Ford Ranger/ mazda 5 spd requires Mercon ?

[Whimsey]

I had a 1989 F-150 with the MD05 tranny and it ran fine on the factory fill when I sold it with 116,000 miles on it. It shifted like butter. I replaced it with a 2002 F-150 with the same manual tranny, both trucks bought new. The 2002 shifts terrible with ATF. It's clunky and would grind in non winter temps(NJ). I finally replaced the second fill of ATF with RP Synchromax. This is about the same viscosity as ATF. The shifting is sooo much better, not perfect, still clunky at times but doesn't grind when it's hot outside. Most likely the tranny was not set up properly from the factory. ATF will not hurt this tranny but there are better fluids if you want to use them.

Whimsey

 

[mechtech2]

In addition to what Bluestream said, I have a Mazda transaxle in my Ford. Once, it was spec'd for gear oil, but quickly changed to ATF by Ford. G5-M

Why do we insist that because there is a spec [esp POST spec] that the engineers have concluded it is the best? That the unit was designed for this initially? That they fought tooth and nail to spec ATF because of it's superiority?
We are dealing with Corporate America.

 

[01rangerxl]

Please feel free to post some sort of documentation that says that something other than ATF has ever been specified for the M5OD. It doesn't exist because this trans has always used ATF.

The Mazda M5OD was introduced in 1987 for certain drivetrains. Ford continued using the Mitsubishi FM132 and FM146 until 1992 for 4WDs and some 2WDs, and both of the Mitsubishi transmissions require gear oil, and Ford never suggested anything else for them (because they were designed to use gear oil!). If it was all about streamlining costs and operations, why would they have two separate manual transmissions using two completely different fluids on the same line?

Toyo Kogyo transmissions were also used until 1987, and these also always spec'd gear oil and were never back spec'd. My parents owned one, and the Ford dealer never put anything but gear oil in it.

 

[mobilaltima]

Im assuming I have the MO5D, all i can find on the info on the tranny on my '01 Ranger is that its an R1. I just drained and filled it two days ago with Castrol Transmax Mercron V, but would it be better off with Pennzoil Synchromesh or Royal Purple Synchromax?

 

[SHOZ]

I had a Taurus SHO with a Mazda 5 sp manual. It took ATF. I also had two Festivas (Mazda built by Kia and sold by Ford) with the 5 sp manual which took ATF but the Asian delivered Festivas speced regular manual lube.

 

[Greasymechtech]

Dex/Merc is fine.
Synchromesh can be used but they are thicker than ATF. Shouldn't be a problem for a warmer climate and MT fluids usually have a good GL4 type additive package.

RP Synchromax, and Pentoson/Ravenol MTF are similar to ATF in terms of viscosity.