Ok I got it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

BTW- I know about wet clutches, I race motocross aswell... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I have to dosagree and to side with islandracer, for a number of reasons:

1. The first reason is that "mechanics have been using ... 50 years...". Well, not a good argument. Mechanics have been doing countless stupid things last 50 years. Especially on the dealerships. Especially - on the Isuzu dealerships <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

2. ATF was designed for the transmissions, engine oil was designed for engines, engine flush fluids was designed to flush engines. This is quite strange to assume that we can discover better fluids than specially designed fluids. Well, you can discover that you particulary like the taste of mustard in the cofee, but I doubt that this is good for everybody...

3. The last and the most important problem is that I have an experience with this method, and it proved to be very dangerous. On my old Mercury Marquis 1985 with 3.8 Ford engine, I used 1QT of ATF, once, to clean the engine before the oil change. After about 10 miles of the driving with the ATF in the crankcase, I felt something strange, I stopped and I discovered rather large metal particles (about 1/16" - 1/8") on the engine oil dipstick. I immediately changed the oil, but the engine had never been as good as before the ATF "treatment".

Why not use synthetic oil ? You will never need to play with dangerous substances to flush the engine. Use Mobil1 (or else) and forget about the engine oil passages cleaning.

Oleg

Well, I've been using the automatic tranny fluid for quite a while... based on my fathers recommendation. Just incase you don't know, my father is Jerry Lemond. He's used this method for as long as I can remember and has never had any ill effects. As an Isuzu factory person for the last 23 years and a Master ASE tech for the past 30 somthing years, I think I'll stick with his recommendations.



Apparently, you don't know what is contained in engine flush treament chemicals or as you call them "specially designed fluids." Most all engine flush chemicals are mineral spirits or kerosene with some other detergents added in... Last time I checked, mineral spirits and kerosene wasn't designed to be used in a crankcase of an engine either.



I would have to say that is a coincidence. Inside of 10 miles you lost 1/8" pieces of the motor? I highly doubt that was caused by your tranny fluid, UNLESS you went with straight tranny fluid and had no oil left in it... even then I would find it hard to belive that was the cause.
I have three vehicles, 2 '89 Isuzu's and 1 '91 Isuzu and all have over 230,000 miles and each one has had the tranny fluid flush every 4th oil change and there is absolutely no ill effects... None of the three use oil and run just as strong as ever.

well, you did not convince me by your arguments. Using your approach, both urine and cofee are just water with some other detergents added in... but you cannot interchange them and you cannot argue that while it is OK to consume a cup of cofee, this is quite unusual to consume urine...

Regards,
Oleg

And that's fine. As I stated before, if you wish not to do this procedure, that's fine... it's up to you...
But, on your note, I CAN indeed argue that it is not OK to consume coffee. There has been evidence in the medical field that the caffine in coffee is addictive and has shown to cause cancer in laboratory rats. Granted, you could argue that same argument about any other food or drink that we indulge in our daily lives, but the fact is that it has been show and I CAN argue that it's not ok to drink.

On a second note, you state that it's quite unusal to consume a cup of urine. Well, again, that would be true in OUR society, but there are societies in the world that do find it a practice to consume their urine. Granted, to you and I, that is revolting and disgusting. How healty is it? Well, that's another argument, but like I said, in some other societies, it is not usual.

Oh yeah, urine is quite acidic by nature. I'm sure adding a quart of that to your oil would in fact clean the internals of your engine, however I'm skeptical of its lubrication abilities.
Take care! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

ATF is a great cleaner. Every get really dirty hands, rubs some ATF on them, they will get cleaner, though still slick with oil. Those 5 minute flushes that you buy are mainly just kerosene. Every smell some fuel injector cleaners? They also smell the same way. But what will lube the motor better while you are doing the flush? Kerosene or ATF? ATF is designed to keep the passsages of the transmission clean and clear, as well as keep everything inside of it lubed up. 10 miles of driving with 1 quart of atf in an oil with 4 quarts of oil will not produce those effects. That kind of damage would occur with little to no oil in the crankcase, or using the wrong oil. The way I look at it, ATF will be much safer to use than those flushes. But those flushes are meant to be run for 5-10 minutes, then change the oil. If I ran the ATF, i would run for 20 minutes or so.

Dan

holger~ thanks for the backup!
However, it seems we all have our own techniques and methods of engine management. Wether we agree or not on different methods, it's up to you if you want to give it a try. I'm sure if it works for you then you'll obviously stand by it as a mechanic. Ain't this stuff great!! Wheel on guys <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

BTW- Coffee + Urine = Coffin~ A wooden or mixed material box that you'll be put in after you drink this stuff <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

I appreciate everyone's response on this subject. It's good to see that there is a lot of passion out there about these things. Thanks!