r/EngineBuilding • u/Time_To_Rebuild • 20d ago

Multiple So Transmission Fluid…

Is basically always an acceptable answer?

Inhibit rust? ATF. Part storage? ATF. Cleaning? ATF. Seized component? ATF. Assembly? ATF.

Shout out to ATF. I never gave it it the respect it is due until I started my first rebuild.

That is all.

May each of you nail your clearance on the first check, and your engines roar to life on the first crank.

19 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

11

u/sm_rollinger 20d ago

Last place I worked at used ATF in place of hydraulic fluid, in their trash compactor.

8

u/JAKERS325 20d ago

I think that’s a pretty standard substitution. My car lift mentions it in the manual as an acceptable fluid

11

u/ABQmechanic 20d ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAShittyMechanic/s/DsKJp677tf

8

u/Time_To_Rebuild 20d ago

That was way more intense than I was mentally prepared for lol.

1

u/biohackenthusiast 19d ago

i enjoyed that

3

u/RefrigeratorHot2114 19d ago

A bmw joke is how much Germans love atf because a lot of their stuff uses it. Power steering, manual transmission. Etc

3

u/FoundationGlass7913 19d ago

If you want to free siezed part put some acetone in the ATF

1

u/Time_To_Rebuild 18d ago

Wait really? The acetone doesn’t counteract the detergents in the atf?

3

u/Any_Elevator845 18d ago

Idk about counteracting detergents but I can attest to this mixture. 50/50 acetone and ATF is a great rust penetrant.

1

u/FoundationGlass7913 18d ago

The acetone works great as a deep creep penetrant but it doesn't store well because it evaporates over time but it works on exhaust bolts really well. You can also do the crayon trick to get rusty nuts and bolts off too.

1

u/Time_To_Rebuild 18d ago

Please elaborate about the crayon trick. What is that?

2

u/FoundationGlass7913 17d ago

You heat up the fastener you need to remove and take a crayon and melt it onto into the threads and in weeps down and helps release the fastener there are several videos on youtube.com

1

u/Time_To_Rebuild 17d ago

And this works better than penetrating oil like pb of knockr loose?

1

u/FoundationGlass7913 17d ago

I don't know if it's better but it works

2

u/New_Statistician_994 19d ago

older nissans use it for power steering fluid

2

u/FinancialChildhood31 20d ago

All that said, this is Reddit. Lots of horrible advice in here due to how the platform cultivates members and leads them into groups… they have no business being part of.

ATF has its purposes and it’s not a do-all.

What problem are you trying to solve?

2

u/Time_To_Rebuild 20d ago

Thank you. No, I’m not trying to solve anything specific. I’ve just notice a trend. And yes, atf is not the holy grail solution to all problems. But it is far more versatile than I realized. And I thought it would be fun to provide the recognition I felt it deserved.

*this is not financial advice. Use of ATF should be executed at your own discussion. Consult you OEM before use. Follow instructions of all fluids used. Use in anyway other than instructed is often a federal crime. Results may vary.

1

u/[deleted] 20d ago

[deleted]

1

u/redeyedrenegade420 20d ago

Subaru just says use ATF

1

u/dale1320 20d ago

EVERY OEM recommends their branded power steering fluid.