Since I've been on FTE I've never read of a TorqShift failure related to Mercon SP fluid. I know there was an issue with the first year transmission but it was related to a certain internal part, I believe. These transmissions don't even run hot when towing due to the factory trans cooler and the Mercon SP fluid, fully synthetic fluid as noted above. Doesn't seem to be broken, why try to fix it?

 

Mercon SP is NOT a synthetic fluid. It is just a highly refined mineral oil. I though it was synthetic blend or full also till I spoke with the tech's at Royal Purple and Mobil they both said the same thing. That is was just a highly refined mineral oil with a boat load of additives.

 

Here is link regarding Mercon SP tranny fluid. There is no mention if synthetic or not... but it has been reported to be good stuff!!!

http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricant...smission+Fluid

 

Thanks for clarifying that Brian.

 

Check out the link below... it discusses the licensing of the Mercon brand from Ford and their specs.

http://www.lubereport.com/e_article0...3G8K8K,bQ545pN

Read the last paragraph as it seems that if the fluid is group III base stock, that it would be considered a synthetic. Base stocks that start out as dino oils but are highly refined and meet group III ratings... are able to be claimed and called "synthetic" fluids. Another example of this is Rotella-Syn motor oil and Castrol motor oils.... each won in court over Mobil to claim their oils are synthetic.... I guess that Mercon SP specs may be the same thing due to the extreme viscosity performance of the SP fluid?

Here is another link... long page to read, but very informative on why to use only Mercon SP in out tranny's.. and we better get used to getting it only from Ford (whether we like it or not).

http://www.noln.net/columns/2006/7-0...ures/atf-1.htm

Either way... interesting reading that I found on the internet and may prove beneficial to this thread.... looks like it is synthetic to me as a group III base stock?

 

Check link below and read the last 2 sentences bottom of linked page) about Mercon SP... they mention that it is synthetic... so maybe it is based on the links I have posted here and above???

http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articl...icle-05-05.php

 

Beachbum .... interesting reading for sure.

The whole situation ticks me off because it reeeeks of MONOPOLY!! Putting the consumer over a barrel and sticking it to us.

 

Brian......I also checked with the guys at Royal Purple and their mineral oil analysis makes sense. The mineral oil is probably the reason why, Mr. Crantz, Royal Purple Chemist, told me that SP smells different then say B&M synthetic Trick Shift, Royal Purple synthetic ATF or Mobil One synthetic ATF. He also told me that there is no reason not to use Royal Purple ATF in the 5R100 TS tranny. Yup, you heard right. I have it in the email reply I got back from him. He said they are collecting data on some fleet trucks that have the 5R100 TS tranny with Royal Purple ATF installed.

The synthetic ATF base would have to be better then a mineral oil base. Kinda like engine oil. Synthetic is better then dino. Where Ford has us over a barrel are the SP additives. That must be a Ford secret since no one can seem to get that info. I have 2 cases of SP setting right next to 5 gallons of Royal Purple ATF and am still debating what I'm going to use.

DSMMH

 

The real funny thing is one of my good friends owns his own tranny shop. He puts the same fluid in every tranny he rebuilds. Be it Dodge, Ford, GM, Honda, whatever. He purchases a blended bulk fluid that has all the additives in it and meets all the specs. I had him change my fluid and put Mercon SP back in and told me that the whole thing about specialized fluids is BEAVER BISCUITS .. ( lol ). He told me that on all these specialized trannys like the Mercon V's he said you order clutches for them and others and it's the same friction material on all the parts be it a chevy 4l80e or a 5R100. He showed me the clutch packs form a bunch of trannys and they all had the same material on them and same brand.

The only reason I used SP was because the wife heard me talking about all this. God forbid if I put Synthetic in her tranny and something went south. I'd never hear the end of it. I only did it to cover my hind end at home .. LOL.

 

[QUOTE=Beachbumcook]Check link below and read the last 2 sentences bottom of linked page) about Mercon SP... they mention that it is synthetic... so maybe it is based on the links I have posted here and above???

http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/articles/article-05-05.php[/QUOTE]
Great info Jeff. It appears from that article that the SP acronym stands for Synthetic Premium. It works great in the TorqShift and, from pricing other synthetic trans fluids available in my area, is not more expensive than other synthetics.

Interesting that a trans fluid thread isn't getting 'heated' (pun intended) but an oil thread gets people all bent out of shape. Great posts all around in this one!

Russ

 

I'll be more than happy to use RP's ATF, as soon as I get a contract signed by Mr. Crantz stating that he'll pay for a new transmission + installation should the fluid cause premature failure.

Seriously, people, SP is what you're supposed to use, nothing else is compatible with it, it's not *that* expensive, and it's a service you only do every 30K. Why sweat it? Use the right stuff and be done.

 

I agree. Why take the risk just to save a few dollars. I think the extra couple dollars is worth the piece of mind that you have the right stuff in there should something go wrong.

 

Guys... It has nothing to do with the clutch pack material.

http://www.intellidog.com/dieselmann/60psd.htm

FWIW... I have seen emails from both Royal Purple and AMSOIL stating that they do NOT have an ATF that meets SP specs and do NOT recommend using it in a 5R110W (Torqushift Tranny)

All I can say is do your research before you unknowingly do something you may regret later. I have found that if you know your subject and ask educated questions...a lot of times those same people who swear up and down that you can do something usually backpeddle or get flustered which is a clear sign to me that I should not be taking their advice.

 

It just boils down to choice. If you under your 36k warranty it's your choice to take the risk and void your warranty. If your over your 36k warranty it's your choice to use a different fluid.

If it works great no harm done .... If it breaks it was your choice.

Personally I would like Ford to get off it's high horse and realease the specs for the fluid.

I personally do not like NOT having a choice of which fluid to buy. I'm sure several years from now it will no doubt be a non issue because the cat will be out of the bag and everyone and their brother will be making SP certified fluid.

 

i won't put anything but Mercon SP in mine. Once every 30k...