ATF Fluid for 1996 Ford Explorer Sport

[RobertE]

My Explorer has a V6 SOHC with 4R44E transmission.

My problem is that I live in Costa Rica, which is full of imports. Its time to flush the transmission and there isn't a bottle of Mercon V to be found in the country.

So a few questions...

I really have the option of a few ATF's, but each one makes me sweat at putting a multi-vehicle ATF in it.

• Lucas Oil Multi-Vehicle ATF
• Amalie Universal Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid
• Castrol Transmax DEX/MERC Multi-Vehicle Transmission Fluid
• Valvoline Maxlife ATF Mercon LV (pretty sure I can't use an LV in a 96

Really restricted on what I can use although looking for more. There any particular one in the list that someone has used successfully? Anything I should know about these fluids?

 

[masospaghetti]

I would probably use the Castrol Mercon fluid. The 4ALD transmission that the 4R44 is based on used Mercon (not Mercon V). I wouldn't touch anything with the Lucas name on it, they are good at marketing but sell garbage.

 

[1992fordgreen]

Pro tip: Hop onto eBay and for a few dollars get a couple containers of Mercon ATF shipped your way. The internet is an amazing tool.

 

[drdoom]

The castrol dex merc is fine.

 

[X~FACTOR]

The castrol dex merc is fine.

Does it really?

I am in the same boat... and I live in NJ!
No one of the major auto stores sell Mercon V!

 

[swshawaii]

I assume from the the last revision Mercon V replaces ALL previous Mercon fluids. (Not to be confused with LV, SP, etc.)

http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/DownloadPdf?id=44055
http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/DownloadPdf?id=113912
http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/DownloadPdf?id=134113

Motorcraft® Transmission Fluids – The Official Ford Parts Site | FordParts.com
http://www.fordparts.com/products/chemicals-transmissionfluids.aspx

 

[drdoom]

If you need mercV and cannot get it, go to napa and get some lubegard in the green bottle. It will bring dex merc up to mercV specs. At federated they try to sell me +4 for my 97, because they don't have the right stuff. I get mercV at advance.

 

[RobertE]

I'm going to try the Castrol Transmax this weekend, bought 2 cases and will post up how it holds out.

In the US a case goes for probably 60-65$ (or around there), but here a case goes for 95-110$.

E-bay can easily be just as or more expensive than acquiring it locally once it gets here unfortunately.

 

[swshawaii]

Surprising. Almost every AP chain, and many department stores here sell Valvoline Mercon V.

http://www.valvoline.com/products/c...sion-products/automatic-transmission-fluid/35

 

[Dangerfield]

This is another option

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9018758&contentId=7033928

 

[Robman]

go with a full synthetic.