ATF in Carburator!

Mar 31st, 2006, 09:09

Hi guys. I have been doing some maintenance on my 1973 144 and in the users manual i swear it said to fill up auto transmission fluid to put it into the carby! I thought this was strange but went ahead and did it anyway! Now there is smoke coming out of the engine when turned on! I did a bit of googling and found out some people actually put ATF in the carby intentional to lubricate everything and they said it smokes like crazy but it works! I am too worried it is going to catch fire or something if i keep the engine running. I didnt put to much ATF in because it just overflowed. Should i just run the engine with a hose nearby incase anything bad happens? Or take it to the mechanic? Thanks. Matt

Martin Burch · Mar 31st, 2006, 09:21

HI - I use ATF in my 71 144 with a stromberg carb. All the manuals and handbooks I have seen suggest using it and I have seen several posts on here which mention it too. All it does is stop the carb needle bouncing up and down I believe. If you put a lot in maybe it spilled on to the exhaust manifold. This would probably smoke when the engine runs. Is the smoke from the exhaust pipe or the engine bay?
Martin

Mar 31st, 2006, 09:50

Yes - the smoke was coming from the engine bay near the exhaust manifold thingy and it did overflow quite a bit when i put the ATF in. I did run water over it to try and gid rid of any ATF but obviously it didnt work. Could the ATF catch fire somehow if it gets to a certain temperature? It only starts smoking after running for about 1 minute.

Mike_Brace · Mar 31st, 2006, 10:16

Basically a very small quantity of ATF is put in the top of the carb for the damper - it isn't quite filled to the top. As you put the top back a little may come up over the outside as excess comes out. This should be cleaned off.
Yes the ATF will burn - it is an oil. You've probably burnt off the excess by now. Again any spilt on the exhaust will smoke off. Just run the engine for relativelt short periods to stop it getting too hot until the smoke goes.
Let us know how it goes.

Mike

Mar 31st, 2006, 10:20

Ok great thanks for your help! Had the worst weak with my car. First a hole in the fuel line which then resulted in my getting a dead battery and now this! Argh! Changed the battery and all rubber fuel lines in the engine and decided to do routine maintenace and discovered i had no atf and the manual said to put in the carby! so hopefully sven will be up and running soon! will try tomorrow morning. how excactly do i fill the atf? cheers

Mike_Brace · Mar 31st, 2006, 23:10

I see you are finding the joys of looking after an older car! I usually pour a small amount into the cap and then pour from that into the carb. That way you don't put too much.
Best of luck.

Mike

Apr 1st, 2006, 03:27

OK, ran the engine for about 20 minutes today - heaps of smoke but it finally went away and I am back on the road. And it seems to drive better now! Thanks heaps!

Mike_Brace · Apr 1st, 2006, 10:07

Glad its all ok now!
Have fun!

Mike

Mar 31st, 2006, 09:09	#1
mattwilson Guest Location:	ATF in Carburator! Hi guys. I have been doing some maintenance on my 1973 144 and in the users manual i swear it said to fill up auto transmission fluid to put it into the carby! I thought this was strange but went ahead and did it anyway! Now there is smoke coming out of the engine when turned on! I did a bit of googling and found out some people actually put ATF in the carby intentional to lubricate everything and they said it smokes like crazy but it works! I am too worried it is going to catch fire or something if i keep the engine running. I didnt put to much ATF in because it just overflowed. Should i just run the engine with a hose nearby incase anything bad happens? Or take it to the mechanic? Thanks. Matt

Mar 31st, 2006, 10:16	#4
Mike_Brace Former contributor Last Online: Jul 2nd, 2022 07:54 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rhosgoch, Anglesey	Basically a very small quantity of ATF is put in the top of the carb for the damper - it isn't quite filled to the top. As you put the top back a little may come up over the outside as excess comes out. This should be cleaned off. Yes the ATF will burn - it is an oil. You've probably burnt off the excess by now. Again any spilt on the exhaust will smoke off. Just run the engine for relativelt short periods to stop it getting too hot until the smoke goes. Let us know how it goes. Mike __________________ A Volvo is for life not just for Christmas!

Mar 31st, 2006, 23:10	#6
Mike_Brace Former contributor Last Online: Jul 2nd, 2022 07:54 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rhosgoch, Anglesey	I see you are finding the joys of looking after an older car! I usually pour a small amount into the cap and then pour from that into the carb. That way you don't put too much. Best of luck. Mike __________________ A Volvo is for life not just for Christmas!

Apr 1st, 2006, 10:07	#8
Mike_Brace Former contributor Last Online: Jul 2nd, 2022 07:54 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rhosgoch, Anglesey	Glad its all ok now! Have fun! Mike __________________ A Volvo is for life not just for Christmas!

Mar 31st, 2006, 09:21	#2
Martin Burch New Member Last Online: Feb 1st, 2012 18:30 Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Still near Leicester	HI - I use ATF in my 71 144 with a stromberg carb. All the manuals and handbooks I have seen suggest using it and I have seen several posts on here which mention it too. All it does is stop the carb needle bouncing up and down I believe. If you put a lot in maybe it spilled on to the exhaust manifold. This would probably smoke when the engine runs. Is the smoke from the exhaust pipe or the engine bay? Martin

Mar 31st, 2006, 09:50	#3
mattwilson Guest Location:	Yes - the smoke was coming from the engine bay near the exhaust manifold thingy and it did overflow quite a bit when i put the ATF in. I did run water over it to try and gid rid of any ATF but obviously it didnt work. Could the ATF catch fire somehow if it gets to a certain temperature? It only starts smoking after running for about 1 minute.

Mar 31st, 2006, 10:20	#5
mattwilson Guest Location:	Ok great thanks for your help! Had the worst weak with my car. First a hole in the fuel line which then resulted in my getting a dead battery and now this! Argh! Changed the battery and all rubber fuel lines in the engine and decided to do routine maintenace and discovered i had no atf and the manual said to put in the carby! so hopefully sven will be up and running soon! will try tomorrow morning. how excactly do i fill the atf? cheers

Apr 1st, 2006, 03:27	#7
mattwilson Guest Location:	OK, ran the engine for about 20 minutes today - heaps of smoke but it finally went away and I am back on the road. And it seems to drive better now! Thanks heaps!

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