The ATF trick works!

My S4 hasn't been started in like 3 months because it has been sitting in the garage for winter. We have been having some good weather so I wanted to take it out, but it wouldn't start. It wouldn't even pulsate when cranking because it wasn't making compression at all.

So thanks to the search function on here I found a guide to doing the ATF trick and it worked!

Basically all I did was remove the top spark plugs from each rotor and I squirted in half an ounce of regular ATF from a special oiler squirter I got from checker. I removed the EGI INJ fuse so that it wouldn't squirt in gas and I just tapped the started to turn the engine over. It sparked a little bit because the other plugs were still in, but oh well. So I squirted in more ATF, turned it over one more time and put in another half an ounce of ATF. Then I put the plugs back in and let it sit for two hours. Then I turned it over a couple times, put in the EGI INJ fuse and after about 20 seconds of cranking it fired up! There was a cloud of white smoke for about 10 minutes, but it cleared up and it runs great now! I think the apex and corner seals were just stuck with carbon so it wasn't making compression.

Before turning it off I made sure to do an italian tuneup to burn off all that extra carbon. For those of you who don't know what an italian tuneup is it consists of driving in second gear down the highway for a couple of minutes at around 6,000 RPM. This builds up a lot of heat in the engine and burns off the extra carbon. If you've ever been to a dyno day you know that the engines will literally spew out black smoke when run at high RPM for around 30 seconds because that is the extra carbon burning off. Daily driving at normal RPM doesn't ever burn all that off and it builds up.

111,000 miles and still going!

 

damn good advice, i had a collision couple weeks ago and the motor has been dormant ever since. sure, not a pretty sight at first (got neighbour poking their head out), but sure sweet after it started.

btw, the plugs looked like its at the end of their life after clean them off. nonetheless, gotta change the rad and replace the plugs ASAP.

 

What's ATF?

 

Automatic Transmission Fluid = thicker lube

 

I probably need to get new plugs now too, thanks for reminding me. ATF can't be too good for spark plugs.

 

Some say ATF eats at the seals.....I use oil, does the same thing.

James

 

+1

But ATF eats carbon like MMO a much gentler fluid then ATF. I would sugest MMO but I do do the oil as well.

 

I have some Marvel Mystery Oil sitting around too I guess I should've just used that. I bet even shampoo would work, whatever helps it make a seal I guess.

 

hmmm, my car runs fine and i've never done an "italian tuneup" should I do it? i redline it at least once a day when i drive it...

 

wow

 

+1

 

you probably could have gotten away with just normal oil or MMO

less corosive

 

nice man, good job

 

THAT..my friend is the power of GOD(squadmandrake)!..LOL!..another RX7 runnin..good to hear it!..hey GOD..(can I call him that?)..should search the water injection trick..sort of internal steam clean for the rotary..in the archives I think..

 

Aren't you supposed to do an oil change when you use ATF, too?

 

Sounds like you already do an "italian tuneup" daily my friend... do another one for good measure though.

Josh

 

No you change the oil after you flood the car. You change the spark plugs when you do ATF.

 

otherwise known as a turkey baster, jk lol

 

turkey baster,..tournapart I could not figure out the extra ingredient in the gravy this year>>ATF!. we know everyone has one of these in their car..is a beverage straw..milkshake straw..POOR MAN'S TURKEY BASTER!..I like this method ..you know how much you are using,and it doesn't smoke forever..after dipping the straw in the bottle (about 3 inches),fold the straw at the top,put the straw in the spark plug hole and unfold the straw..ATF goes in the hole..one load in each hole(x4)..roll engine over 2-3 sec,put in fresh plugs.STARTED..good results so far..

 

You did it wrong. You only have to put it in one hole on each housing they both go to the same place ;-) You use old plugs until evrything is burned off and car runing. Then you put in new plugs. You just fould your new plugs is all.

 

Sometimes that black smoke isn't carbon burning off. If your engine is revving that high for that long and you start to get black smoke, sometimes that's an indication that your oil control rings are going bad.



You are absolutely right.

 

Turkey baster? I thought it was called a Canadian squirtgun...

 

sorry ..iceblue..I meant cleaned up plugs..I wouldn't put brand new plugs in an OIL/GAS soaked engine..Pookie,...cute...haha..

 

Wherever this writeup is, it's wrong. It's FAR easier to squirt into the leading (lower) holes since they are huge on the inside compared to the trailing. Also oil works just as well in place of ATF and won't cause longterm damage to rubber components if left in the engine (ie. you tried to unflood it then gave up for a few months).

To save you some trouble in the future, there's a much easier way.

Remove both lower (leading) plugs. Use a funnel and tube (think beer funnel) to get about 2-3 ounces of oil into each hole. Rotate engine by hand a few times, then pull the EGI and spin it with the starter and the plugs removed until it stops spraying fuel. Now put another ounce into each chamber, put the plugs back in, reinstall EGI fuse and start engine. Also smokes a lot less.

I doubt you removed any carbon. Once it is caked onto the rotors it is HARD STUFF. If it's already baked on then spirited driving won't remove it.

Actually it's because most cars are untuned or running stupid rich...

ATF doesn't touch carbon. Numerous tests have been posted to this forum and the 1st gen forum that shows ATF has minimal if any effect on the carbon baked onto the rotors. My own tests have proved this as well. MMO had about the same effect (after all it's just a light oil).

For some real information on ATF (soon to have pictures of the aftermath of letting rubber seals soak in the stuff):

http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/atftrick.htm

 

^ thx for the NFO Aaron. From what I have researched on it was that it did not remove that baked on carbon on the rotor faces but it did have an efect on fresher carbon such as carbon holding one of the seals down from siting for a week. MMO having the same results. That they would both help free up a stuck seal from siting or siting for a short period of time between drives causing a small carbon lodge.