Best mercon LV for cold weather
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You’ve received an answer. Was there actually a question about ATF in -40C?
I'm suspicious of your question, and intent, to be quite honest. But I'll suspend that thought for the moment, while we look at this question you have.
First, Minneapolis isn't that cold. We have members who live in much colder climates. I'll state, for the record, that Winnipeg is much colder and when we lived there, our Ford transmission worked fine on conventional fluid. That's all there was back then.
If your goal is cold weather performance, then this post, from a Canadian who lives where it is much colder than where you are, was a complete answer:
But you don't want to accept that answer, right? So, do you actually want an answer?
First, Minneapolis isn't that cold. We have members who live in much colder climates. I'll state, for the record, that Winnipeg is much colder and when we lived there, our Ford transmission worked fine on conventional fluid. That's all there was back then.
If your goal is cold weather performance, then this post, from a Canadian who lives where it is much colder than where you are, was a complete answer:
But you don't want to accept that answer, right? So, do you actually want an answer?
On the contrary his response was very informative, I had assumed it was conventional and am leaning towards just using MC lv now.
Conventional tends to have worse cold weather properties vs synthetics so I asked to see if there was something I was unaware of on the market thinking there was some great synthetic out there. I do live about 75 miles from Winnipeg. I’m certainly not being combative, just seeing what’s out there. I’m sure both are serviceable. Sorry to have offended you.
Conventional tends to have worse cold weather properties vs synthetics so I asked to see if there was something I was unaware of on the market thinking there was some great synthetic out there. I do live about 75 miles from Winnipeg. I’m certainly not being combative, just seeing what’s out there. I’m sure both are serviceable. Sorry to have offended you.
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Penzoil is licensed for Ford for LV. The others are not. "Approved for" is vastly different than "Licensed".
Both my trucks had Mercon LV (2009 and 2016 F150) in the transmission. Worked fine down to -43C while working in Ft. Mac and Ft McKay and sitting outside at camps there overnight. Engine oil is more important than overthinking the Mercon LV at those temps.
Havoline has a.... Dexron VI License number... It has a license number on their PDS.
No Mercon LV license number.
Pennzoil has a Dexron VI license number has well listed on their PDS. Like wdn said it does have a Mercon LV license number.
Valvoline claims to have a Dexron VI license number too... Though it's not on the PDS I just looked at...
You are certainly correct in that "approval" is not the same as a real license number.
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MolaKule
Staff member
If the fluid is licensed by FMC then the ATF will have the same Pour Point and Brookfield viscosity ratings.
For overall low temp performance, the Brookfield Viscosity is the Oil Properties item you should be comparing among possible fluids; the lower value the better.
https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...2d889bd3/9ed296d6-fabc-e711-9c12-ac162d889bd1
The Pour Point is somewhat related to the Brookfield viscosity, but the PP is the lowest temp 'it-will-flow-freely' on it's own without being pumped or pressurized. In an AT, the fluid is pressurized.
Current technology of LV fluids is that PP can be formulated to go down to -70F for certain botique fluids. But at that temp will the engine oil in your engine even allow the engine to "turn over?"
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Let's start with Valvoline. Valvoline Dex VI/Mercon LV is licensed by General Motors; it is not licensed by Ford Motor Company. Pennzoil Platinum LV is Ford - "Approved MERCON® LV." No license number Havoline® Full Synthetic Multi-Vehicle ATF is approved by General Motors, not by Ford. So you were possibly right about the Pennzoil product.
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Let's get one thing clear: A General Motors license is not a Ford Motor Company license. If we cannot agree on this most basic terminology there is not much point in discussing it. The topic of this thread is "Best Mercon LV" and to pick the best you first have to start with the very small list that are licensed ATF fluids.
"It is approved and licensed by General Motors against DEXRON® HP ATF."
Not licensed by Ford.
You are quite correct. The Ford Motor Company license is granted to Warren. Mag1 ATF is indeed Mercon LV licensed by Ford.
MolaKule
Staff member
Castrol Transmax LV is also officially licensed as both DEXVI and MerconLV. Havoline Multi Vehicle Synthetic ATF I know for a fact was both GM and Ford licensed a few years ago. I know this because I bought it on Amazon when it sometimes was $45/12 quarts and the last two shipments I got had both the GM and Ford licenses.
Valvoline I can’t recall now. Valvoline at one point had a disclaimer on Maxlife ATF and it said that customers who wish to use a licensed product, to use the DEXVI/Mercon LV.
I’m not sure if Havoline and Valvoline use the same additive package that no longer meets the MerconLV spec, or if they just no longer want to pay for the license.
Valvoline I can’t recall now. Valvoline at one point had a disclaimer on Maxlife ATF and it said that customers who wish to use a licensed product, to use the DEXVI/Mercon LV.
I’m not sure if Havoline and Valvoline use the same additive package that no longer meets the MerconLV spec, or if they just no longer want to pay for the license.
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https://www.redlineoil.com/d6-atf
http://shop.neosyntheticoil.com/media/LO VIS ATF.pdf
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0018/3671/2013/files/ATF_LoVisHiVis_TDS_080420.pdf
I don't care for licensing or OE approvals. The DexronHP is the best DexronVI/MerconLV that I've ever used. Redline is excellent also.
http://shop.neosyntheticoil.com/media/LO VIS ATF.pdf
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0018/3671/2013/files/ATF_LoVisHiVis_TDS_080420.pdf
I don't care for licensing or OE approvals. The DexronHP is the best DexronVI/MerconLV that I've ever used. Redline is excellent also.
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