has any one ever heard of filling up your fuelfilter with atf when you change the filter. i was told that it gives you a instant tune up. does this work. is this gonna mess up my truck??

 

Leave the ATF for transmissions. I usually pump my filters full after I put them on. Too much of a chance of pouring 'dirty' fluids into the clean side of the filter.

 

what if the atf is clean and brand new i know that it will smoke abunch but am i gonna blow up a pump??

 

atf can have friction modifiers which is what makes the clutches grab each other.

 

I would take note of whoever told you that and remember to never ask them anything about your truck ever again. The ATF, Power Service, whatever in the fuel filter practice supposes to lube the injection pump. Which it does - for about 5 seconds. Why not run something the fuel all the time and have the pump lubed all the time?

 

You CAN put ATF in your filter with no problem.

The subject as to weather or not it is safe to use ATF in the filter, or in the fuel tank as an additive in general, is a very dead horse that just about everyone has taken a swing at. People say they have run USED ATF for years and thousands and thousands of miles with no problem. Others say the friction modifiers for the clutches in an AT found in ATF can potentially damage the pump. It makes sense but Im no scientist or engineer. I dont run ATF, at least not exclusively, because it will turn your fuel red and nothing will make a highway patrolman more excited than dipping your tank and finding red colored fuel inside. That’s my main reason for NOT running it.

As for an instant tune-up...I dont think so.
If your injectors are dirty, run an injector cleaner through it(Power Service, AmsOil, ect...) Try that along with hooking up to a nice heavy trailer and drag it around with some heavy throttle to clean those injectors out.

Your best and cheapest bet for a fuel additive is TCW-3 2-stroke oil. Add 1-oz per gallon in your fuel tank and it’ll work great for priming your fuel filter.

 

You can run it, but I wouldn't. First the red-dye shows up five seven tanks later and you get fined. Second the properties in ATF aren't helpful for fuel filters. Third it's a waste of money. No it does not tune up your engine. Diesels don't need tune ups - if you need to clean your injectors - put a bottle of the Chevron injector cleaner in the tank and drive it clean.

 

I do it just so I don't have to bleed out the system when changing filters. My father-n-law runs straight used ATF during the summer. I don't think it will give you any performance gains however...

 

So It Is Safe And Im Not Gonna Melt My Truck To The Ground

 

My pump shop said that they can tell a pump has been run on ATF by all the Gum and stuff inside the pump. Some say it is like having a tiger in the tank.

I've never tried it.

Why not put Stanadyne Lubricicity formula in that one.

 

Or why not just fill it with clean diesel fuel like Cummins tells you to?

 

All I got to say is its your pump, put whatever you want in it. The original owner of my truck put it in on a regular basis. He was a retired truck driver and lots of the old school guys put it in. I don't.

 

That's an excellent suggestion! And the best way to do that is to prime it with the lift pump so you know it's clean.

 

I'm over a half a century old and don't remember when I wasn't working on diesel trucks or farm tractors. Way back when I remember first changing fuel filters it was to use type F trans fluid in the filter. Now 40 something years later and owning whose knows what all kinds of diesel powered equipment and trucks I still use trans fluid in the fuel filters including my Dodge. Now I am told not to use it. LOL I ain't changing but I've never had any problems using ATF.

 

I have used atf in the filter numerous times. With the price of a quart today, I don't use it however. If it is handy and the motor doesn't have a hand primer I will use it still.


I was told by someone once they fill their filters with diesel conditioner, that would be a waste for sure.