Fords CVT and Six Speed Transmission Fluids

[ctrcbob]

My sister has a 2005 Ford FreeStyle with the CVT Transmission.
I have a 2007 Lincoln MKZ with the Six Speed Automatic Transmission.

Can't remember what it says for my sisters CVT, but for my Six Speed, it says:

"Only one ATF fluid specification has been tested and approved for use with the automatic 6-speed: PREMIUM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. Mercon fluids cannot be used with the automatic 6-speed without damage or voiding warranty. Use of a non-approved automatic transmission fluid may cause intyernal transaxle component damage."
Later in the book, it calls for "Motorcraft Premium Automatic Transmission Fluid" with Ford Part Name/Ford Spec of XT-8-QAW/WSP-M2C924-A.

Does anyone else make this fluid other than Motorcraft, and if only Motorcraft, does that mean we can only purchase it at a FMC dealer?

 

[unDummy]

The 6-speed is an AW box. The fluid is the 3309 ATF. Besides the dealer OEM fill, some of the multivehicle ATF's will work.

Concerning the CVT, read the onwers manual. If it requires the special CVT fluid, you must use it and nothing else.

 

[Whitewolf]

I want to reinforce what unDummy said.
DON'T use ANYTHING other than what the manual tells you to use in the CVT.
Unless you have a really impressive bank balance!

 

[ctrcbob]

OK, by what you are saying, the CVT and the 6-Speed use different fluids from each other. In addition, for other transmissions, Ford uses Mercon, Mercon-V (what my Continental calls for) and if you go back far enough, the old Type-F. They sure don't make it easy for us do they.

Now, last question. What the heck is 3309 ATF? Sounds like the Chrysler ATF of a few years back. Does the Motorcraft Premium Automatic Transmission Fluid say 3309 on the bottle? I may go visit my local Ford dealer and ask to see a bottle of the correct fluid for the 6-speed, and while I'm there, may as well ask to see what the bottle of CVT fluid says.

 

[Whitewolf]

OK, it isn't easy but I can tell you that the CVT issue is about having the correct friction between the belt and the pulluys (as well as everything else), and since the designs and materials employed from OEM to OEM are different then they typically require special fluids.
Because they ate quite low volume products this usually means that they can be expensive

 

[ctrcbob]

Had nothing better to do this morning, so I visited my local Ford Dealer, (had a cup of his coffee) and inquired in the Parts Department about both these fluids (CVT &
6-Speed). He does not have either in stock!!!!!!! The price for the fluid for the 6-Speed is $7.27 a quart, but a lot of good that is if they don't have any.

Don't get me wrong. I don't need any at the moment, but it would be nice if I had a quart just for the day I do need some. The 6-Speed (and the CVT) have been out since the 2005 models were introduced. Well, perhaps the Transmission Tech at my Ford Dealer is correct when he told me a few months ago that they have not had any problems with either of these two transmissions. I may stop in there next week, (drink their coffee) and ask the Transmission Tech, and Service Manager (whom I trust very much) what are they doing when they get one of these cars in, that needs the transmission serviced.

 

[billstock]

Type 3309 fluid is same as Toyota type T-IV. Available from Mobil as ATF 3309. Also, some Volvo applications.

 

[Ray H]

Didn't Ford and GM jointly collaborate on the design of the 6-sp AT? What does GM call for in their iteration of the 6-sp?

 

[ctrcbob]

Visited with my favorate Ford Transmission Tech today. The CVT and the 6-Speed indeed use DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION FLUIDS, and neither of them are Mercon or Mercon-V. Said that Mercon (and V) will ruin both those transmissions. Said that he has not done a "Service" on the CVT yet, because the service interval is so long, and not many cars have that transmission (but he has taken the Ford training for it), but he has done the service on the 6-speed. I asked him how can he do a service on the 6-speed if the parts department does not have the fluid. Said that when a customer makes an appointment for 6-speed servicing, they order the "Motorcraft Premium Automatic Transmission Fluid" at that time.

And I thought it was complicated back when we had Type-F, Mercon, Mercon-V, Dextron II, Dextron IIe, Dextron III,
ATF-2, ATF-3, ATF-4, etc. etc. etc. They just want to make it more difficult for owners, and independant garages, to work on cars. .

 

[thrace]

Honda has been pushing that dealer only ATF mantra for years. And their AT's are nothing special in durability either.

 

[Whitewolf]

This is a bit messy.
I think the 6-speed that they are referring to is the ZF RWD unit.
The GM collaberation is for the FWD and for that GM specify DEXRON-VI. However not all of the features are the same so Ford may specify something different for reasons of their own due to differences in say material selection.
By the way guys, there is no T in DEXRON.

 

[Whitewolf]

Hey ctrcbob, I understand the frustration with having all these different fluids. However, the various OEMs use different friction materials and different calibrations so the fluid, being part of the whole system has to match that system, the problem is that the more complicated those systems become the more difficult, if not impossible, it is to make a 'one size fits all', or come to that even a 'one size fits many'
What's more I don't see it getting better! Sorry.

 

[jessealan]

I have a freestyle. I wonder if this cvt fluid is good stuff.

 

[Whitewolf]

If it's the CVT and that's what's recommended then use it. My advice is however not to assume that the cvt fluid will work in a normal AT. Is that what you were thinking?

 

[Ray H]

Quote:

---

By the way guys, there is no T in DEXRON.

---

Yeah, but there's sure one in "DEXTRON"... (I've noted the same tendency by some to inject the letter "T" into GM's spec'd tranny fluid, too - but it's an uphill battle with virtually no chance of altering the offenders' habitual pronunciation/spelling lapses. Fortunately it's only a minor technical offense punishable by no worse than burning their homes, seizing their retirement and education funds, and marching their family members off to lifetime, involuntary servitude at a DEXRON ATF blending facility...)

 

[Whitewolf]

Oh, I'm sorry that you took it so badly, I was only trying to be helpful