[Dmatz]

Jimmy

That is very helpful and spot on what Newell told me. Thanks

[Yachts]

I'll refill the filter and see if I can get rid of the air in it

[Richard]

Doug, I don't use additives for the fuel on a routine basis. I do use ATF to fill fuel filters when I change them. I do use about 24 ounces of coffee in the mornings and about 12 ounces of beer in the evenings for personal fuel maintenance. I have found that more beer in the evenings requires more coffee the next morning, but that's just my data.

[bikestuff]

So I will bite....why ATF? Is it because you can buy a bottle to carry with you? Or is there some other property that makes it good to fill the filter with. Will the engine actually burn ATF? Inquiring minds...

Also, I think that this would make a good technical discussion at the next rally. We could all go to Marc's coach and change out his fuel filter.

[Richard]

Pure ATF will burn cleanly in a diesel engine. It is low viscosity and high detergent, so it has been used to clean injectors. ATF because you can carry it in a sealed and clean container. When you fill the filter, you can fill the "clean" side, so you  don't want to take a chance on putting contaminated fuel on the downstream side of the filter.

It is an old school truck driver trick.

Diesels were originally designed to burn about any mid weight hydrocarbon including kerosene, coal oil, and vegetable oil. Of course today, the electronic control systems aren't really designed to handle that range of fuels. Some of them aren't compatible with the engine or fuel system seals and hoses. There is a known issue with people using biofuel for the first time and it really messing up the system. The reason is that the biofuel is a solvent for some gunk that diesel is not. When you put it in an older system it dissolves the gunk and puts it right in the injectors. You could burn used motor oil in the diesel if you had a way of removing the additives and particulate. It's not really cost effective though. 

[Ozarkguy]

ATF is a "Old School" method, ez to carry, pretty well accepted in the older mechanical injector engines, some discussion of lube value and cleaning.. Later engines some disagreement of the value.. Dextron is mostly mineral based and burns, tho you will see a bit of smoke for a sec.... Ripe for discussion...

[bikestuff]

Thanks!

I did a little research and think this may be fodder for a flame war. So I don't want to discuss the merits...but after driving 60,000 miles in my coach and never really looked at the fuel filter....I think its time to do a little "learnin"!

I let Newell do the fuel filter during annual maintenance and am not sure what their technique is. All I know it that my Cat has cranked every time I have tried and the only time I get "vibration" is when I drive on rough roads! (knock on wood).

[Richard]

Bill,

I don't see any reason for flaming. The fuel filter is unlike the engine oil filter in my opinion. If the fuel is clean, then theoretically you would never have to change it. Diesel isn't supposed to have any inherent contaminants to remove. So, changing on a periodic basis is mostly insurance against having to change it on the road. However, you can get a batch of contaminated diesel or the tank can grow an algae crop that could cause you to go through a number of filters rapidly until you clean it up.

Your practice is working. You might want to put a filter or two on board with a couple of quarts of ATF just in case you do get a plugged filter.

[folivier]

And there my friends is the 'gurus version of a flame war!

[encantotom]

hey, we are a mild bunch....

if you go research putting atf in fuel filters for diesels, the majority says dont do it for the newer diesels. i personally dont do it for my powerstroke because i dont need to. i do it for my series 60 though....

tom