Transmission fluid question

[beenjammin]

Ok, so I'm going to change out the transmission fluid on my Ranger (2000, 5-speed, 2.5L) and went to my local Ford dealer to get the fluid. They got me the right amount and I was on my way. I decided to double check with my manual (its on my computer since one didn't come in the truck) to make sure I got the right stuff before I went and put it in there.

Both the manual and my Chilton's said Mercon ATF, but they gave me Mercon V ATF. I checked here and did find an older thread on the topic but was still a little confused. It appears Mercon V ATF is the only way to go now or it was upgraded or something?

Thanks!

 

[exbass94]

Mercon V is supposed to completely replace regular Mercon. Ford doesn't recognize the regular Mercon spec and doesn't license it anymore, and they say Mercon V can be used anywhere Mercon used to be used. However, some people claim to have harder shifting when they use it in their M5ODs. All of the new Rangers with M5OD come with Mercon V in their trannys from the factory.

 

[rboyer]

If you want to go by what the manufacturer spec'd for your transmission then you should be running Mercon 3. I believe that '01-up is when they started using the synchros with the carbon fiber material on them and those transmissions are the ones that are designed for Mercon 5. With the older brass synchros you will notice a more "scrunchy" feeling when running Mercon 5.

 

[beenjammin]

So pretty much I suppose I'm good to go as long as using Mercon V doesn't pose any problems. I'll put it in there and see how it shifts then. There's a good chance it will improve things because I do not know if the previous owner(s) changed it at all. If not then I'll look into Mercon 3.

-I did a quick search for Mercon 3 and didn't turn up any results other than forum stuff. Is it still in production?

 

[exbass94]

There is no Mercon 3, it's just plain Mercon, which is the same thing as Dexron III. (Dexron is what GM vehicles use) Look for bottles that say "Dex/Merc" or "Dexron III/Mercon." It's still in production even though like I said before, GM and Ford don't recognize these specs anymore, so none of it is "officially licensed." Some people think that this means the fluids are crap, since there's no performance standards they have to meet and the companies might cut corners. I disagree and think you will be fine using them.

 

[beenjammin]

Awesome! This helps to clear things up for me.

Thanks for your input!

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, too risky given the past reports of poor shifting and being hard to put in gear.

Large companies like Valvoline and Castrol are not going to skimp on the fluid simply because it's not licensed anymore, their good name would be at stake. Play it safe and go down to your local autoparts store and look for "Domestic Vehicle ATF" or "Dex/Merc". It'll state on the bottle it meets the requirements for vehicles specifying "Mercon" fluid.