Mercon V vs Mercon

[R1jake]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
You mention that Mercon was no longer available but really, the substitute is the Dex/Merc you mentioned earlier. Everyone makes it.


Really the same thing? Wow that's pretty cool. I've still been researching since my earlier post. Lol
I'm wondering if a regular dextrin/mercon would be better for my E4od vs something like the mobile 1 synthetic ATF which says it's compatible with mercon and mercon V.

 

[R1jake]

Was just checking out Amsoils top of the line synthetic ATF and wow 16 bucks a quart!! At that price it would cost 300 bucks to service the E4od. Wow

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

Although not the same transmission I have a 94 ford a4ld and I can tell you valvoline dex/merc works wonderfully in it. If you're running extended intervals a full synthetic like maxlife or castrol synthetic are good. A mercon V is recommended by Ford now and hold up better than the dex/merc and you can get super tech at Walmart for pretty cheap along with castrol multi vehicle import meeting it. Really you're pretty flushed for options and all of them are pretty good. You're trannys not going to grenade on any of them. Mercon lv is the next step on the atf life of ford and it drops the viscosity quite a bit and if I'm not mistaken it is not back specced like mercon V is for mercon. If I were in your shoes I'd use dex/merc for 10k intervals (ocd transmission fluid), mercon V for 20-30 and any full synthetic 30+. That's not a real recommendation but just my take on it. The dex merc comes from the licensing process being taken away, so since dexron 3 and mercon were so similar they market them as the same. So they could be the exact formula from before but we will never know without actual licensing.

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

Let me hot notes that
Dex/merc good for small intervals
Mercon V the official back specced fluid by ford good for median intervals
Any line of synthetic that meets it take your pick, maxlife castrol Mobil 1 etc. just stick with a main brand or something you can find testimony from.
Then if you swing that way Amsoil and redline are seen in the highest light.
All will work (generally, sometimes transmissions are picky) but nothing to worry about too much. What is important to you? Longer intervals? The most proper fluid for peace of mind? I am not a transmission fluid guru this is all just what I've seen from what I've seen/read/experienced and I could be way underselling mercon V as it's what I'm least experienced with.
refer to wagonmasters post in this thread for a probably better take on mercon V. I would never run 100k but it has been done.

 

[R1jake]

Wow thanks Hyundai abuser, what I am wanting mainly was to figure out if the synthetic fluids are compatible mostly this way I can have a bit longer service with them. 20k miles would be plenty. What had me worried is most of these synthetics I see are multi vehicle type blends and I've seen so many post saying not to use a multi vehicle blend. Right now I'm leaning towards mobile 1 synthetic ATF I think. Or Amsoils synthetic ATF signature series. Both of which are multi vehicle I believe. But I've real a lot of good things on this maxlife too and believe it's a synthetic too. Is maxlife a full synthetic?

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by R1jake
Dupree I'd love to hear what you ended up deciding with your E4OD and how it worked ?? I have my 94 Ford E150 5.8L E4OD 31,000 original miles. I picked it up a couple years ago with only 18,000 miles on it garage kept as well. So I love this van and am now wanting what's best for the transmission which was done once when brought out of its long period of sitting back in 2016. I have no idea what the ford dealership put in it but want to get the best available for it. I would assume they used Motocraft mercon V.
I've researched this quiet a bit and my research is what has kept me from doing the service up to this point due to not knowing what's best to put in.

I'm using Mercon V in my E4OD. Ford no longer licenses Mercon. I'm using Mobil1 ATF for 50-60k intervals. Works extremely well in my E4OD.

 

[R1jake]

I just researched maxlife and wow yes it is a full synthetic which is awesome and it's pretty darn cheap too. I'm thinking this may be good for me and my E4OD.
So I'm now considering maxlife, mobile 1 syn ATF, or amsoil which are all 3 multi vehicle formulas.

 

[R1jake]

Snagglefoot , I meant to quote your post. Not that I don't believe you at all but I can't find any evidence this is the original mercon recipe. I know dextron and mercon were very similar but does anyone know which blend they chose to label dextron/mercon. Or heck maybe even some other blend in between which would be the best case scenario I suppose.
Unless dextron and mercon were exactly the same the current formula is probably neither of the 2 original blends.

 

[R1jake]

I do have a question for the Valvoline choices, they have the maxlife which is full synthetic and states it's good for my application the E4od but not licensed I guess. Then they also have specific mercon v which is a licensed by ford mercon v. Which is truely better for my E4od.

 

[dogememe]

Originally Posted by R1jake
I do have a question for the Valvoline choices, they have the maxlife which is full synthetic and states it's good for my application the E4od but not licensed I guess. Then they also have specific mercon v which is a licensed by ford mercon v. Which is truely better for my E4od.

Valvoline Mercon V is NOT a licensed product. It says so on the front of the bottle. That said, it's a good product and will work fine.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Hey R1. I would say this. From past history it was generally accepted that Dexron III and Mercon were fairly similar. When Mercon was dropped by Ford, the manufacturers came out with a Dex/Merc product that is not exactly identical to Mercon but is very similar to both Dexron III and Mercon. Your transmission will be fine with any Dex/Merc product. By the way, it is Dexron, not Dextron.

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

Originally Posted by dogememe
Originally Posted by R1jake
I do have a question for the Valvoline choices, they have the maxlife which is full synthetic and states it's good for my application the E4od but not licensed I guess. Then they also have specific mercon v which is a licensed by ford mercon v. Which is truely better for my E4od.

Valvoline Mercon V is NOT a licensed product. It says so on the front of the bottle. That said, it's a good product and will work fine.

That is correct. Valvoline is known to not actually go through the licensing programs set up by manufacturers so it's kind of a shot in the dark in that realm. However maxlife is a full synthetic and very cheap compared to most transmission fluids, either that or mercon v would love most likely work well. However if I were to go with a mercon V I would at least go with a licensed once since there are so many out there. There's no real way to tell what is truly best being that the fluid it's designed for is an outdated spec but you can find testimonial and anecdotes of just about all of these fluids working great in substitution for original mercon. If you like the aspect of extra seal conditioners for an older transmission maxlife is a great option along with castrol high mileage atf. The castrol high mileage atf is pretty close to mercon in viscosity and (purely speculation) is probably formulated closer to the original I.E. break down faster. Nonetheless good options.
Of your synthetic choices maxlife would be the best value unless the others are on sale and if 20k is plenty of interval mileage like you said then it using the cheaper one could actually have a decent financial impact long run.

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

Originally Posted by R1jake
Wow thanks Hyundai abuser, what I am wanting mainly was to figure out if the synthetic fluids are compatible mostly this way I can have a bit longer service with them. 20k miles would be plenty. What had me worried is most of these synthetics I see are multi vehicle type blends and I've seen so many post saying not to use a multi vehicle blend. Right now I'm leaning towards mobile 1 synthetic ATF I think. Or Amsoils synthetic ATF signature series. Both of which are multi vehicle I believe. But I've real a lot of good things on this maxlife too and believe it's a synthetic too. Is maxlife a full synthetic?
On your question of multi vehicle formulas, they are nothing to worry about too much when it comes to gm and ford transmissions. As you'll see most transmission fluids are dexron clones which includes the original mercon fluid. With gm backspeccing dexron 6 to dexron 3 and mercon being so similar to dexron 3 there are people just running plain dexron 6 without problems. Heck maxlife the dexron 6 close has good testimonies with transmissions that take Toyota t-IV and WS along with Hyundai/Kia sp3 and 4. Which are portrayed as essential for those vehicles as the only fluid. Basically the more generic gm and ford transmission with dex/merc are the least to worry about by way of multi vehicle fluids due to how common they are.
I know this doesn't answer the question of what to use but in that sense with 20k intervals you could just pick the most available or cheapest mercon V or full synthetic and be happy.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by R1jake
Originally Posted by dave1251
Originally Posted by T-Stick
So I have the Ford 4R100 in a 7.3 powerstroke. I don't think it works best on a lighter viscosity fluid either. Use a Mercon of your choice such as Chevron MD3, Valvoline/Castrol Dex/Merc etc. Then include Redline D4 in a 1/3 ratio mix. Redline will help get you some modern friction modifiers and the viscosity will be heavy at the factory spec. This is hands down the best formula that I have used in the 4R100 after playing with some different brews. Mercon V will tend to cause more slippage over time. Straight Mercon would get me some delayed hang shifts while the 1/3 ratio addition of Redline D4 to the Mercon eliminated those, and now I get a firm shift at the right rpm.



MERCON is not a heavy fluid after use it's thinner than MERCON LV.

MERCON
https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=706440

After 13000 miles it's CST is 43.


The longer in use it will drop further

MERCON LV


https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/foru...tthread/Board/47/main/289915/type/thread

After 14000 miles it's CST is 46.

After use it will retain its grade remarkably better than DEXRON/MERCON III.


OP if you want a "thicker" fluid virtually everything on the self is thicker than MERCON.




This is the first I've heard mercon LV, for the E4OD ford specified regular mercon and said not to use anything else then when mercon was dropped they then said to use mercon V which was originally not ok. This all has me very confused what to get. Now hearing mercon LV I've not heard anyone say to use this in the E4OD??
I am totally lost on what is best to use for my transmission and the more I research it the more lost I get. Lol what's the difference between mercon V and mercon LV ??
I do know regular mercon is what was called for for the E4OD so I would love to be able to get it but it's no longer Available. Thanks In advance for any advice.



Maybe this helps.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.aa1car.com/library/ford_tsb_06144.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjNtPjEjPXlAhVFqJ4KHfm0AGQQFjAJegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw3IR-XGVzBZmrKClLDLPE2A

I'm not saying use MERCON LV over MERCON V but the false narrative of LV ATF being thinner than legacy DEXRON/MERCON III is just false and silly.

 

[R1jake]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Hey R1. I would say this. From past history it was generally accepted that Dexron III and Mercon were fairly similar. When Mercon was dropped by Ford, the manufacturers came out with a Dex/Merc product that is not exactly identical to Mercon but is very similar to both Dexron III and Mercon. Your transmission will be fine with any Dex/Merc product. By the way, it is Dexron, not Dextron.

Wow how did I not see that?? Lol Dexron not dextron.

 

[R1jake]

I've read everyone's responses and at one point I was completely set on maxlife, after reading it not being the same viscosity as say a mercon v I started to second guess that decision. Then after reading the post above and others during my research saying mercon (after a bit of service) will have a lower viscosity than a synthetic such as maxlife, I'm still thinking I may most likely go with maxlife. I would love to use the best amsoil or even possibly mobile 1 full syn ATF but wow at 15 or more quarts it would be really expensive and I don't even know if they are any better than maxlife. Thanks to all for all of the help. I'm pretty much stuck on the 3 synthetics mentioned to the point if I knew one was truely better with evidence I would go with that one no matter the cost.

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

Originally Posted by R1jake
I've read everyone's responses and at one point I was completely set on maxlife, after reading it not being the same viscosity as say a mercon v I started to second guess that decision. Then after reading the post above and others during my research saying mercon (after a bit of service) will have a lower viscosity than a synthetic such as maxlife, I'm still thinking I may most likely go with maxlife. I would love to use the best amsoil or even possibly mobile 1 full syn ATF but wow at 15 or more quarts it would be really expensive and I don't even know if they are any better than maxlife. Thanks to all for all of the help. I'm pretty much stuck on the 3 synthetics mentioned to the point if I knew one was truely better with evidence I would go with that one no matter the cost.
the thing is we don't have any true way of seeing which one is better for the application, at least with our current resources. Maxlife just has way more widespead use than the others so we can see how it works a bit more clearly.
Here's another thread on this topic where maxlife was used and the owner was very happy with it.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2296779/2

 

[R1jake]

Thanks much hyundaiabuser for the last link there. That shows how much I've researched this being I've read that post somewhere. I can remember reading the (much more smoother)comment. Lol

 

[kschachn]

As long as the Dextron is Dextrose licensed you're okay.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by kschachn
As long as the Dextron is Dextrose licensed you're okay.



You have no sense kschachn