ATF/mercon V

[02expsport]

Morning...I have an 02 X sport. It calls for Mercon V, when I change the ATF, can I use Amsoil's ATF or Mobil 1 ATF or any other synthetic ATF ( Royal Purple/NEO/Redline )?

I have changed the ATF on an E4OD in my 97 F250HD PSD, but I am not up to speed on the 5R55E ( 5E55R ).

The E4OD has a torque converter drain plug, does this transmission have it also or do you just change the fluid and filter and hope for the best?

Any info would be great.

Thanks - JR

 

[aldive]

I have used Mobil 1 ATF for years with no problems whatsoever.

Write AgExplorer for info on Amsoil ATF, He will sell you the Amsoil products at a great price.

Good luck......

 

[JDraper]

With the new tranny, make sure the fluid is Mercon V compatible. Other than that, any of the brands Aldive mentioned will be fine (If Mercon V compatible).

 

[02expsport]

Can anyone answer this???

I have changed the ATF on an E4OD in my 97 F250HD PSD, but I am not up to speed on the 5R55E ( 5E55R ).

The E4OD has a torque converter drain plug, does this transmission have it also or do you just change the fluid and filter and hope for the best?

Any info would be great.

JR

 

[Robert]

The 5R55E doesn't have a torque converter drain. All of the fluid can still be swapped out though. Many (if not all) transmission fluid change facilities have a machine that plumbs in line with the transmission. It will cycle fluid through until new fluid comes out. Another method is to disconnect the hoses from the tranny cooler. Plug up the inlet hose and let the outlet hose drain into a container. Start up your Explorer and let it run until a quart has gone into the container. Shut it off and add a new quart. Keep doing this until the fluid coming out looks as good as the new fluid. That is what I did the last time I changed my fluid out. I went through 19 quarts of Mercon V before the fluid was coming out bright red. The transmission only holds about 12 quarts, but it took several extra quarts to get the junk out.

 

[02expsport]

Thanks...

Robert...thanks for the info/input. I would ASSUME that they also have a filter that needs to be replaced? My daughter's Honda does NOT have a filter - just drain and refill only.

Switching out the Mercon V for Amsoil/any other synthetic is quite costly then.

??? WOULD THIS WORK???

Drain the fluid via a siphon pump and refill with Mercon V, drive about 1K miles, repeat 3 times then drop the pan, replace the filter and refill the trans. Mercon V is cheap at about $ 2.50/qt. vs $ 4.99/qt.

How much fluid can you drain by removing the pan, based on the 12 qt. capacity of the trans.?

SORRY and Thanks !!!!

 

[jjue]

I should have tried that method last time. I didn't have the containers & I was getting ready to move, so I didn't want to buy anything else. Unfortunately, it cost me $120 to have my tranny flushed at a shop. Having to buy 19 quarts of tranny fluid is nothing.

 

[Trabuco]

Even if it is synthetic ATF, it still needs to say it is compatible with Mercon V (not just Mercon as all the shops will try to convince you is just as good).
I was unable to find any full synthetic ATF on the market that was compatible with Mercon V when I just did my full fluid changeout a while back. Amsoil MAY now have a synthetic, Mercon V compatible fluid.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by Trabuco
Even if it is synthetic ATF, it still needs to say it is compatible with Mercon V (not just Mercon as all the shops will try to convince you is just as good).
I was unable to find any full synthetic ATF on the market that was compatible with Mercon V when I just did my full fluid changeout a while back. Amsoil MAY now have a synthetic, Mercon V compatible fluid.

Amsoil literature states:

Recommended for applications requiring the following specifications:

GM Dexron II, Dexron III
Ford Mercon, Mercon V
Chrysler ATF+, ATF+2, ATF+3, ATF+4
Mitsubishi Diamond SP II & III
Allison C-3 & C-4 and TES-295
Caterpillar Powershift Transmission TO-2 & TO-3
Voith Commercial Transmissions
GM Strasbourg (European Imports) and Opel

 

[JDraper]

Quaker State makes a synthetic blend that is Mercon V/Dexron III compatible. Wal-Mart carries it.

 

[Robert]

Re: Thanks...

Originally posted by 02expsport
Robert...thanks for the info/input. I would ASSUME that they also have a filter that needs to be replaced? My daughter's Honda does NOT have a filter - just drain and refill only.

Switching out the Mercon V for Amsoil/any other synthetic is quite costly then.

??? WOULD THIS WORK???

Drain the fluid via a siphon pump and refill with Mercon V, drive about 1K miles, repeat 3 times then drop the pan, replace the filter and refill the trans. Mercon V is cheap at about $ 2.50/qt. vs $ 4.99/qt.

How much fluid can you drain by removing the pan, based on the 12 qt. capacity of the trans.?

SORRY and Thanks !!!!

Yes it has a filter (as Purolator called it) or a screen (as many members have called it).

It's hard to follow what you have in mind. It looks like you want to try and suck all of the fluid out of the thransmission (12 quarts) three times and then drop the pan and change the fluid there. Doing it that way will take about 40 quarts which would be no cheaper than just paying a shop to do it and take a long time. It took less than an hour doing it through the transmission cooler (not including the time to drop the pan and change the filter which I did first).

You will only get about 4 quarts out by dropping the pan.

 

[02expsport]

Still on the Mercon V kick...

I agree it would be time consuming. you are right, the cost would be about the same. The local tranny flush/fill shops charge extra to drop the pan and change the filter. Also, would you change the filter BEFORE or AFTER they flush the trans? You do it before and you have clean fluid and a dirty filter, you do it after and you have dirty fluid and a clean filter. Would you then change the filter again?????

Your way, you only drop the pan once and you have a clean filter at the end...my way is more time consuming and costly. The only thing that bothers me is that you have to start the truck X number of times. Either way would cost about the same.

Further study is needed on my part...but I must say that I like your method.

How many miles can I expect to get out of the factory fill of Mercon V? If it is as bad as Mercon, no more that 20K miles.

 

[jjue]

Yuck! Quaker State? Is someone here using Quaker State? My friends and I don't use Quaker State on the basis of experience of motor oil gumming and leaving a film on engine parts and the recommendation of a Mechanical Engineering professor at Miss. State who formerly worked at GM in the Allison division. He said that he always experienced gumming with Quaker State for some reason.

Their transmission fluid may be different, but I still won't touch it with a 20 ft. pole.

 

[JDraper]

Quaker State used to have problems with their motor oil gumming because they used a paraffin base for their oil, however they have stopped that practice and now use a conventional petroleum base.

 

[Robert]

I changed the filter first, then did the flush. If you do the flush first until the fluid comes out looking new and then drop the pan to replace the filter, you will then have to add 4 more quarts of new fluid. It would take an additional 4 quarts to do the flush first. Since you will either be pumping new fluid through an old filter or old fluid through a new filter, I don't think it much matters. If the fluid is changed often enough, it shouldn't be bad enough to cause a conern either way.

Regarding life expectancy, I did my first change at 51K miles per my Ford Service guide. I only did the pan and filter though. The fluid in the pan looked almost as good as the new fluid. The second time I changed the fluid was at 80K miles. At that time I did a complete fluid and filter change. The fluid was much darker than the first time which is probably why it took 19 quarts before it looked new coming out. In '97 the Owner's manual calls for 51K fluid changes in the 5R55E under Severe Duty and no scheduled fluid changes under normal duty. In '98 Ford revised those intervals to more realistic numbers. I have switched over to the more realistic schedule from '98 after seeing how bad the fluid looked at 80K which is about 30K.

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by JDraper
Quaker State used to have problems with their motor oil gumming because they used a paraffin base for their oil, however they have stopped that practice and now use a conventional petroleum base.

Everyone has their preferences. I started using Quaker State almost religiously about 10 years ago when they were advertising their million mile guarantee against any oil related engine failures when using Quaker State. About 400000 miles later, I have yet to have any engine related problems in the 7 vehicles that I have owned. After hearing similar stories about Penzoil, I swore off Penzoil. I guess that since they are still in business and I haven't heard of any class action lawsuits against them, my fears of Penzoil are probably unfounded. Doesn't make me want to use it though.