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I’m getting a transmission fluid leak repaired this weekend, and it made me think of a question:
If all your transmission fluid leaked out, and you were stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone, but you had a case of motor oil in the trunk, could you pour motor oil into the transmission and drive the car?
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My nephew (who is an actual auto mechanic) had this to say:
Hypothetically, I think it would work, but I don’t know for how long. Transmission fluid has significantly lower viscosity than motor oil. I imagine this would result in slow operation of the transmission… shift points that are non-ideal, shifts taking longer than normal, components taking longer than normal to disengage, etc…
If it were a legit emergency I think I would give it a try, but at the same time I would expect to take a significant amount of life off the transmission.
Anyway, feel free to add your thoughts on the topic of emergency auto maintenance.
All you need is a rental car to find out the answer. Make sure you get that extra insurance.
Also, what kind of impact would blinker fluid have?
does it hurt the engine to drive it without any gas?
Not being a mechanic I honestly don’r have a clue.
I think calling a tow truck would be cheaper than a new transmission.
Once you’ve driven far enough to drain all the fluid, (especially when it’s 5 degrees in January) all the oil in the world won’t help you and neither will 5qts of transmission fluid. The damage is already done, kind of like a country that’s been run by an narcissistic communist/Muslim for 6 of the longest years in human history. I would know, I’ve lived through both.
I saw a show about all the pre-60’s cars in Cuba. People there used cooking oil mixed with liquid soap for transmission fluid and made new body parts like doors from scratch.
If all the transmission fluid leaked out, wouldn’t any motor oil you put in also leak out?
No, No, No.
Just…stop.
Would leak out same as transmission fluid.
You would immediately ruin the car and transmission – from wear and not being able to flush out oil after.
Even if it does work for a bit, you’ll think it’s “fixed” when it isn’t. Higher oil viscosity = serious heat. Serious heat + leaking hydrocarbon = Ignition. Ignition + panic = Swerving fireball of death. Congratulations. You are now a danger to yourself and others.
I would recommend updating this post.
@8 – yes, but not instantly. You’d have a few minutes to get home or to a phone or to escape a horde of ravenous zombies or whatever.
as nearly as i can determine, if “all the transmission fluid leaked out” the tranny is probably ruined and there is nothing to lose by trying.
if the fluid is a quart or two low and it is a true emergency you can probably make it a short distance, but you will need to flush it and change the filters as soon as you make it to safety. be prepared for significant damage.
Avocado and peanut oils are recommended when one cooks with high temperatures.
Cheers
In my car, the engine oil IS the transmission fluid, so in my case, yes.
I own a smart fortwo. It’s 5 speed automated standard (i.e.: with clutch plate) uses the same sump and oil that the engine does. This is even listed in the owners manual as why you shouldn’t tow it with it’s rear wheels on the ground. The oil pump is a mechanical one that requires the engine to be running to work, and so with the car in Neutral (which just means the clutch is disengaged) the gears still spin but there’s no oil being circulated, so the transmission gears would be unlubricated.
Of course, YOUR car might not be like my car in this respect.
Well if the motor oil is too thick just add some water to thin it out! With all the rest of the bad advice in this post I might as add my own 😉
It would starve the bearings. It might work for a very short time but would destroy whats left of your transmission. Same with modern manual transmissions also. If the fluid is too thick the bearings don’t get lubricated.
I think this is a metaphor for our country’s leadership. When you substitute something not meant for leadership, you get stuck with non-ideal governance and a political class that takes longer than normal to engage.
I guess I’m wondering why you’d have a case of motor oil in your trunk, but no transmission fluid.
@17 – Returning from the big oil sale at Farm & Fleet