Dipstick doesnt Specify What type of Mercon

[south59]

95 4 door 4x4 with the 4r55e. Just like the title says, it doesnt specify whether to use Mercon III or Mercon V on the dipstick, and neither does the manual. I bought 15 quarts of Mercon III last night to do a flush, and I want to make sure I dont need Mercon V as ive heard some say that the 95's is when ford started to use the mercon V. thanks

 

[Eneurb]

If it doesn't say "Mercon V" on it, that means it takes Mercon III.

 

[mctoy]

Either way, you can use the "V" stuff in a mercon tranny, but NOT vice versa.

 

[Opera House]

Officially Ford says you can't use V in earlier transmissions because of an incompatability of the clutch material. Frankly at that age it may not matter one way or another. The general year I've heard is 96 for the newer clutch material was being used by the manufacturers. So if an old 92 A4LD got rebuilt in 98, it would probably be fine with V. Ford really didn't start using V in any scale till 97. I had a chart once upon a time which gave the model phase in.

 

[big351bronc]

if still unsure, ask the people at autozone

 

[mctoy]

Officially Ford says you can't use V in earlier transmissions because of an incompatability of the clutch material. Frankly at that age it may not matter one way or another. The general year I've heard is 96 for the newer clutch material was being used by the manufacturers. So if an old 92 A4LD got rebuilt in 98, it would probably be fine with V. Ford really didn't start using V in any scale till 97. I had a chart once upon a time which gave the model phase in.

My bad! I guess it didnt click that yours is an earlier model. I believe it was 97 when they went 'all mercon'. Opera is right. I humbly bow to someone lightyears ahead of me in tranny knowledge!!! <Insert "Just shoot me" smiley>

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

if still unsure, ask the people at autozone

Ha. I wouldn't trust the people at AutoZone to do much for me. Check your owner's manual. But if memory serves me correctly, Mercon V began being used in conjunction with the 5R55E's release in '97. You can use Dexron/Mercon III in your '95.

 

[Glacier991]

While I would defer to Eneurb on this one... if you use III and don't have shudder or slipping, it's more than likely fine. If you do have troubles, flush and switch. Nothing irrevocably bad is gonna happen. OR, just go synthetic, it covers all bases.... it's what I am doing on my A4LD with the convertor maybe III and the plates retro'd from a 5R55

 

[south59]

Thanks for the help as always guys, im planning on doing a full flush whenever the filters, gaskets, and o rings come in from bulkpart. On another note, I went to autzone and everyone who worked there was completely CLUELESS about a drain plug kit, so I guess Im going to try O'Reilly tommorow since they seem to be with the program a little more.

 

[Glacier991]

Autozone has em. At the area near the oil, there is a board display with an assortment of replacement oil drain plugs. ON THAT BOARD, is the one you are looking for. Check the board out carefully and you will see one that has a bolt looking thing with a but on it, and the bolt is hollow with a plug screwed into it as well... and a couple nylong washers... that is the one. Naw, they have no clue.... but they have it. The plug has an M on it. I'm sure you did a search and saw the pics, several of us have posted em.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

O'Reilly has them, though it may not be on the shelf. Ask them for the B&M Tranny drain plug kit. They carry it.

 

[Eneurb]

While I would defer to Eneurb on this one... if you use III and don't have shudder or slipping, it's more than likely fine. If you do have troubles, flush and switch. Nothing irrevocably bad is gonna happen. OR, just go synthetic, it covers all bases.... it's what I am doing on my A4LD with the convertor maybe III and the plates retro'd from a 5R55

Or go to your local dealer and ask to puchase a bottle of "XL 11"... that's the part no. of the recall additive for the newer 5r55... actually just smells like friction modifier to me...

 

[Kingkobra]

Mercon is backwards compatable.....You can use a Mercon V in a plain mercon system but not vice versa...just as dot 4 brake fluid can be used in a 3 system, but not the other way around...