Please Advise: ATF for 1988 Town Car AOD trans

[Ike_Clanton]

I haven't owned this car too long, but the transmission has definately been out of the car at least once. I've spent the last few months getting everything up to date as far as maintenance items, and chose the Purolator Pure One oil filter as my filter of choice as far as quality-per-dollar. Thanks, BITOG!

For people that know, yes, my TV cable is fine and I have the brass bushing at the throttle body. The cable is adjusted correctly and shifts are neither harsh not slushy. I believe this transmission shifts about as good as anyone can reasonably expect an AOD to shift.

One of my last things on the mechanical checklist is to change the tranny fluid and filter. From everything I've read, Mercon V should be OK as far as not making my AOD take a dump 5k miles later, and it is also apparently semi-synthetic and therefore preferable to Dextron III/Mercon. Do I have this right?

I'd like to know what other Ford AOD guys are running.

 

[Colt45ws]

Valvoline Maxlife is what I would use.

 

[DieselTech]

Mercon V would be your best all around bet.

 

[dkcase]

In my 89 Crown Vic I have continued to use the Dexron 3/Mercon, although I did use up what was left of Mercon V from my daughter's Ranger pickup after she traded it off.

I recently purchased some to do the filter/pan this Spring and I still went with a Dex3/Mercon from Advance Auto, mostly because it's cheaper.

Spring and Fall, when I change engine oil, I siphon out the pan and replace the few quarts that it gets out. Open it up every few years and get at the filter. I mostly just drive it to work, about 6,000 miles a year. It stays clean and bright red.

 

[Rob_Roy]

The Merc. V will do fine.

The torque converter in your car has a drain plug, remove the rubber plug from the bell housing and rotate the engine (clockwise only) until you see the T.C. drain plug. It will take a while to drain, but you will able to get most of the old fluid out. IIRC, you will need ~12 quarts to refill.

Congrats on the Town Car by the way, I always liked the late 80's bodystyle.

 

[Ike_Clanton]

Thanks guys.

And RR, yes, this one in particular is what many people would call a survivor=not totally destroyed. It has been cleaning up nicely, even if the radiator died on me last night. Ah, well...