Transmission fluid was poured in my engine oil?

Tiny
WARREN1814
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 FORD E-SERIES VAN
  • 4.2L
  • V6
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
Hello guys, it's just me Warren. Let me start off by saying happy new year to one and all. Now for the problem I didn't realize until I got home. We went to go to the tag agency to get my brother's tag. Turn the van off for a few minutes and then turned it on again. The van tried to start but just wouldn't start let's just say 13 to 15 minutes. As I was trying to start it I notice that the oil hand would dive to zero faster than the rest of the gauges did when the key was turned off. And idle rough too. For a sec there. So, we checked under the hood and discovered the oil was kind of low. So, we put some oil in there. After 5 minutes more went the van started up and we went straight home. Something told me to look at the bottle the oil came in and come to find out it was Transmission fluid. Instead of motor oil. Thank God I only put just 2 quarts in there instead of 4 like I was going to. And yeah, I know 2 quarts was bad but it almost got 4 put in there. Anyway, like I said the van started and everything but I notice on the way home the oil gauge was kind of high. Not in the warning light area but it was up there. And the distance I drove home was at most less then 3 miles so please tell me I didn't mess up my motor. By driving home. Keep in mind I had no idea the bottle said Transmission fluid on it. The name of the brand of it on the bottles said premium oil. So, I grabbed it and poured it in. But when I got home I looked at the bottle again and down the back of it had written Transmission fluid. So, did I mess my van up guys or not? What are my next steps I should take? Just so you guys know when I was driving it home. It ran great. Do you think it could stand to be driven a half a mile or a mile to the repair shop? I needed a oil change anyway so. And that's before this happened.
Monday, March 17th, 2025 AT 9:42 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,087 POSTS
Well it won't really hurt it, but the high detergent transmission fluid will break down sludge in the engine. I would say to run it until it is warm and then change the oil and filter. It used to be a somewhat common thing to do with older engines to clean them out and your V6 is an older design that doesn't have all the "enhancements" like the other engines Ford used so it likely will just be cleaner inside.
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Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 AT 7:10 AM
Tiny
WARREN1814
  • MEMBER
  • 147 POSTS
Oh hello there Steve W. Well I didn't know that. Now that is good to know that my motor got cleaned by accident lol For once I am glad I don't have a motor with new enhancements. And thank you for letting me know about this. Here I thought I just made the biggest mistake ever. :-D I had the oil changed too today in fact. I was so scared.
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Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 AT 11:01 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,087 POSTS
This would have been a good mistake. It is basically the same thing as using any of the other additives to remove sludge, except it actually works. I would keep an eye on the oil though. And maybe change it more often if it's burning it. I would also say to dump a can of Berrymans B12 in the tank between oil changes. If it's using oil due to sticking rings that can help free them up and reduce the oil usage.
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Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 AT 11:20 PM

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