I recently started using Schaeffer's 15w-40 oil in my 2001 Ford F-350 Powerstroke diesel and I really like it a lot. What product would be recommended for the ATF and the differential? I am currently using Mobil 1 ATF in my automatic transmission and I've never changed the differential fluid.
Which Schaeffer's product for Ford F-350
- Thread starter adamrc
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204s Alltrans Supreme. An excellent transmission fluid that is not talked about much here.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/datapdf/204SAT.pdf
http://www.schaefferoil.com/datapdf/204SAT.pdf
While I agree with salesrep that 204S is good ATF and is what BTS uses in their built 4R100's, I'm hesitant to recommend it for a stock 4R100. The reason is, that it is rated Mercon-V and Ford has a TSB out to NOT ever use Mercon-V rated fluid in the 4R100. Ford doesn't even allow dual rated Mercon & mercon-V, ONLY Mercon. Thsi is one fo the few instances that I would suggest looking elsewhere. May I suggest Molakule's company Specialtyformulations.com which has a simple Mercon rated synthetic fluid? If not, just stick with Mobil-1 then.
Hammer
Hammer
I've read the same thing that Ford says do not use the dual rated Mercon/Mercon V rating. I'll stick with Mobil 1 for now until I get my BTS tranny
. What about fluid for the front and rear end? Does anyone have any recommendations on that? I have a 4x4 single rear wheel 2001 F-350.
I have run MerconV in my 4r100 for many thousands of miles with out a problem. At work we have 1500 Allisions that spec C4 and we run MerconV in all of them and have had much better life to overhaul with that fluid (currently using the PetroCanada version). I spoke with MolaKule when I ordered my last batch of ATF and we discussed this very subject, you might ask for his advice as he has much more information on the exact add pack formulations. As long as the transmission is in good condition, I would run MercV without hesitation.
If you are going to buy from SF you have the option of a great base oil and add pack that you can get with the correct friction modifiers for the 4r100. If you are going with an OTC fluid such as the Shaeffers, I would use MercV and have in my 4r100's.
I used valvo full syn 75w140 in the front and rear diffs on my F350 last time. The valvo seems to have performed fine, although I don't have a UOA to prove it. I'm judging from the temp drop from stock fluid. Next time around I will probably use either SF or Shaeffers.
Patrick
If you are going to buy from SF you have the option of a great base oil and add pack that you can get with the correct friction modifiers for the 4r100. If you are going with an OTC fluid such as the Shaeffers, I would use MercV and have in my 4r100's.
I used valvo full syn 75w140 in the front and rear diffs on my F350 last time. The valvo seems to have performed fine, although I don't have a UOA to prove it. I'm judging from the temp drop from stock fluid. Next time around I will probably use either SF or Shaeffers.
Patrick
The problem with Mercon-V in 4R100's usually takes thousands of miles to show. It is a slow failure process. I'd rather choose to take the side of caution and uses a non-mercon-V product instead of having a potential Mercon-V failure 30,000 miles down the road. There are exceptionally good Mercon only products available such as Chevron ATF, Mobil-1 ATF, and Specialty Formulations AutoGlide.
While I fully agree that you may have a problem running MercV in some applications, if the transmission is in good shape you should have no problems. I have 4 4r100's that have all run MercV for anywhere from 50 - 272K, all without a problem. I think that the MercV (depending on the refiner) is a higher quality oil and works much better cold than Mercon does.
With the oil MolaKule shipped me, I get the best of both worlds, great base oil with the best add pack for the app. Still, I would run MercV again if I couldn't source any fluid such as that from SF. If I was going to have a problem either of the 190K or 272K mile trans should have had that problem.
All three transmissions have the BD Power accumulator valve body and lockup controller. The two high mileage trans both had TC clutch failures, so I replaced the factory converter on the low mileage one before it failed. The TC clutch failures were not related to oil, IMO, but due to poor materials. All three of these trucks spend most of their life towing 18,000+ trailers.
Also, the previous version of B400 frictions to the current stock we have at work were very close in composition to the 4r100 OEM ZF clutches (at least they were in 2001 ZF’s), and as I stated before the MercV has given the best performance of any oil we have tried to date. We have not run full syn due to price. With 1500 trans, that would be very expensive. Even in our newest Allison’s, with a replacement price of well over 120K dollars, we run MercV with great results.
I don’t disagree that MercV can cause problems, however I think a transmission in good shape and well maintained will do fine with that fluid, but this is based on my experience and no hard data other than some UOA’s from Allisons at work.
Patrick
With the oil MolaKule shipped me, I get the best of both worlds, great base oil with the best add pack for the app. Still, I would run MercV again if I couldn't source any fluid such as that from SF. If I was going to have a problem either of the 190K or 272K mile trans should have had that problem.
All three transmissions have the BD Power accumulator valve body and lockup controller. The two high mileage trans both had TC clutch failures, so I replaced the factory converter on the low mileage one before it failed. The TC clutch failures were not related to oil, IMO, but due to poor materials. All three of these trucks spend most of their life towing 18,000+ trailers.
Also, the previous version of B400 frictions to the current stock we have at work were very close in composition to the 4r100 OEM ZF clutches (at least they were in 2001 ZF’s), and as I stated before the MercV has given the best performance of any oil we have tried to date. We have not run full syn due to price. With 1500 trans, that would be very expensive. Even in our newest Allison’s, with a replacement price of well over 120K dollars, we run MercV with great results.
I don’t disagree that MercV can cause problems, however I think a transmission in good shape and well maintained will do fine with that fluid, but this is based on my experience and no hard data other than some UOA’s from Allisons at work.
Patrick
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