Manual Tranny Fluid (substitute) for Ford Ranger.
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If you want to get away from ATF, the usual choices are "light" gear oils ranging from 7-10 cSt@100°C (ATF is about 7, the "new" ATF's closer to 6).
Personally I like Amsoil MTF which is about 9.5 cSt and has a hefty additive package.
There are posts with the same and similar transmission trying the options. Remember - a lot of this chat is based on personal shift feel.
Personally I like Amsoil MTF which is about 9.5 cSt and has a hefty additive package.
There are posts with the same and similar transmission trying the options. Remember - a lot of this chat is based on personal shift feel.
Redline MT-90 really improved the shift quality in my Mazda.
Right after posting my original post I saw a thread started by 'Huhwhye' entitled "Shifting degrades quickly after fluid change" which also deals with a Ford Ranger. It pretty much answers my question (actually it seems that shift quality degrades regardless of what fluid is used).
I wonder if I should stick with Mercon as Ford recommends.
Would using a synthetic ATF like Mobil 1 help?
I wonder if I should stick with Mercon as Ford recommends.
Would using a synthetic ATF like Mobil 1 help?
From personal experiance, get the Amsoil MTF from Pablo. Shifting is great.
Different trans, but same idea- my nephew's 98 Escort was shifting very notchy with about 45,000 miles on it (he bought low mileage car from older couple). I suggested we change the manual transaxle fluid and use some of the, then new, Amsoil MTF, which is somewhat thicker than ATF. He called me on his way back down to Florida where he lives to say how smooth it began shifting after we made the switch. That transaxle specs Mercon fluid, but the MTF improved his shifting and it is still shifting well 20k miles later.
PBM:
I have Mobil 1 ATF in my 2004 Ranger with the M50D manual transmission. The shifting with the original dino Mercon was extremely notchy. It was even worse under cold temperature. Engaging gears was sluggish at best. I switched to M1 at 16K in December of 2005.
Althought the transmission still has that notchy feel, winter performance has improved significantly. I still desire a better fluid, but I can say that if you choose M1, you will likely experience better cold weather shifting, but I cannot vouch that year round performance or "feel" will improve. Good luck, let us know what you choose and how it performs.
I have Mobil 1 ATF in my 2004 Ranger with the M50D manual transmission. The shifting with the original dino Mercon was extremely notchy. It was even worse under cold temperature. Engaging gears was sluggish at best. I switched to M1 at 16K in December of 2005.
Althought the transmission still has that notchy feel, winter performance has improved significantly. I still desire a better fluid, but I can say that if you choose M1, you will likely experience better cold weather shifting, but I cannot vouch that year round performance or "feel" will improve. Good luck, let us know what you choose and how it performs.
Have a very notchy shifting 6 speed, especially in cold weather. A 50-50 mix of redline MTL with MT-90 made a huge difference, Amsoil did nothing to help when I tried it but that was before their new series of gear oils came out.
I've been running Mercon V and Synchromesh (2 quarts Merc V and 1 quart of Synchromesh) in my 91 M50D trans. even with a guesstimated 230,000 Miles, I noticed the shifts were a lot smoother after the swtich compared to the Dex/Merc stuff. Im not sure about the specs of the castrol ATF i chose, but I recall Mer V stuff being synthetic blend no?
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+1 for Redline. I'm running 2 qts of MT-90 MTL and 1 qt MTL and my 5 speed Mazda trans shifts like 'butta.
The Mobil 1 ATF plus Lubegard red in the 5 spd in my son's F150 is now working very well, with no intermittent notchy feeling. Maybe the combination needed to age a bit but it's certainly the fluids, after all this is BITOG, and not at all due to removing the rubber stop for the the clutch on the pedal assembly, giving the clutch pedal about 1/4in more travel. It's also much easier to start off on hills.
I ran M1 in my 2k2 ranger for 20k miles and when I drained it, it looked like purple diarrhea coming out. I switched back to dino and it still comes out looking bad after 5k mile changes. I think the M1 did something in there. If you guys are running M1, check the fluid to make sure all is well.
Lose the Mercon, whether conventional or synthetic.
Get something like the Amsoil Pablo mentioned, or over the counter Pennzoil Synchromesh.
I have not yet tried the fine new Amsoil gear oils, but sound superb. I may have to get some.
I can personally vouch 100% for the Penn Synch for shifting qualities. It will also protect your transmission much better than ATF.
Get something like the Amsoil Pablo mentioned, or over the counter Pennzoil Synchromesh.
I have not yet tried the fine new Amsoil gear oils, but sound superb. I may have to get some.
I can personally vouch 100% for the Penn Synch for shifting qualities. It will also protect your transmission much better than ATF.
As much as this is biased I should start with: I rarely recommend regular universal Amsoil ATF for MT's. Maybe in real cold conditions, etc. ATD more frequently. But M1 in a warm location in a manual transmission - yeah I'd avoid that combo.
There's some good advice in here ... as well as some that's not so good. 
For a transmission calling for ATF, I wouldn't use anything over about 9.6 cSt ... so that rules out Red Line MTL, MT-90, etc ... These are too thick for this application (although 20 years ago, Red Line recommended MTL as an ATF replacement in standard transmissions).
No one mentioned Royal Purple's thin fluid (Synchromax?) but that's a candidate for consideration.
My #1 pick would be SpecForm's ATF-weight synchro oil ... but they are not shipping in the foreseeable future.
For a transmission calling for ATF, I wouldn't use anything over about 9.6 cSt ... so that rules out Red Line MTL, MT-90, etc ... These are too thick for this application (although 20 years ago, Red Line recommended MTL as an ATF replacement in standard transmissions).
No one mentioned Royal Purple's thin fluid (Synchromax?) but that's a candidate for consideration.
My #1 pick would be SpecForm's ATF-weight synchro oil ... but they are not shipping in the foreseeable future.
I run Synchromax in a 06 and I have no complaints. Alot better than the stock stuff. If I keep it 30k I'll use it again with Lubeguard Red, I think I changed it at 5k anyways. I don't think I'll be able to find the manual formula. I even used Synchromax in the PS system and it really quieted it down.
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