How many here have disabled their EGRs?

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

I agree with the others.

Can you use ATF?; probably.

Should you use ATF?; of course not, why would you want to?

I agree, I wouldn't use ATF regularly, it is not ashless. However, I do fill the fuel filter up with it when I change them. I also use TCW 3 2 cycle oil at every fill up...

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2015 E250 Bluetec Black/designo Sand
2014 GLK250 Bluetec Iridium Silver/Almond
1999 E320 Sedan Bordeaux Red/ Parchment
1999 E270CDI Estate Black Opal/Black
1983 300SD Champagne/Palomino Leather
1982 300SD Silver Blue/ Pacific Blue Leather

I just use diesel fuel in a radical departure from "conventional wisdom." I do occasionally add some white power service if it's very cold (below about 10F) and usually add some to the filter when I replace it (only because it's easier than priming it for 5 minutes). Using two-cycle oil is completely unnecessary, but is probably harmless.

This might be a stupid question, but why not fill the filter with diesel? That's what I've done, works well. Why ATF?

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Tomas, Sweden
1966 Mercedes Benz 230S with OM617.912, automatic. Disk brakes from W108
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD grey, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD blue 7-seater, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual

I never use ATF, just power service or another fuel additive. Diesel is probably better, but it's easier to pour an additive out of a bottle than to get diesel into the filter. If I had a "gas can" full of diesel sitting around, I would probably just use that.

OK Sorry I somehow misread your post and thought you were using ATF.
Get a can of diesel, it's unbeatable for lots of stuff in your garage. Like priming filters , cleaning parts in, testing engines without a car, getting dirt of your skin etc... Added bonus is that it smells better than any cologne you can buy.. ladies like that..

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Tomas, Sweden
1966 Mercedes Benz 230S with OM617.912, automatic. Disk brakes from W108
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD grey, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual
1983 Mercedes Benz 300TD blue 7-seater, OM617.912 and 5-speed manual

Diesel is fine for priming the filter, provided you're pouring it in the "in" side of the filter, not the center/out. I'd sooner pour filtered anything in to prime it over pouring un-flitered diesel in the center hole, good ATF is well filtered and burns nicely, has some good lubricitive qualities and a lot of detergent.

I wouldn't do it for regular fuel, even though the car will run well on it, but I wouldn't eat asprin for dinner either.

In moderation many things are good that wouldn't be if overused. The Chicken Little thing about the engine being damaged from seeing a quart of ATF during a filter prime once or twice a year, ... I don't think you could measure the difference. Contaminate the fuel going into the IP though, with a little sand or rust from a fuel can or gas-station, you might regret that.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff