Alternative Mercon LV fluid possibilities, HP app.

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So I have a Ford 5r110 and spec'd for Mercon LV. It's a high HP application too. The trans is thermostatically controlled thus I cannot get a lower operating temp. Some fluids tout lower temps but the thermostat will regulate that. Anyway, I don't know if I should just run an approved or OEM Mercon LV or should I go to a boutique brand such as Amsoil? Problem I have with Amsoil is its a huge multi vehicle fluid. Ford made Mercon LV for my trans so I know it's appropriate and will work. But maybe something is better...

I know there are some smart guys here so I though I'd ask.
 
There are several companies that make LV compatible fluids (Castrol is one of them) but they always include Dex 6 as one of the applications. This makes me stop and take pause. For just slightly more $ per quart I can have the real deal, so that's what I do. My FX4 shifts nice and tight and I want to keep it that way. If I were to cheap out and use some universal low viscosity fluid and ruin the shifts, well, that's a risk I'm not willing to take...
 
While I've seen a little chatter online abt Maxlife and Amsoil I also am leary about the multi purpose fluids. Our trucks only get Motorcraft Mercon LV at this point. I'd love to hear more about Mercon LV vs. Dex6 but I thought they spec'd different coefficient of friction despite similar viscosity?
 
LV is available at O'Reilley's. There are a lot of fans of Valvoline MaxLife Synthetic substituted for LV in SuperDuty trucks. Your call, I chose LV when I changed my F350.
 
I wondered about this a few years ago, too. I ended up trying the Maxlife in my Taurus' 6F50 trans, and after 30k miles (61k on car) of use it's working fine.

We have many steep hills around home and I don't mean just hills where you're cruising and downshift once or twice to maintain speed. We have several places where we stop and make a turn onto another road that is a steep incline, requiring hard up shifts. The transmission makes clean, crisp, biting up shifts that feel great. Yet on level ground, it's ultra smooth.

The state roads are marked with warning signs indicating 12-13% grades but out on the back roads we have much steeper grades. My transmission works exactly the same (with Maxlife) as it did with the factory LV atf.
 
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Maxlife is good stuff, but it's not officially licensed, so don't use it unless the warranty is up.

I like Mag 1 LV ATF, which is Ford-approved and often available at a good price. It is made by WPP and widely available (many house brands are made by WPP, and any WPP-made house brand LV ATF is most likely going to be rebranded Mag 1)

If you're near a Kmart or Sears, there's Smitty's Synthetic ATF
 
Originally Posted By: dustyroads
I wondered about this a few years ago, too. I ended up trying the Maxlife in my Taurus' 6F50 trans, and after 30k miles (61k on car) of use it's working fine.

We have many steep hills around home and I don't mean just hills where you're cruising and downshift once or twice to maintain speed. We have several places where we stop and make a turn onto another road that is a steep incline, requiring hard up shifts. The transmission makes clean, crisp, biting up shifts that feel great. Yet on level ground, it's ultra smooth.

The state roads are marked with warning signs indicating 12-13% grades but out on the back roads we have much steeper grades. My transmission works exactly the same (with Maxlife) as it did with the factory LV atf.


12-13% are some steep hills. Now add upstate NY winters and things are going to be getting difficult.
 
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