What are the top of line LV trans fluids?

[ZZman]

The wife just got a 2014 Ford Fusion. I am planning on changing the fluid myself ( filter is internal so no messing with that)

Is the Motorcraft LV good stuff or are there better choices for a little more money?

What do or would you use?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

There is nothing wrong with Motorcraft, but there are other licensed fluids at a better price

For example, Castrol Full Synthetic ATF often goes on sale for $5/qt or so at the parts stores. It is officially-licensed Mercon LV

Many house brand syn LV ATF's are also officially approved by Ford and available at a great price

During the warranty period, use something that is licensed Mercon LV. I would use the cheapest licensed Mercon LV.

 

[Jimzz]

Valvoline maxlife and castrol are the 2 primary LV fluids I have used in Fords, and many others, and work well.

 

[Gebo]

I would use what the owner's manual called for. Nothing else.

How are you gonna change it?

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by ZZman
The wife just got a 2014 Ford Fusion. I am planning on changing the fluid myself ( filter is internal so no messing with that)

Is the Motorcraft LV good stuff or are there better choices for a little more money?

I think any claims of "better" are hard to prove. More below....

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
For example, Castrol Full Synthetic ATF often goes on sale for $5/qt or so at the parts stores. It is officially-licensed Mercon LV.
I've never seen Castrol's full synthetic ATF for $5. Their Import Multi-Vehicle goes down to $5 though.

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
Many house brand syn LV ATF's are also officially approved by Ford and available at a great price

During the warranty period, use something that is licensed Mercon LV. I would use the cheapest licensed Mercon LV.
The Castrol full synthetic is one that's licensed by Ford for LV applications. Supertech has an LV fluid that is as well. Warren's MAG1 is also, Federated's LV ATF is too.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
I've never seen Castrol's full synthetic ATF for $5. Their Import Multi-Vehicle goes down to $5 though.
The Castrol full synthetic is one that's licensed by Ford for LV applications. Supertech has an LV fluid that is as well. Warren's MAG1 is also, Federated's LV ATF is too.


I've seen the sale as "Any Castrol ATF 2 for $10" at both AAP and Autozone, and they did include All Castrol ATF's, including the Full Synthetic, and even the CVT fluid

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
I've seen the sale as "Any Castrol ATF 2 for $10" at both AAP and Autozone, and they did include All Castrol ATF's, including the Full Synthetic, and even the CVT fluid

I presumed you meant Autozone and AAP's sales and those were what I was thinking of as well. For a year or longer, it's been more like "2 for $14". The IMV even seems to be "2 for $12" anymore.

 

[ZZman]

Originally Posted by Gebo
I would use what the owner's manual called for. Nothing else.

How are you gonna change it?


Probably just do a drain and fill. Car only has 28,000 miles on it.

 

[Gebo]

Does it have a dipstick?

 

[tig1]

I am using M1 LV ATF in my 2017 Fusion and it shifts smoother than MC LV or Valvoline Maxlife LV. I ordered mine from O'Reileys.

 

[ZZman]

Originally Posted by Gebo
Does it have a dipstick?


No. You add fluid in the top but It uses a weep hole in the side for proper level.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by ZZman
Originally Posted by Gebo
Does it have a dipstick?


No. You add fluid in the top but It uses a weep hole in the side for proper level.

Check the level now (for reference). If it's good, just do the standard measure-what-comes-up and replace-with-the-same-amount. Don't worry about the whole thing about hot ATF expands and thinking you have to let it cool down to measure it. Trust me, I've done it (3) times and from 'hot' to 80º F, the amount doesn't change (based on my Sharpie mark on the side of the mark).

 

[buck91]

I have had great results using MaxLife in any application which is claims to be compatible. Which to date is only three applications. Toyota, Mercon LV and Dex VI.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
I've seen the sale as "Any Castrol ATF 2 for $10" at both AAP and Autozone, and they did include All Castrol ATF's, including the Full Synthetic, and even the CVT fluid

I presumed you meant Autozone and AAP's sales and those were what I was thinking of as well. For a year or longer, it's been more like "2 for $14". The IMV even seems to be "2 for $12" anymore.


I'll admit I haven't been paying attention closely in awhile, but if that's true, that sucks

 

[madeej11]

Originally Posted by tig1
I am using M1 LV ATF in my 2017 Fusion and it shifts smoother than MC LV or Valvoline Maxlife LV. I ordered mine from O'Reileys.

M1, go figure.

 

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by ZZman
Originally Posted by Gebo
Does it have a dipstick?


No. You add fluid in the top but It uses a weep hole in the side for proper level.

Check the level now (for reference). If it's good, just do the standard measure-what-comes-up and replace-with-the-same-amount. Don't worry about the whole thing about hot ATF expands and thinking you have to let it cool down to measure it. Trust me, I've done it (3) times and from 'hot' to 80º F, the amount doesn't change (based on my Sharpie mark on the side of the mark).


Your volume differences in hot vs cold may be true in your applications but they do not apply to my Toyota and Lexus vehicles.

Remember where you have an ATF dipstick and the "cold" marks are near the bottom of the stick and the "hot" marks are up higher on the stick? Why are there 2 different places to check ATF level? ATF in those transmissions expands when "hot."

 

[SoNic67]

Originally Posted by ZZman
The wife just got a 2014 Ford Fusion. I am planning on changing the fluid myself ( filter is internal so no messing with that)

Is the Motorcraft LV good stuff or are there better choices for a little more money?

What do or would you use?


For LV fluid I am using Valvoline MaxLive (full synth Mercon LV compatible). I would also use Motorcraft LV ( hydroprocessed base oils), Amsoil (Fuel Effiecient line), Red Line D6. Although for a Fusion those last ones might be overkill.
The Motorcraft Mercon LV has a viscosity index (@100C) of 6.0
Valvoline MaxLive has 5.9
AMSOIL OTL has 5.8
Red Line D6 has 6.3

BTW, Mobil 1 Synthetic has 7.25. IMO that's too high for an LV fluid.
Mobil 1 Synthetic LV ATF HP has 5.7, but is listed only for GM. Probably not a big deal, but... IDK.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted by madeej11
Originally Posted by tig1
I am using M1 LV ATF in my 2017 Fusion and it shifts smoother than MC LV or Valvoline Maxlife LV. I ordered mine from O'Reileys.

M1, go figure.

 

[metroplex]

Originally Posted by ZZman
Originally Posted by Gebo
Does it have a dipstick?


No. You add fluid in the top but It uses a weep hole in the side for proper level.


What transmission is this? 6F35?

The 6F55 and GM 6T70s all have a dipstick in the fluid cap. My 2017 Fusion Sport's dipstick/cap is the same as the one in the 2014 SHO, 2018 Explorer XLT, and 2015 Malibu. The Fords were all 6F55 and the Malibu is 6T70.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Originally Posted by ZZman
The wife just got a 2014 Ford Fusion. I am planning on changing the fluid myself ( filter is internal so no messing with that)

Is the Motorcraft LV good stuff or are there better choices for a little more money?

What do or would you use?


It will take between 4 and 5 quarts. I used motorcraft.

You will drain it and measure how much you remove, then refill that amount in the top hole. No need for any other procedure or fill hole leveling with proper temperatures. To risky to make a mistake.

I will add that when I did my 2014 fusion it took 2 hours for it to stop dripping, so lots of fluid accumulates over a long amount of drain time. Its worth it to let it drain long!!!!

I did mine twice as I had no written service records, but you can do one drain and fill every 30k, now while it is in your ownership.