Automatic transmission fluid in engine
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 73
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From: Houston
Automatic transmission fluid in engine
I'm afraid I made a mistake and want to know what my next step should be.
My check oil light came on so I went into my local Autozone to pick up Mobil 1 synthetic for a refill. Well, I go to the shelf and they have multiple types of Mobil 1 but I see they have one for GM and Ford models and that it is for automatics so I select that one.
I pour in the engine reservoir only to discover it is not engine oil for GM automatic but it was actually Automatic Transmission Fluid.
What is my next step? Can I drive it to the mechanic or should I have it towed?
My check oil light came on so I went into my local Autozone to pick up Mobil 1 synthetic for a refill. Well, I go to the shelf and they have multiple types of Mobil 1 but I see they have one for GM and Ford models and that it is for automatics so I select that one.
I pour in the engine reservoir only to discover it is not engine oil for GM automatic but it was actually Automatic Transmission Fluid.
What is my next step? Can I drive it to the mechanic or should I have it towed?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
This is almost too hard t o believe, but if it's true and accurate: 1) do not even START the car!!!! Have it towed out of your garage, carport, driveway or street parking. DO NOT ALLOW DEALER, TOW TRUCK DRIVER OR ANYONE to start the car. 2) Bring the empty or partial bottle with you to the dealer. Let them drain it, change the oil filter. 3) And if it were me, do it again after starting the car unless they have some bona fide method of flushing the lube system which I doubt.
Just as an aside, look up Mobil 1; call the tech line, ask them for their suggestions, too.
Just as an aside, look up Mobil 1; call the tech line, ask them for their suggestions, too.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 21,631
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From: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
And to add to that: If your check oil light came on you should have immediately shut the car off and found why it came on before starting the engine again.
Did the oil level show dangerously low on the dipstick?
Did the oil level show dangerously low on the dipstick?
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '09 thru '17,'22 thru '26
Race Director
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Automatic transmission fluid in engine
Originally Posted by CHEV AGAIN
Can you just drain it and change the filter there at home? I wouldn't run it but I don't think it's all that earth shattering of a deal really, just change it and move on.
Mark
Mark
Originally Posted by BearZ06
There's always a lot of over reaction here.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,412
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From: Redondo Beach, California
What I'd do....
Drain the engine oil. This will remove most of the trannie oil. Refill with engine oil. Remove the spark plugs and crank the engine for a relatively long time...it'll spin really fast with no plugs...maybe disconnect the gas line so the injectors won't spray raw gas into the cylinders...this will circulate the oil through the system and dilute the remaining tranny oil. Dump the slightly contaminated engine oil and repeat the process with another oil fill. Drive the car a little and do another oil change. That should do it.
My best guess. Since you'll be adding and dumping engine oil, maybe a less expensive oil than Mobile1 will be OK, except for the last oil fill.
Drain the engine oil. This will remove most of the trannie oil. Refill with engine oil. Remove the spark plugs and crank the engine for a relatively long time...it'll spin really fast with no plugs...maybe disconnect the gas line so the injectors won't spray raw gas into the cylinders...this will circulate the oil through the system and dilute the remaining tranny oil. Dump the slightly contaminated engine oil and repeat the process with another oil fill. Drive the car a little and do another oil change. That should do it.
My best guess. Since you'll be adding and dumping engine oil, maybe a less expensive oil than Mobile1 will be OK, except for the last oil fill.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,755
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From: Baton Rouge LA
St. Jude Donor '14, '16
What I'd do....
Drain the engine oil. This will remove most of the trannie oil. Refill with engine oil. Remove the spark plugs and crank the engine for a relatively long time...it'll spin really fast with no plugs...maybe disconnect the gas line so the injectors won't spray raw gas into the cylinders...this will circulate the oil through the system and dilute the remaining tranny oil. Dump the slightly contaminated engine oil and repeat the process with another oil fill. Drive the car a little and do another oil change. That should do it.
My best guess. Since you'll be adding and dumping engine oil, maybe a less expensive oil than Mobile1 will be OK, except for the last oil fill.
Drain the engine oil. This will remove most of the trannie oil. Refill with engine oil. Remove the spark plugs and crank the engine for a relatively long time...it'll spin really fast with no plugs...maybe disconnect the gas line so the injectors won't spray raw gas into the cylinders...this will circulate the oil through the system and dilute the remaining tranny oil. Dump the slightly contaminated engine oil and repeat the process with another oil fill. Drive the car a little and do another oil change. That should do it.
My best guess. Since you'll be adding and dumping engine oil, maybe a less expensive oil than Mobile1 will be OK, except for the last oil fill.
Definitely pull the fuel pump relay out too.
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Le Mans Master
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From: CA
St. Jude Donor '17
Hold on guys. How much ATF is in the motor? If just a quart, it's really just a very light weight heavy detergent 'oil' and simply changing it and the filter like any oil change will do just fine. If it's a whole gallon or more, then I agree, it shouldn't be started again until changed. That 'remove the plugs, routine seems a tad extreme to me no matter what. It's a small block Chevy, not a quad turbo Bugatti.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: T-Town WA
2016 C6 of Year Finalist
Change the oil and filter and forget it.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Edgewood Washington
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I'm in the 'no big deal if it's a quart or less' camp too.
As stated above, it's a common trick to free up stuck hydraulic lifters. Just change the oil/filter and relax.
And apparently many of you are not aware of the hold-the-pedal-to-the-floor method of cranking over a C6 without firing it up. You don't have to pull any of the plugs or fuses.
As stated above, it's a common trick to free up stuck hydraulic lifters. Just change the oil/filter and relax.
And apparently many of you are not aware of the hold-the-pedal-to-the-floor method of cranking over a C6 without firing it up. You don't have to pull any of the plugs or fuses.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Houston, Tx
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Olmsted Falls Ohio
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '24
Exactly. We would put a quart of Atf in gunked up old engines and differentials and drive them around hard for 500 miles or so and then change the oil. ATF does a remarkable job in some cases. I wouldn't casually run out and do this to a Vette, but I don't see how a quart of atf can hurt it either.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,513
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From: Rocheport Missouri
I would be more worried about why the Check Oil light came on. That thing really only warns of impending doom. How much oil is in the car now, after adding the quart? Is it full or still very low? If it's full, great, just get it changed and move on. If it's still low, fill it with oil and then go get it changed.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
I would be more worried about why the Check Oil light came on. That thing really only warns of impending doom. How much oil is in the car now, after adding the quart? Is it full or still very low? If it's full, great, just get it changed and move on. If it's still low, fill it with oil and then go get it changed.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,192
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From: Shelbyville Kentucky
How much did you put in? If only one quart your probably fine. I have read about people mixing in 1 quart of ATF into old engines to clean them out. ATF supposedly has great detergent properties.
DISCLAIMER: I have never done this myself, just read about it.
DISCLAIMER: I have never done this myself, just read about it.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 512
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From: Ashland KY
My Dad had a 1984 Pontiac, and he used to put in one qt of Transmission fluid, about every 3rd oil change, swearing it kept the engine clean. He traded it with 165K on it, and still ran like a watch. I probably wouldn't do that with my Vette, but I certainly wouldn't panic if it happened by mistake. Just change the oil, and forget it.