50/50 ATF acetone mix for stuck engine ?????

DogBunny

DogBunny

Motorcychologist
Top Contributor
Messages
3,771
Reaction score
4,954
Points
263
Location
Austin, Texas
DSC02874.jpg

This is a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Shake it up, and it separates as shown in about a minute. ATF on the bottom, acetone on top.
I read a bunch of "freeing up stuck motor" posts, and this is very popular, poured into the spark plug hole, but what's the point? If the ATF is just going to settle on the bottom, and the acetone is going to be on top, where it won't reach the stuck piston, why not skip the acetone? Am I doing something wrong????
 
Never tried it, so I can't say if that's normal or not for that brew. Acetone is a solvent.... you'd expect it to dissolve into the ATF. :umm:
But you're right, no point in the acetone if it's just gonna float to the top.
 
I don't want to experiment with a new brew.
I looked at a lot of posts. Lots of hits for the usual suspects such as PB Blaster, lots of hits for vinegar (acid, which de-rusts), and a lot for acetone/ATF, including from Downeaster, whose endorsement swayed me.
 
DogBunny said:
View attachment 323078
This is a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. Shake it up, and it separates as shown in about a minute. ATF on the bottom, acetone on top.
I read a bunch of "freeing up stuck motor" posts, and this is very popular, poured into the spark plug hole, but what's the point? If the ATF is just going to settle on the bottom, and the acetone is going to be on top, where it won't reach the stuck piston, why not skip the acetone? Am I doing something wrong????
Click to expand...
Different types of ATF perhaps Synthetic ? Non Synthetic ?
 
It does settle out which can be a problem if it's a long term project.

I suspect it works because the acetone will creep into tighter spots than the ATF and carry some ATF with it before it separates.

Just guessing tho.
 
Yes, MMO was also popular when I searched stuck motor posts.
The two most popular are the acetone/ATF, and mild acids (mostly vinegar).
I am going to try the acetone/ATF. Will give it a good shake immediately before pouring in.
 
Maybe the type of ATF matters? I know there are two basic types, Ford and Dextron (GM). Maybe one works better than the other?
 
More FWIW -- the whitish color of the acetone in my pic in post #1 of this thread is air bubbles in the acetone from shaking the mixture. They dissipate after a while, and the mixture looks homogenous, until you look closely, then you clearly can see the separate fluids.
Maybe there is some mixing. Maybe some small percentage of the acetone does enter the ATF. The red stain in the ATF deffinitely also stains the acetone.
 
I always enjoy watch his stuff…




I was a bit surprised at the results. Looks like liquid wrench was the winner after heat. I’ve found heat is the best to get things moving then any penetrating oil to wind out the fastener the rest of the way. I recently depleted my 10yr old can of PB Blaster and am now using Seafoam Deep Creep. When empty I’ll most likely go to Liquid wrench.
 
Last edited:
As for different types of ATF -- I read bunches of stuck motor posts, and no one advocating ATF ever specified a type.

I used Dextron. Honestly, how different can Ford ATF be from GM ATF? The two types do exactly the same thing, and are probably close to identical. It's all just a marketing ploy.

If I was in the middle of desert, stranded because I was low on ATF, and all I had to put in my GM was Ford ATF, you can bet I'd use it.
 
DogBunny said:
Honestly, how different can Ford ATF be from GM ATF? The two types do exactly the same thing, and are probably close to identical. It's all just a marketing ploy.
Click to expand...
Are the different types of brake fluid the same? They all do the same thing.
 
DogBunny said:
As for different types of ATF -- I read bunches of stuck motor posts, and no one advocating ATF ever specified a type.

I used Dextron. Honestly, how different can Ford ATF be from GM ATF? The two types do exactly the same thing, and are probably close to identical. It's all just a marketing ploy.

If I was in the middle of desert, stranded because I was low on ATF, and all I had to put in my GM was Ford ATF, you can bet I'd use it.
Click to expand...
1992 road trip. The ride was a 1958 Packard Hawk powered by a supercharged 289 Studebaker. After midnight on Interstate 81, the windshield suddenly gets covered in oil. A lot of oil.

The forensic report:
The supercharger was serviced with “supercharger oil.” The required lubricant was Type F transmission fluid.

What an adventure!
 
DogBunny said:
I used Dextron. Honestly, how different can Ford ATF be from GM ATF? The two types do exactly the same thing, and are probably close to identical. It's all just a marketing ploy.

If I was in the middle of desert, stranded because I was low on ATF, and all I had to put in my GM was Ford ATF, you can bet I'd use it.
Click to expand...
Mostly seal compatibility. Incorrect types can cause seals to swell. Don't recall the details, but a guy I knew put the wrong type in his tranny and the seals started leaking.
 

Similar threads

Downeaster
ATF and Acetone
Replies
7
Views
803
David Toll
David Toll
Downeaster
Aerosol Paint Question
Replies
11
Views
923
MaxPete
MaxPete
Downeaster
I'm a little scairt...
Replies
3
Views
523
Downeaster
Downeaster
Mailman
Mailmans XS2 , the rebuild.......again
30 31 32
Replies
622
Views
66K
Marlin72xs
Marlin72xs
Mailman
Mailman’s XS2 , pulled the engine for top end repair
3 4 5
Replies
83
Views
8K
David Toll
David Toll
Back
Top