natedogg

My engine runs great (has 95K on it). How much will doing the ATF help? How much ATF do I need to use if I use the ATF?

jimmyv13

Do an ATF search on the forum. You'll have enough info to keep you busy for hours.

The Ace

Yep doing a search will yield hundreds of posts...
How much ? Some have gone all out and put in quarts I think that some ml (something like 100-200ml) will do...
And if it'll help...since its a way of cleaning your engine, no harm done....it can only help....

skibum9199

Yeah, its basically up to you how much to use... use enough to get everything inside the motor wet, but not so much that its filling your cats up with atf. Just picture how much it would take to make a little pool in the bottom of the rotor houseing, enough that when you spun the motor each seal would be dipped. The more you use, the more it will smoke when you start it up, if thats a concern.


~Jesse

hanman

If you get excessive and use too much, you will toast your cats. Since your car is fine now, I would err on the side of using too little. Or disconnect the exhaust until your done.
hanman

Scott 89t2

I really see no point in doing this. I doubt it does anything. if it runs fine why bother. if you say the AFT removes carbon, well that is what breaks apex seals, carbon coming off. so...
this is just some maigical thing that started a few months back and has been passed around way to much by people who don't know anything.

Suparslinc

Yeah, death to ATF supporters!

Its pretty much proven to work so you are wrong on that count. Its not just on this website its everywhere.

Its not new, its a very old mechanics trick for freeing stuck lifters and valves. Just happens to work extremely well on a rotary engine.

The ATF softens the carbon thus the reason for the 24 hour soak and then burns it off or blows it out the exhaust when you start the engine.

All I know is that it really works

Jerk_Racer

If you do this, do it at somebody else's place. Let it soak and come back the next day. This will **** off the neighbors with all the smoke.

jerk_racer@hotmail.com

skibum9199

Scott, I think you've got the wrong idea about what the atf trick does... its not to break chunks of carbon off the rotor faces or anything at all. It actually breaks down the carbon, I'm assuming it dissolves it or something. The problem with an older motor, especially one that has ran rich for a while, or whatever is that the slots that hold the apex seals get filled in with deposits. Pretty soon the seals no longer are able to move in and out to make a good seal against the rotor housing. Instead, they are stuck pushed in, at whatever point they are compressed the most, giving you at the least bad compression, maybe even pre ignition. Doing the atf trick breaks the hold the carbon has on the seals, and when you turn it over, it should get the seals moving as they should(in theory of course ) The only "bad" things i've come accross doing the atf trick is that it will kill your cats, no doubt there, and also your spark plugs, maybe even foul your o2 sensor. Other than that, I'd say its a great thing to do. My car sat for the last 3 weeks just sitting with atf in it... i started it earlier today, and as expected, it smoked like a bastard for 10 mins... but then after it was warm and the exhaust was clear I revved it to near redline several times and it went much more smoothly than it had before... it also slowed down a lot smoother, and came right to a nice smooth idle, which it didn't do 3 weeks ago. Scott, if you ever give it a try, I could almost guarantee you'd notice the difference. I understand though, my car is my pride and joy too Just my two cents


~jesse

skibum9199

correct me if i'm wrong, but don't new apex seals for 89-92 na's come with a carbon piece to hold it in place that burns up upon startup?

Suparslinc

That was a part Mazda introduced to keep the seals from scoring the rotor housing on 1st startup. I think its used in rebuilds and burns up eventually. Not sure what years had it, but it was introduced a long time ago.

tesla042

What I've found to be very helpful is to, right before you start it up, pull the plugs and line the driver's side of the engine bay with paper towel.. Leave the EGI fuse unplugged, and crank the engine a bit.. This spits a *LOT* of the ATF out the plug holes.. Put the plugs back in when you're satisfied, wires, EGI fuse, and start 'er up.

I did NOT do this to my 88, and it smoked for ~20 minutes of *HARD* driving. I did do it to my 87, and it smoked for ~10 of idling only.

-Tesla

skibum9199

guess i forgot to mention that... just make sure u put something to soak it all up. First time i did the atf trick, i ended up with everything covered in the stuff... not cool.