atf to clean engine during oil change??!

I've always done my best to change the oil in my vehicles regularly. I've even used oil additives from time to time (higher mileage engines that smoke..or I just want to have it running smooth, etc.). Now I've heard that if you add in 1/2 qt. of automatic transmission fluid into the engine before an oil change, run it for 5-15 minutes at an idle, then drain the oil mixture and change the filter, you'll have a cleaner running engine after the oil change. I was told this is basically like a flush to the engine. And I've been told this by people who are doing this to cars like mazda rx7's and such! They say it can eliminate carbon buildup.

I have a 95 4 door blazer 2wd with only 62k on the orig. v-6. I don't use it for towing, and it's mainly for getting to and from work in alot of both highway and city street (stop-n-go) traffic. It's getting much, much more use out of the engine than before, though....and will continue to.

Though I'm sure regular maintanance and oil changes will work fine, I don't mind doing more to keep it in tip top shape when it comes to do-it-yourself work. Will using ATF to flush hurt or harm the blazer at all? I know they both serve the same purposes in different parts of the car for the most part, but i figure there's gotta be a reason that ATF isn't even the same color as reg. oil. Or am I just as well off changing the oil and filter every 3k or 3 months for the life of the engine?

Any advice to this, keeping in mind the goal i'm trying to keep is having the blazer run in tip top shape with anything I can do myself at regular intervals? Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!

I've always done my best to change the oil in my vehicles regularly. I've even used oil additives from time to time (higher mileage engines that smoke..or I just want to have it running smooth, etc.). Now I've heard that if you add in 1/2 qt. of automatic transmission fluid into the engine before an oil change, run it for 5-15 minutes at an idle, then drain the oil mixture and change the filter, you'll have a cleaner running engine after the oil change. I was told this is basically like a flush to the engine. And I've been told this by people who are doing this to cars like mazda rx7's and such! They say it can eliminate carbon buildup.

I have a 95 4 door blazer 2wd with only 62k on the orig. v-6. I don't use it for towing, and it's mainly for getting to and from work in alot of both highway and city street (stop-n-go) traffic. It's getting much, much more use out of the engine than before, though....and will continue to.

Though I'm sure regular maintanance and oil changes will work fine, I don't mind doing more to keep it in tip top shape when it comes to do-it-yourself work. Will using ATF to flush hurt or harm the blazer at all? I know they both serve the same purposes in different parts of the car for the most part, but i figure there's gotta be a reason that ATF isn't even the same color as reg. oil. Or am I just as well off changing the oil and filter every 3k or 3 months for the life of the engine?

Any advice to this, keeping in mind the goal i'm trying to keep is having the blazer run in tip top shape with anything I can do myself at regular intervals? Thanks in advance for any advice you may have!


I have never heard of using ATF as a flush. Heard of using diesel fuel to flush sludge out of engine. I would never use ATF. To me that would contaminate the oil/bearings, etc. I'd just change oil every 3000.