Burn or take diesel to recycle center?

[Richard]

Backstory: I have an industrial backhoe. Last fall, knowing I had some water in my transmission fluid, I changed it out.... like three times. What I realized is I have remnants of the old fluid in the transmission all the way through the cooler.

Maybe that's good enough (that I did it several times) BUT I admit to being a bit OCD and the oil STILL looks "pink" rather than the deep clear red.

So I was told I can drain the old fluid....put some DIESEL in there. Run machine for a bit and the diesel will 'wash out' the old stuff....and because the diesel still has luberocity (word??) it won't hurt anything.

Note: I was NOT told go load with diesel and go work the machine.... just to work the diesel through it so it can warm up and loosen things up.

Flush the diesel out and replace with new transmission fluid.

Fine, got it.

Now the question is, what do I do with the old junky diesel fluid? Normally, I have a 2-gallon garden sprayer that I put (good/clean) diesel in and I use that as my fire starter. Do I take the junky diesel and use it as my fire starter with whatever other chemicals it's picked up by washing out the transmission or, am I better off just taking it to the recycling center and call it a day, continuing to use "new" diesel to start my fires. (I'll go through this over a number of weeks so it won't sit around long if I burn it)

 

[BigBlue1]

Can you use it in a torpedo heater? Lots of Knipco-style heaters can run on a wide variety of fuels (diesel, kerosene, jet, fuel oil). Having some contaminants from trans fluid probably wouldn't affect that.

Rob

 

[i7win7]

Vegetation killer mix w/diesel makes it easier to see what you have all ready sprayed. 2nd using it for fire starter

 

[Richard]

Don't have a torpedo and if I did, it would be next winter before I'd need it. I'd rather dispose of or burn this over my natural upcoming activities.

That does however, imply that if burning the (trace) transmisson fluid ostensibly indoors isn't an issue then burning it outside isn't an issue (which fundamentally I'd NOT expect it to be an issue but since I don't know....)

 

[4570Man]

I wouldn’t care to burn it or use it for heater fuel. For that matter it probably wouldn’t hurt the old school diesel to dump it straight in the backhoe tank although I wouldn’t.

 

[Richard]

Vegetation killer mix w/diesel makes it easier to see what you have all ready sprayed. 2nd using it for fire starter

My wife's flower beds have been eyeballing me.... think she'd mind?

 

[Robin Veerman]

Well, are you Ok with diesel remnants left in the transmission, especially since you're OCD? Water in the transmission is naturally occurring. In other words the situation will continue, especially if it's left standing outside not under cover, as well as condensation covered or not covered, just due to ambient weather. I'd leave it as is. Use the machine and maye you can run it hot enough to evaporate the moisture? If not, flush the transmission/hydraulic fluid as best as you can every 5 years or sooner if it gets contaminated badly. Most quality lubes can handle up to 10% moisture contamination. Dutchy

 

[RalphVa]

I'd take it to an oil recycling place like your autoparts place.