Valvoline Mercon V

[charbaby]

My wifes Lexus RX-300 calls for Toyota T-IV. I spotted 20 qts of Valvoline Mercon V at ADV AUTO for $2.95 a qt. On the back label it states that this Mercon V can be used in place of:
Allison
Honda Z-1
Toyota T-IV
Nissan D Matic & J Matic
and others that I can't remember at this time.
I've also read the back label of Valvoline MaxLife ATF and it states the same thing. Can anyone comment on this based on esperience using Valvoline Mercon V for other applications such Toyota, Honda, Nissan. Considering I have all 3 vehicles, I would consider buying up the whole shelf of Mercon V.

 

[unDummy]

Some transmissions will pms with certain fluids.
If Valvoline says it will work, then it is seal compatible and has enough additives to prevent slip/shudder in the unit.

I recommend that you disconnect the battery overnight after you do the flush or after each drain/refill. One of the bigger, more common now, problems is that transmissions tend to learn/adapt with fluid condition and driving style.

For peace of mind, invest in a bottle of Smartblend Titanium or Lubegard Platinum. If the transmission experiences any confusion, sharp abruptness, or excessive slippage, dose the HFM additive.

 

[MC5W20]

At that price I would have bought all 20 bottles. I used this in a Ford 5r44e trans last year. The spec called for mercon v. Can't tell any difference in performance. This fluid has not darkened at either. Next change I will buy exact same stuff and do it again.

I service a nissan and in the manual it says a dex/merc 3 can be substituted for nissan matic d, so the mercon v would be an upgrade. In order to meet mercon v spec you have to use some synthetic fluid.

 

[charbaby]

unDummy,
I do have 1/2 bottle leftover of LubeGard Black bottle HFM. I purchaced this when trying regular Mobil 1 Dex/Merc for the Lexus. It only worked OK, not great! I went back to Toyota T-IV. The transmission shifts kinda lazy and I was hoping to get smoother shifts out of her.

 

[D Bone]

THOMAS R. SMITH
Technical Director, Valvoline Brand
June 7, 2004

To Whom It May Concern:

Valvoline has received several inquiries regarding the topic of MERCON V ATF and its use in various vehicles beyond those requiring DEXRON-III, MERCON, or MERCON V approved products. In response to these questions Valvoline has issued the following statements:

Valvoline supports the use of MERCON V ATF in a broad range of transmissions beyond those requiring DEXRON-III, MERCON, and MERCON V fluids including those where the following fluids are recommended:

o GM DEXRON II
o Allison C-4
o Chrysler ATF+3 or ATF+4 fluids
o Toyota (and Lexus) Type T, T-III or T-IV fluids
o Mitsubishi Diamond SP-II or SP-III fluids
o Hyundai
o Honda ATF-Z1 fluid (except in CVTs)
o BMW LT71141 or LA2634 fluids
o Nissan Matic-D, Matic-J, or Matic-K fluids

MaxLife ATF is recommended for the new 5 and 6 speed transmissions, except the Ford 5R110, Ford 6RXX, and the Mercedes Benz W7A700 (7G-TRONIC) which all require a low viscosity Automatic Transmission Fluid.

Valvoline has conducted in-house testing to support MERCON V ATF performance in these transmissions. However, it is important to note that these vehicle manufacturers have neither evaluated nor approved MERCON V ATF.

Valvoline stands behind all of its products, including MERCON V ATF. Use of MERCON V ATF in transmissions where recommended by Valvoline WILL NOT void the vehicle’s warranty. In the unlikely event that any transmission was to be damaged as a result of the use of MERCON V ATF,
please contact Valvoline at 1-800-Team-VAL.

Valvoline does not recommend MaxLife ATF for use in continuously variable transmissions (CVT’s) or in automatic transmissions where Ford Type F is recommended.


Sincerely,
Thom Smith
Technical Director
Valvoline Brand

 

[mikeg5]

for her lexus just go with the yota brand t-4!! duh.. whats an extra dollar??? jeesh.. this is where common sense would come into play. you have enough $$ to buy a lexus you should have enough $$ to buy 4-5$ quarts of T-4. that way your butt is covered.. lol sorry for the bashing

 

[JustinH]

That 2.95 price is normal price, I wouldn't consider it a sale.

Thats the price that you pay from the dealer for motorcraft V ATF

 

[charbaby]

mikeg5,
Although money isn't always the issue, even I like to save a buck now and again. Whats wrong with that! The Toyota and Lexus dealerships are in my area are quite a driving distance away and there are 2 Advance Auto Parts stores close by. Both with lots of the Valvoline Mercon V on the closeout shelves. Besides, I usually get the store manager to greatly reduce the existing price of the closeout product if I purchace most or all of the outgoing stock. The dealerships want double the price for the T-IV and for as many vehicles as I own, I would like to buy a boatload of the Mercon V if it will fill my purpose. I do all of my own maintenance and love doing it. Im just looking for others opinions/experiences with using this product succussfully and without hurting my transmissions. Im not particulaly fond of the T-IV pricing nor the fact that I have to use only that product. Convienence is also a high priority and I like to stock up on products that I use regularly. Asking questions here at BITOG is all about finding the best possible products for the money and machine. Yes! Buying the Toyota T-IV, Honda Z-1(Genuine) or Nissan Matic D or J is always the easy way out but, I don't like having to only buy from the dealerships.