General Questions on ATF

More along the lines of Hydraulic fluid with lubricants.

Find someone with a waste oil burner. The stuff burns as well as oil, and the burners have cat converters on them so it's not too tough on the environment.

ATF is mineral-based hydraulic fluid. Motor oil is generally petroleum oil.

It depends on local custom. In some places in New England, people pour the used ATF in their doors and fenders to use as rust-proofing. You can make friends with someone who works at a facility with the means to dispose of or recycle ATF, or you can check with your local government to see if they have made arrangements with a waste chemical disposal company.

I usually just add it to my used motor oil, seal the container, and give it to the recycler....

-LMB

The reason congressmen try so hard to get re-elected is that they would hate to have to make a living under the laws they've passed.

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

I thought about doing that, but was worried it would contaminate the oil and cause problems for the recycler. I'm not interested in screwing anyone over, but if I was sure it wouldn't hurt the recycler, I would probably do just that.

Thank you. Now at the risk of being a pest, what is the difference between oil and hydraulic fluid?

Cool.

Does that actually work? Wouldn't any water getting in there just sink to the bottom of the ATF and start rusting the metal, with the ATF preventing the water from evaporating so it would end up doing more damage?

Good ideas. When I choose the new dealer (one which doesn't have a parts guy who tells me "T-IV ATF is just Dextron 3" I think I will ask them. If I'm buying ATF from them, I don't see why they'd have a problem with disposing of the old stuff for me, even if they charge me a few bucks it'd still be better than paying them hundreds of dollars to do it themselves.

Our local Autozone's oil recycling tank has a sign on it that says "motor oil, ATF, power steering, and brake fluid only!". Not sure why your place won't take ATF since it's closer to regular motor oil (petroleum based) than some of those fancy synthetic motor oils.

Call around, someone will take it.

I highly doubt you should be concerned with that, given all the crap they get in the oil on a daily basis. Metal shavings, additives (from consumers pouring in that crap that claims to "help prolong the life of your engine" - you know, that crap they sell at Autozone/Kragen?) um...what else... water (from blown head gaskets, whatnot) and antifreeze.... a few quarts of ATF isn't going to make any trouble for them, since it's not explosive or particularly hazardous, compared to oil.

Not to mention, ATF *is* partially petroleum products anyway, so how else are you going to dispose of it?

-LMB

and

The reason congressmen try so hard to get re-elected is that they would hate to have to make a living under the laws they've passed.

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

ATF and brake fluid are not petroleum based.

Yes, it works, although it is pretty messy, and you will have ATF all over your door sills. Even though the doors are hollow, they have drain holes at the bottom so when you pour ATF down the window slot, besides getting it all over the window, it eventually drains out the holes. The film of ATF on the metal keeps the metal from rusting.

There was a state in New England that required any place that sells hazardous material to take back the quantity they sold for recycling, so in theory, if the convenience section of a grocery store sold motor oil, ATF, brake fluid, etc., then in theory, they had to take back any old stuff a consumer brought back.

The best place to take your motor oil, ATF, and brake fluid is a place that uses waste oil heaters. They will thank you.

It is thin viscosity oil with high detergent but with a high degree of friction modifiers which are there to ensure efficient wet clutch plate slippage for smooth changes and with anti-squawk additives to ensure low noise as changes take place.

There is no problem disposing of it where I am. Local authority refuse points have facilities but commercial operations have to pay a small amount which is commonly passed back to their customers.

Huw

Hydraulic fluid is a simpler and cheaper oil which is optimised for pumping around circuits. Not suitable for heavy loads such as transmissions and axles and certainly not for wet clutches and brakes or engines. Of course there are specialist fluids that can cater for all of these in one. They were originally developed for agricultural tractors and are known generically as STOU or SUTO oils. Amazing properties but not new. They were developed in the 1970's although the latest and best thin STOU's have a viscosity of 10w/30 while being suitable for high pressure closed-centre hydraulics, synchromesh and CVT transmissions, axles, wet brakes and clutches and epicyclic reductions in the heaviest applications as well as meeting API CG4 [and maybe CH4] long drain engine oil specification for sustained heavy duty use in engines. It can replace ATF in automatic transmissions and MTF in manual transmissions.

Huw

All oil is petroleum based. ATF is mineral oil although you may now find synthetic ATF if you look hard. Still petroleum based though.

Huw

Thanks!

Hey! Glad to be of service! ;)