[Vwdiesel] ATF as an additive???

[Mary Beth and Chris Geiser]

Interesting story about "Power Services" diesel conditioner (okay, maybe
just a little bit interesting):  The Bosch service place near me sells
their brand of fuel conditioner / pump lubricant - called E-Zoil Diesel
Aid.  The guy there sold me on it the first time I brought a pump in
with a main shaft leak.  

I used that for a number of years, then one day saw Power Services stuff
at Fleet Farm for cheaper than the above stuff.  Said it lubed the pump,
so I tried it for a while.  I work in the medical field, so I use a
syringe to add the right amount every fill up.  Never had a problem with
the first stuff, but with Power Services additive, the rubber on the end
of the syringe would swell and become useless after a few times.
Eventually the stop solenoid on my Vanagon started to stick so it would
either not start, or keep running with the key off until I knocked it
with a hammer.  I replaced the first one, but the new one did the same
thing after a few months - lightbulb came on and I switched back to the
first stuff and the stop solenoid problem went away.

I am saving the Power Systems stuff just in case I ever get a pump leak
that I want to swell the rubber on though...

Chris



-----Original Message-----
From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
On Behalf Of Doyt W. Echelberger
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 10:48 AM
To: Gerry Wolfe
Cc: Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] ATF as an additive???

Hello Gerry.....I admit to being one of the ATF users, but I don't 
recommend it, and I don't use it regularly....only about once a year,
for a 
specific reason: Several times in the past 3 years my turbodiesel
injector 
pump displayed a leak that dribbled fuel out of the little rubber nipple

that empties the turbo boost enrichment module of the pump (upper right
top 
of pump, standing ibn front of bumper facing the engine.)

A quart of ATF in the fuel tank caused the gaskets/O-rings/whatever in
the 
pump to swell up enough that the leak totally stopped. The fix lasted
about 
a year, and then I had to do it again. So, it is a one-tank trip with 
whatever unfavorable additives that arrive with the ATF.

My injector pump still works after several such fixes, and I haven't had
to 
have it rebuilt yet, which is the only other way I know of to stop a 
leak.  I figured that the worst case would be that the ATF wouldn't work

and I would being paying 300-400 for a rebuild anyhow, so why not try
it?

I'm sure the fix will only last about a year on my car, and I will have
to 
do it again, and I'm not sure how many times the pump will respond in a 
positive fashion to the swelling agent, or how long it will take for the

friction additives to cause some damage, so the test continues.

I will report the results annually.

I do admit to using the 2-stroke oil now and then, but more as an 
experimental thing, just to see if I can detect any benefits.  I have
been 
using "PowerServices  DieselKleen + cetane boost" in almost every tank
this 
winter. Seems to make the engine start and run a little smoother, or
allows 
me to imagine such a result. Who knows? I should probably get a TDI and
put 
my poor old Jetta out to pasture. Gad, what an incredible car that has 
been. It deserves an honorable retirement.

Doyt Echelberger
Ohio   USA    85 Jetta TD

 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At 10:51 AM 2/10/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>I'm seeing people recommending use of ATF as an additive to diesel
fuel... 
>prob'ly as a "good thing" for the pump and/or injectors.
>
>My understanding is that ATF contains additive(s) to increase friction,

>prob'ly for the torque convertor or whatever.  Wouldn't this defeat the

>purpose?
>
>What about using 2-stroke oil mixed with Stanadyne, equal ratios.
Seems 
>to me the 2-stroke oil would be a better choice.  Ashless, designed as
a 
>lubricant, yadda yadda.
>
>Just my $0.02Cdn...
>G.

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