years when comparing heating oil to LP gas.

And I just looked and today's info still says 138000btus, so no diesel never ever had more than 138K btu since at least the 60s.

I have seen the diesel change over the years, first in 1993 we got lower sulfur diesel that helps keep the air clean. Sure it lowered the lubricates in the fuel, they were replaced at the refinery in place of the sulfur. Then some where around 2003 we got ultra low sulfur diesel with less than 15 parts per million sulfur. Even more lubricates was added to the diesel fuel at the refinery.

Needless to say I have run about 10 diesels of my own on it all this time with no trouble. Removing the sulfur does not take away the power or btus.

We do add a additive package to all of our on road diesel fuel that helps improve the diesel and make it a premium diesel and that's how we market it because it is a premium diesel with a very expensive additive. The stuff cost like 35 bucks a gallon, the additive.

All #2 oil is ultra low sulfur now, even the dyed fuel we use for heating oil, which is a good thing. Because sulfur is corrosive and when it get's mixed with condensation it becomes a acid and cause damage like rusting, corroding out the bottom of your storage tank where the water/moisture lays. So getting rid/reducing of the sulfur was a good thing.

Lastly the additive is nice and surely can't hurt, but I don't use it much in my freightliner because 75% of the diesel I buy for it comes from a truck stop somewhere out on the road and don't even burn my own diesel most of the time. Wish I could take more than 200 gallons of it with me when we go out of town with our RV. And I don't carry any additive with me because we get it in totes and it's a hassle to put it in smaller container to carry with me and to have to pour it in and not spill it or get it on me.

No I surely would not add any ATF even to a older diesel, the new ones I think you could even cause damage like said above.

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Have not heard of adding ATF to diesel fuel , but I have heard of adding one ounce of TC-W3 2 cycle oil to every gallon of diesel fuel. There is a lot of information on the web about the 2 cycle oil. I think it's moparman1973 that does a lot of the information. I ran 2 cycle oil as an additive in my old 2000 dodge diesel for 50,000 miles with absolutely no issues. Just an extra insurance if you will with the VP44 injection pump.
Matt

Guys are doing it without negative results. hard to say for sure if they are having positive results. First, ATF is red. Off road diesel is red. I've never been "dipped" by DOT, but I'd hate to put ATF in my tank and have murphy strike and get dipped, testing positive for red dye and paying a huge fine.

The theory behind adding ATF is that the oil/lubrication helps your fuel injectors longevity, that today's diesels lack the oils and lubricants needed to keep them happy.

Another option guys use a lot of is 2 cycle oil mix added to the diesel, for the same reason, that it helps injector life. I've done it 2 or 3 times, but I wouldn't do it a lot. I was getting puffs of white smoke at start up, even when temps were 75 degrees outside. I ran a few tanks with a diesel fuel additive bought at the parts store. I ran a few tanks with 2 cycle oil mix, and a 5th tank with the additive again. white smoke puff at start up has gone away.

Wouldn't that make your diesel fuel very expensive? Ounce to a gallon?

If your going to do that, why not go to the auto parts store and buy some real diesel additive?

The IRS does the checking from what I know, they have been here a few times with there clear straws.

So has the PUCU(dot) and they have never checked or said anything about the fuel.

Plus I don't know how they would check a pickup truck, the straws are not long enough for pickup tank and they have never checked my diesel pickups as they were sitting right here as they checked every saddle tank on every truck, but not one pickup truck.

Now all my smaller trucks are gasoline or LP gas powered, just like they were in the 80s. Got rid of as many diesels as I could in the last 5 years.

I have been tempted to run red dye diesel in my RV, could save .524 cents per gallon. But I honestly never have, it would be my luck that I would get checked somewhere even though I have never pulled into a weigh station anywhere. We have been checked for fruits and vegs when we enter California.

This certain guy who lives in pArAdIsE was told that the reason for the usage of the ATF add-in is jsta' that - the friction modifiers ! .... it will "clean" the pump and the injector-nozzles like nothing out-there! ...

I run a 2010 Hino and would be hesitant to add ATF with theses new Catalytic converters. Luckily, my truck is right before they changed to the PP fluid!!

Expensive? Fuel in general is expensive. 2 cycle oil at Walmart is $13.00 a gallon. So not a real big expense. If the truck holds 24 gallons I just added 24 ounces of 2 cycle oil. Those diesel additives are quite expensive as well and you have to be careful of what you run as some have a lot of alcohol in them. Those are supposed to not be good in the high pressure systems like the dura max engines and so on.
I am no expert just my personal experience of what I did. To each his own I guess.
Matt

I agree to each there own and do what works for you.

I'm thinking 13 bucks a gallon...for 2 stroke oil? Wow that's cheap, do you want cheap oil in your expensive diesel engine?

I guess when fuel gets to 1 dollar per gallon folks will still complain how expensive fuel is. lol

I discovered many years ago that the guy in paradise only thinks he knows what he was TOLD.

No first hand experience in anything that I can tell. lol

Well maybe diesel is diesel is diesel but..... The two trips I've made east with my 2010 Cummins, I started in ND at about 17 mpg. From there the mileage steadily increased. By the time I hit Ohio I was up to about 21 mpg. On the return trip by the time I got back to ND I was back to 17 mpg again. Both times. All numbers from the onboard display.

Additives can vary mileage.

I have noticed that my 92 CTD gets better economy at higher elevation. Strange but true.

You must of got a hold of some of our premium diesel! Kidding, I have no idea, did the weather get cooler to help with mileage or the load get lighter?

This guy we speak of just bought a diesel pusher motorhome and has to drive it back from Arizona.

Neither of the above. I honestly have no idea. Looking for a reason to take another trip east to see if history repeats.