Confused about what to use in F350 transmission

[RF Overlord]

Originally Posted By: roadrunner1
The reason for all of the different advice is Ford made a mess of it in the beginning.
They did the same thing with Mercon and Mercon V. If you used Mercon V in a Mercon application, you would spend forever in the fires of (heck). When they decided to phase out plain Mercon, suddenly Mercon V was perfectly fine to use instead. I'm surprised Ford doesn't have whiplash from all the 180's they do...

 

[AP9]

Originally Posted By: RF Overlord
Originally Posted By: roadrunner1
The reason for all of the different advice is Ford made a mess of it in the beginning.
They did the same thing with Mercon and Mercon V. If you used Mercon V in a Mercon application, you would spend forever in the fires of (heck). When they decided to phase out plain Mercon, suddenly Mercon V was perfectly fine to use instead. I'm surprised Ford doesn't have whiplash from all the 180's they do...


Well IIRC the Mercon vs. Mercon V issue supposedly had something to do with the Mercon V causing a problem with seals in older Mercon applications, but then several years ago (coinciding with the phaseout of FoMoCo's issuing of Mercon licenses) Mercon V was reformulated to be backwards-compatible with Mercon. Neither will ever be compatible with SP, LV, or Type F.

 

[MolaKule]

Quote:
Ramblejam:


The first printing of that owners manual is from '03 -- the third is from '04. Here's a much more recent take on the issue:

Ford Special Service Message 21114

MESSAGE TITLE: REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FLUID FOR SERVICING TORQSHIFT TRANSMISSIONS

APPLICABLE VEHICLES :
2003 - 2005 TRUCK : 00126 EXCURSION
2003 - 2008 TRUCK : 00028 F-SERIES
2004 - 2008 TRUCK : 00016 E-SERIES
2006 - 2008 TRUCK : 00175 F-SERIES MOTORHOME
2006 - 2008 HEAVY TRUCK : 00168 LOW CAB FORWARD

OASIS MESSAGE :
ALL 2003-2008 F-SUPER DUTY, 2003-2005 EXCURSION, 2004-2008 E-SERIES AND 2006-2008 LCF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TORQSHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD BE SERVICED WITH MERCON LV AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID IN PLACE OF MERCON SP. THIS INCLUDES TOP OFF AS WELL AS FLUID REPLACEMENT. MIXING MERCON LV AND MERCON SP IN THE TORQSHIFT TRANSMISSION IS ACCEPTABLE. USE MERCON LV TRANSMISSION FLUID TO SERVICE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TORQSHIFT TRANSMISSIONS. WHEN ADDING OR REPLACING TRANSMISSION FLUID IN A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A TORQSHIFT TRANSMISSION, USE MERCON LV TRANSMISSION FLUID.


There you go, the last definitive message from Ford.

 

[dnewton3]

Makes me curious why they still offer the SP fluid then, if they have no intent for application?

As roadrunner1 indicated, I believe that OASIS message was generated back when they intended to quit offering SP. But as you can see, they changed their mind and still offer it. Hence, why have a message that states to change over from a fluid you still make; a fluid where that was the only application in the first place?

They developed the SP specifically for the 5R110 when it came out. They still offer the SP fluid. That would be my first choice. Once it goes away, then I'd use the LV.

What is apparent is that either would be acceptable.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3
Makes me curious why they still offer the SP fluid then, if they have no intent for application?

As roadrunner1 indicated, I believe that OASIS message was generated back when they intended to quit offering SP. But as you can see, they changed their mind and still offer it. Hence, why have a message that states to change over from a fluid you still make; a fluid where that was the only application in the first place?

They developed the SP specifically for the 5R110 when it came out. They still offer the SP fluid. That would be my first choice. Once it goes away, then I'd use the LV.

What is apparent is that either would be acceptable.


As I said before, SP is still required in the 6 speed ZF automatics used in SUVs and Falcon range down under.

 

[Luber216]

It's definitely Mercon V. Mercon SP wasn't factory filled in a Ford Transmission until '06 or '07 let alone even developed for the '04 year. Just get some ATF and a good shudder guard that makes AF3 meet Mercon V specs unless you actually want to go synthetic which is just better anyway. And most synthetic ATFs far exceed the Mercon V spec

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Luber216
It's definitely Mercon V. Mercon SP wasn't factory filled in a Ford Transmission until '06 or '07 let alone even developed for the '04 year. Just get some ATF and a good shudder guard that makes AF3 meet Mercon V specs unless you actually want to go synthetic which is just better anyway. And most synthetic ATFs far exceed the Mercon V spec


Mercon SP began being spec'd and was the factory fill for the 5R110, which was in 2003 or 2004.

 

[roadrunner1]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: Luber216
It's definitely Mercon V. Mercon SP wasn't factory filled in a Ford Transmission until '06 or '07 let alone even developed for the '04 year. Just get some ATF and a good shudder guard that makes AF3 meet Mercon V specs unless you actually want to go synthetic which is just better anyway. And most synthetic ATFs far exceed the Mercon V spec


Mercon SP began being spec'd and was the factory fill for the 5R110, which was in 2003 or 2004.


This is correct, SP was introduced for the Torqshift, mid model year 2003.

DO NOT use Mercon or Mercon V in a Torqshift transmission, or any other fluid spec for that matter as failure will be imminent.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Luber216
It's definitely Mercon V. Mercon SP wasn't factory filled in a Ford Transmission until '06 or '07 let alone even developed for the '04 year. Just get some ATF and a good shudder guard that makes AF3 meet Mercon V specs unless you actually want to go synthetic which is just better anyway. And most synthetic ATFs far exceed the Mercon V spec


This is completely incorrect advice. Whoever told you that was wrong and should not be trusted for information.

 

[dnewton3]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: Luber216
It's definitely Mercon V. Mercon SP wasn't factory filled in a Ford Transmission until '06 or '07 let alone even developed for the '04 year. Just get some ATF and a good shudder guard that makes AF3 meet Mercon V specs unless you actually want to go synthetic which is just better anyway. And most synthetic ATFs far exceed the Mercon V spec


This is completely incorrect advice. Whoever told you that was wrong and should not be trusted for information.



I could not agree more with you bc.

Again, here is the official Ford manual; check page 286:
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/04f23og3e.pdf
CLEARLY states Mercon SP. That goes all the way back to 2003 for the 5R110. 2003 was a transitional year; both the 7.3 with the 4R100 and the 6.0 with the 5R110 were offered. The "Mercon" was for the 4R100; the "SP" was for the 5R110. By 2004, all SuperDuty diesel trucks were only available with the 5R110 auto or ZF manual. If you closely review the iterations of manuals in 2003, you'll see FIVE different printings. As they progressed into the 5R110, it has ALWAYS called for "SP" from late 2003 to 2007. Even in 2008 the 5R110 called for SP. Only in 2009 & 2010 did they switch to the LV for that trans, and as noted, that was likely because they intended to do away with the SP, but have since decided to still offer it.

That SP fluid was developed for use with that 5R110 trans. It is still offered. That would be my first choice. LV, while being a decent fluid, was the "afterthought" for the 5R110 that Ford had when they initially intended to do away with SP, which they have not. However, Ford does not spec the SP and instead specs the LV all the way.

In short, either the SP or LV will work. I would prefer the SP if it were my truck, as that was the original spec'd fluid, and is still available.

If that is not clear enough by now, I don't know what else we can say.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: dnewton3

I could not agree more with you bc.


I sometimes get really frustrated posting in threads like this or in BITOG in general. I know people tend to discredit parts people because of the belief we are just stoner loser, but some of us actually know what is up.