recycling ATF: Foolish or go for it ?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I recently opened the drain plug on the tranny of my 2005 Toyota Matrix with 220K miles. According to the maintenance records I got from the previous owner, The tranny was serviced (fluid and filter changed) at 180k mi.

So anyway, 3.5 qt's of fairly good looking/smelling ATF came out into my very clean drain pan. I replaced that with the correct new ATF. I plan on doing this again, as my two part redneck ATF fluid change.

The question is ?
Do I use this as a boolit lube ingrediant or Ed's Red or just general lubrication use around the garage ?

OR just recycle it with my used motor oil ?

If I do reuse it, should I just let any particles settle and syphon off the top or should I heat it up and pour it through a coffee filter ?

In the past, I have saved certain 'lightly' used synthethic motor oil, for use in junker lawn mower motors and such, and it is surprising how much particle/stuff will settle in 6 months from oil that looked fairly good when drained.

[35remington]

Can't imagine metal particles in ATF help barrels when in lube. I suppose they can be filtered out.

I know a guy that recycles lubricant used in semis, and they use it gallons at a time, where the cost factor comes into play. With ATF being 6 bucks a quart, and only having a mere 3.5 quarts in there, I can't imagine you're saving a lot recycling it. This musta been for a four banger tranny judging from the volume.

Lubricant just gets dirty. Filter it and like the guy renovating semi crankcase oil you could slap a new warranty on it if all the particulates were filtered out. If you reuse it for anything, for me it's for general lube around the garage. I'd still run it through a filter to get the metal bits out and some of the other waste products.

[runfiverun]

i think I'd do the settle, skim and filter thing.
don't cook it, you'll burn off the carriers.

it is still useful as a general lubricant and as a penetrating oil when mixed with acetone.
it should make ed's red just fine too.
if it hasn't seen temps over 200-f or so in the tranny it Is still good.

[osteodoc08]

I'd use it to clean nasty chains in. Nothing more. It's not worth using contaminated/used ATF for me.

[Bigslug]

Given the cost of new ATF, how little of it is used in a batch of typical lube, how far you can go with that batch of lube, and the somewhat unknown state of used, I would regard used ATF as an emergency lube ingredient best reserved for the Zombie Apocalypse. For day-to-day operations - false economy.

[geargnasher]

I keep a 5-gallon bucket with sealed pour-spout lid for similar things I get from work, too new to waste but too questionable to use as a new oil. This keeps my drill bits lubed, etc. Yes, there is a black film on the bottom, which ought to tell us something.

Gear

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

OK, that's good to know,
when I get to cleaning up the garage on that first sunny 40º day here in Minnesota, probably late March :( and I come across that gallon jug, I'll find room in my oil storage cabinet and save it for general lubrication...and find a squirt can for it also :)

[freebullet]

It burns real good in a drip waste oil heater. Mmm toasty.

Make one of them and smelt over it. That's like triple recycling.

[Dan Cash]

For gosh sakes, if the price of three quarts of ATF makes a difference to you, you probably can't afford to cast and shoot. Take the used oil and poour it around the edge of your garden shed or garage to keep the weeds away.

[geargnasher]

If it's Toyota ATF that's a pound of powder, at today's prices. Waste not, want not.

Gear

[Horace]

For gosh sakes, if the price of three quarts of ATF makes a difference to you, you probably can't afford to cast and shoot. Take the used oil and poour it around the edge of your garden shed or garage to keep the weeds away.
Not in the last 30 years here behind "The Redwood Curtain" of the left coast.

Horace

[popper]

It keeps the bugs out also but the EPA says it is illegal. Had a friend long ago that used a large dia. cotton rope in both containers to filter stuff from the field oil. He used it in his truck. Higher dirty oil siphoned and cleaned into lower jug. Rope held all the contaminants. For making Ed's Red - works fine, just dry patch afterwords.

[jonp]

If it's Toyota ATF that's a pound of powder, at today's prices. Waste not, want not.

Gear
Price Honda duel gear oil and atf. I just did my 1997 crv

[bhn22]

3.5 quarts? I take it you didn't drain the converter so all the old ATF got replaced?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

3.5 quarts? I take it you didn't drain the converter so all the old ATF got replaced?

I believe my Matrix holds around 7 qts total, I didn't drain the converter.
As stated in the OP, this was the first part of "my two part redneck ATF fluid change."

[jeepyj]

I add it to my used motor oil and use it for annual undercoat of my dad's old truck. Anything I can do to prolong the old GMC from the salt is well worth it.
jeepyj

[bhn22]

I believe my Matrix holds around 7 qts total, I didn't drain the converter.
As stated in the OP, this was the first part of "my two part redneck ATF fluid change."


You might check on something. Often, the converter isn't sealed from the transmission, and oil from the converter cycles through the transmission. If this is the case with your Toyota, your new oil is already mixed with the old oil in the converter.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

You might check on something. Often, the converter isn't sealed from the transmission, and oil from the converter cycles through the transmission. If this is the case with your Toyota, your new oil is already mixed with the old oil in the converter.
Oh, I'm sure it is mixed.

[LaPoint]

Use it after you let it settle out. You could also pour it through a coffee filter or a milker filter to get the big chunks first. Pour it over a magnet to get any ferrous particles out of it. If you want to get really nuts, run it through a centerfuge to get it really clean.

LaPoint

[Oreo]

I say burn it in drip-waste oil heater. I can't imagine needing that much general purpose oil around a home garage/shop. Reusing it in an engine/tranny is definitely false economy. Even using it in boolit lube is questionable at best imo.

[freebullet]

You can also make a small inexpensive forge to burn it and your used oil.

[Blanco]

Every other oil change I run a small hose into the filler tube of my Tahoe's transmission and use a hand pump to get about 2 quarts or trans fluid. Kinda like your redneck version. Almost 250 K and no issues.

[WRideout]

For gosh sakes, if the price of three quarts of ATF makes a difference to you, you probably can't afford to cast and shoot. Take the used oil and poour it around the edge of your garden shed or garage to keep the weeds away.

I save enough money hunting, that casting and reloading is a net gain. (so I tell my wife.)
Wayne

[facetious]

For all the things that ATF is used for other than putting it in your trany I have all ways wondered just what it is made of that that makes it so good for every thing?

[freebullet]

My redneck understanding is that it's a hydraulic fluid.

So it Proly contains oil, corrosion/foam inhibitors, solvents, carriers, binders, and maybe detergents. That goes for all except dodge whom uses a special blend to make sure the tranny breaks every other day.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

What I can tell you with 100% accuracy, it sucks real bad when you drop a tranny pan and most misses your drain pan. Especially when your truck holds 14 quarts.

[fredj338]

You need so little atf for bullet lube, just don't see the point.

[Budzilla 19]

Can't see any reasons for reusing ATF when you change it. Isn't that the reason for changing the fluid in the first place? BTW freebullet, if you use Amsoil in your dodge tranny, no problems from the fluid!!! IMO, only, throw it away at the nearest oil change shop!!! They will probably take it as most shops,(mine included), have somebody who shows up monthly to get it for free!! I got paid to change it, so why do I want to keep it? As far as using for shop lube, no. Can't beat 50/50 Marvel Mystery Oil and good ole WD-40!!!!! My 2 cents.



Sorry, I got off track! To make the best boolit lube for the best boolits, use only the best ingredients!!!!!

[Cmm_3940]

Recycling ATF - reassign them to guard our southern border? Nah, That's probably a bad idea too. [smilie=s:

[NavyVet1959]

The ATF should be neither recycled nor reused. They are a blatant violation of the 2nd Amendment and should be disposed of by any means necessary.







Ohhh.... The other acronym... Never mind...

[Black Powder Bill]

Go synthetic, change your filters annually, then top off the level. Use the ATF to burn in the shop stove or give to a recycling center.

I use to take my Royal Purple out of the truck after 12,000 miles and use it in my mower engines.

[DLCTEX]

I think some are confusing Ed's Red, a gun cleaning solvent, with Ben's Red, a good boolit lube. I make and use both. I would have no concern about using settled and skimmed then filtered transmission fluid in Ed's Red.

[6bg6ga]

If you want to filter it and use then go for it. ATF is a very good lubricant and can even be used in place of motor oil in an emergency if you don't have regular oil. A pint to a qt of it in your crankcase at every oil change will clean your engine and prolong engine life. Don't throw it away...use it.

[nanuk]

clean it using the old rope trick

do not heat it

collect it in a clean container, pour in some additives and put it back into the auto trannies of older trucks.

oil doesn't go bad, but the additives need to be refreshed.

[triggerhappy243]

I always wondered why there is not a threaded drain plug in the tranny pan.

[mold maker]

A drain plug would make the planned obsolescence factor go away. They have to get you back into the shop somehow. Most owners will change oil, but not tranny fluid, because of having to drop the pan.
In other words, Bean counters at work.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I always wondered why there is not a threaded drain plug in the tranny pan.
My Toyota Matrix has a threaded drain plug...hence the reason I started this thread.

[nanuk]

I have heard of cars with huge amounts of miles, having nearly perfect condition ATF, and perfectly clean filters/innerds.

the issue is how hard you drive them, and the heat build up.

a daily driver with an easy life will last a LONG time.

a small sporty car driven by a young girl, not so much.

full sized 1/2T being used as a 1T towing vehicle will burn out trannies in short order.

[Budzilla 19]

Nanuk,want to test your ATF? Bolt on about 200 plus horsepower on your diesel truck engine, leave the transmission in stock form, and find out REAL quick about ATF and transmission life!! Heat is the killer like you said. (Ask me how I know this info). $5057 for a bomb proof transmission behind Dodge Cummins hot rod! You know, boys and toys!! Sorry, back on subject now, I don't reuse ATF in transmissions,I guess OP can do whatever he sees fit to with his used ATF,which was the original question. Thanks for letting me express my opinions.

[NavyVet1959]

One thing I do know... If you power steering pump is squealing late at night and you decide to top it off in the dark parking lot of a Wal-Mart or wherever, be REALLY sure that you're putting it in the power steering reservoir and not the brake fluid reservoir. It can be an expensive mistake if you do that and don't discover it until the brakes lock up. :(

[GoodOlBoy]

When I was a kid there was a shelf in my great grandad's garage. On top was a coffee can full of "burnt" oil. A old hemp rope hung from inside it, down over the edge, and down just over a bucket on the floor. Any old burnt oil went in the top bucket and eventually "clean" oil made it's way down the rope to the bucket on the floor. This oil from the floor bucket was used for everything from chainsaw bar and chain oil, to door hinge oil, and in a pinch was even used as oil again. I don't see why ATF fluid couldn't be done in a similar faishion to "clean" it.

GoodOlBoy

[opos]

Heavy duty utility trailer bed with 2x6 raw wood flooring..mop it down with used oil and atf to weather proof it...ugly but the wood will l last forever.

[NavyVet1959]

Back on the ranch, we used to take used motor oil and mix it with some sort of insect repellent and then pour it over burlap sacks that were draped over and wired to a chain that was spread between two gate posts so that the cattle could go under it to get rid of the flies that liked to pester them.

[Garyshome]

I've got some new stuff left over from the last tranny I replaced which is in my 05 focus.
Cheap SOB's

[454PB]

My uncle was a redneck rancher. Once while I was out near his corral, I saw a pile of oil soaked toilet paper rolls. I asked what that was about, he told me they were used oil filters from his pickup. He said he never changed oil, he just changed the "filter" every year or so. His old truck ran just fine.

[jonp]

Voted for #4. Not just because we spell our first name the same but because I've also run some through coffee filters. I'm pretty tight, too

[jonp]

Best way to keep posts from rotting is to dig a hole, set the post in some gravel and pour in some oil then finish topping the hole off. Dont tell EPA you did this.

[dkf]

I didn't realize guys used ATF for bullet lube. I had 22 quarts I drained out of my truck last year. The farmer got all of it to burn in his heaters.

[jonp]

One thing I do know... If you power steering pump is squealing late at night and you decide to top it off in the dark parking lot of a Wal-Mart or wherever, be REALLY sure that you're putting it in the power steering reservoir and not the brake fluid reservoir. It can be an expensive mistake if you do that and don't discover it until the brakes lock up. :(

HAHAHAHA...you want to know expensive? Add windshield washer fluid to the DEF tank on a Semi by mistake.

[BAGTIC]

All of the above.

[DerekP Houston]

3.5 quarts? I take it you didn't drain the converter so all the old ATF got replaced?

For my honda and other toyotas a full ATF change is no longer recommended. Drain and fill 3.5 qts depending on your usage/wear. The power machines are still at the dealerships for transmission flush even though honda/acura recommends against it. I've used the left overs to spot kill invasive weeds in the driveway not epa friendly. If I drain and its really clean looking i'll filter and pour it back in...I just go by the color of the oil I drain out.

[TenTea]

Accelerant for a large bonfire...or possibly to get a pile of tires alight for Earth Day!

161908



:kidding:

[harvester]

Chain saw bar lube for when you run out of real stuff.

[William Yanda]

My uncle was a redneck rancher. Once while I was out near his corral, I saw a pile of oil soaked toilet paper rolls. I asked what that was about, he told me they were used oil filters from his pickup. He said he never changed oil, he just changed the "filter" every year or so. His old truck ran just fine.

My dad operated a service station in a college town. One of the penny pinching professors showed him a TP oil filter and asked his opinion. His reply: "I don't wipe with filter paper either!"

My opinion; As far as micron filtering capability is concerned-subject to confirmation-, with regard to the pressure bypass feature, totally missing in the TP filter. Also MIA is the spin-off feature, standard in automotive filters since the '50's.

[trapper9260]

I didn't realize guys used ATF for bullet lube. I had 22 quarts I drained out of my truck last year. The farmer got all of it to burn in his heaters.

I use some ATF in the bullet lube I make. It is not much so I just buy a qt. of it and that is it.I have some one else change my tranny for me.

[Bmi48219]

Anyone ever really try to burn ATF? We used to use it as coolant for diamond core drilling through concrete under a live iron furnace, when you didn't know how close you were drilling to the molten iron. It wouldn't steam like water. The drillers said it had to hit over 850 F to burn. Never tried it myself. I remember in the 70's the GM mechanics I worked with said it was the same and interchangeable with power steering fluid. I've never had any issues putting used ATF in the bar lube resevoir on my Stihl 015 and have used the same bar & chains for ever.

[DerekP Houston]

That is great to know as I have a few old qt's sitting around and a chainsaw with no bar oil.

[toallmy]

I mix motor oil and transmission fluid for bar oil all winter cutting my firewood , I re-use motor oil but not transmission fluid . But transmission fluid in a bucket will clean up some cruddy metals just soaking in it . If you save a buck you have a buck .

[DougGuy]

If it don't look dark and smell bad? It AIN'T bad...

[mdi]

Not in the last 30 years here behind "The Redwood Curtain" of the left coast.

Horace
Yep, big time fines for "polluting". I sold some property in LA county and an "inspection" by the EPA was mandatory. In one and one quarter acres this guy dug 40 holes about 12"-16" deep and took samples. He found motor oil (of course he found oil, I parked 4 rubbish trucks there for prolly 25 years) and I had to have the area where it was found cleaned up by a certified Haz-Mat contractor, $$$$$!

[NavyVet1959]

Yep, big time fines for "polluting". I sold some property in LA county and an "inspection" by the EPA was mandatory. In one and one quarter acres this guy dug 40 holes about 12"-16" deep and took samples. He found motor oil (of course he found oil, I parked 4 rubbish trucks there for prolly 25 years) and I had to have the area where it was found cleaned u by a certified Haz-Mat contractoe, $$$$$!

And people wonder why land is so expensive in Kalifornia... Duhh....

[mold maker]

Where I grew up all used motor oil was applied to keep down dust on the roads. Wonder how the EPA would fix that.

[pdumont01]

Used ATF burns really good in ford 7.3powerstrokes cut it with
Half diesel fuel.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[mdi]

Where I grew up all used motor oil was applied to keep down dust on the roads. Wonder how the EPA would fix that.
In CA you would be required to remove the "polluted" earth to as much a 4' below the surface. The offending earth would be put in drums and hauled away to a certified Ha-Mat dump. All done by a licensed Haz-Mat contractor, at your cost of course...

I worked for the City of L.A. and even city governments aren't free from the EPA. One site/yard used by the Power section was inspected and determined to be polluted by diesel fuel and transformer oil (60-70 trucks were parked there daily, and fueled on site, and many carried old, used transformers, some that leaked). The 12 acre site had to have 4 ft. of earth removed and replaced with "clean dirt". It took the city over 8 months to do this clean up...

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I think it was about 10 or 15 years ago, the State of MN mandated all gas stations have double or triple lined underground tanks. It took several years for all the gas stations to comply. When the old rusty single lined tanks were removed, the soil needed to be tested, if there was petroleum found in the dirt, the contaminated soil needed to be removed and dealt with. Now you can imagine how much of this contaminated soil there was with all the gas stations in the state replacing their tanks. One of the contractors, who had a license to do this work (Stewart Energy), is near Glencoe. A friend of mine works there. The owner, started this business on a farm site, and still lives there, He also owns a lot of excellent quality farmland.

He was paid by the State to take all the contaminated soil in our area ...and here is what he did with the contaminated soil, with a special permit from the State, He spread it on a one of his 160 acre corn fields, upto, but not exceeding 6" deep . He was to Plow it at least once a year, but no more than twice a year. He planted corn, the third year and there were no noticed ill effects, the corn harvest was same/similar as nearby fields. He made millions and millions of dollars on that deal.

[DerekP Houston]

In CA you would be required to remove the "polluted" earth to as much a 4' below the surface. The offending earth would be put in drums and hauled away to a certified Ha-Mat dump. All done by a licensed Haz-Mat contractor, at your cost of course...

I worked for the City of L.A. and even city governments aren't free from the EPA. One site/yard used by the Power section was inspected and determined to be polluted by diesel fuel and transformer oil (60-70 trucks were parked there daily, and fueled on site, and many carried old, used transformers, some that leaked). The 12 acre site had to have 4 ft. of earth removed and replaced with "clean dirt". It took the city over 8 months to do this clean up...

So...in another year you'll have the exact same mess on the "clean dirt" on that 12 acre site? Seems like that would contaminate an even greater area in my mind. I know city vehicles around here are maintained just enough to keep them running, so leaks and spills are bound to happen eventually.

[303Guy]

Where I grew up all used motor oil was applied to keep down dust on the roads. Wonder how the EPA would fix that.
I made the observation that grass grew really well in soil contaminated with used motor oil. The dirty oil would kill existing grass but new grass growing in from the sides did very well. I suspect it held moisture better.

[Traffer]

As long as it isn't burned (discolored), let it settle and use it for anything you want. I would even put it back in the dang car. (My Honda ATF Costs $14 a quart) I let it in there too long and it is kind of brown. I sure with I hadn't done that. Honda transmissions are delicate and I don't want to replace it. It is slipping a tiny bit now when I first start out. The guy at the parts store said it was from the new ATF that Honda is forcing us to use. It is fully synthetic as opposed to their old stuff which was semi synthetic or so they say. I will tell you one thing though. The super thin fully synthetic ATF is amazing stuff for cleaning. It works way better than regular ATF. It is all I use now for cleaning guns. Oh, I don't call transmissions "tranny's" anymore. It has become such a disgusting word lately.

[Traffer]

Hah! When I was in high school (in the 60's) I had a friend who's dad started a junk yard in their back yard. It was a wonderful place for a kid to grow up. I hung out there a lot. Anyway, I asked him why his dad started a junk yard as he didn't work on cars and really didn't even know anything about cars. To my surprise he said that his dad thought that if he let the cars rust there for 10 or 15 years it would make the soil grow stuff like crazy. He believed it. Maybe it's true. It is hard to think that battery acid antifreeze oil and transmission fluid would be good for the soil though.

I made the observation that grass grew really well in soil contaminated with used motor oil. It dirty oil would kill existing grass but new grass growing in from the sides did very well. I suspect it held moisture better.

[Shiloh]

Buy it new. I'ts cheap.

Shiloh

[popper]

grass grew really well in soil contaminated with used motor oil Kills weeds and bugs too. La. used kerosene type compound to kill off mosquitoes and cudsu. EPA won't let us pour it around the foundation anymore to get rid of pests. Do note that antifreeze attracts termites.

[solderboy]

I would think for the price, buying new fresh ATF would be the smart route.

[NavyVet1959]

grass grew really well in soil contaminated with used motor oil Kills weeds and bugs too. La. used kerosene type compound to kill off mosquitoes and cudsu. EPA won't let us pour it around the foundation anymore to get rid of pests. Do note that antifreeze attracts termites.

Well, we also used to spray the dirt roads with a used motor oil mixture to keep down the dust and people in town would just dump their used motor oil in the storm drains... Things sure have changed...

[mcdaniel.mac]

Well, we also used to spray the dirt roads with a used motor oil mixture to keep down the dust and people in town would just dump their used motor oil in the storm drains... Things sure have changed...
Yeah, turns out that's not great for the environment, and not great for people when the dust starts picking up. The only thing that changed is that we know more.

[Silverboolit]

The EPA has fits if it sees any oil spilled on the ground. How do they react when they see thousands of miles of black top/asphalt roads. Isn't asphalt a mixture of oil and other stuff?