1993 F-350 Automatic 460

Went to Napa to get transmission filter and Mercon V ATF. I unloaded the car and noticed the fine print. "Recommended for MERCON V applications".

Is this good or should I get some actual Mercon V?

Thanks

 

What brand?
Check the data sheet("PI sheet") on the website and see if it says "meets Mercon V" in the specifications.

Mercon V is a specification, not a specific product. Multiple companies make fluid that can meet all the properties of this specification, along with several others.

 

"Mercon V sold "meeting Mercon V specs is actual Mercon V ATF.

I use the Napa house brand as well.It's made by Valvoline.

 

Those sound like weasel words to me. It does not say that it meets MERCON V specs, just that they'd like you to use it.

If it just said "MERCON V" on the front of the bottle then it would be a licensed MERCON V product and it would meet the MERCON V spec. These words tell me that they didn't get it licensed, either because they didn't want to spend the money, or they knew it wouldn't meet the spec.

Either way, I'd take it back.

 

On that transmission you do not need the more expensive Mercon V. You can use the cheaper Mercon III. I use the stuff at Walmart labeled "ATF" in mine.

 

There is no such thing as MERCON III. When the E4OD was in production it used MERCON. MERCON was discontinued in 2006 and MERCON V was reformulated to replace MERCON.

You don't need MERCON V, but it is a better fluid and it will protect the transmission better than the old, discontinued MERCON did.

 

Yeah you are right, I was thinking of Dexron III, which is the same as Mercon.

Better fluid? That is up for debate. Protect it how, specifically? I contend the only reason Ford specifies Mercon V as a replacement is so the dealer does not have to keep so many different fluids on hand.

 

MERCON V has anti-shudder additives that MERCON did not have. It also flows better cold, and has a better film strength, which will reduce wear.

 

Seems like this question get asked once a week... probably needs to be in the FAQ or a sticky topic.

 

I don't have much luck with web searches. It is like they they say here is 600,000 links. Good luck finding what you need.

The NAPA site only had a safety data sheet. The NAPA brand (same part number) there says Mercon V and Recommended for most Ford vehicles, none of this double talk about recommend for Mercon applications.

I worked in aviation for 10 years and manufacturing engineering for 13 years so I am conditioned to make sure that every detail is correct. When I run across things like this it causes me grief.

It looks like that there two opinions here. I'll sleep on it and decide in the morning. More input would be helpful though. I want to make sure that I use the best because I am hoping that this will solve rough shift and shuttering issues.

Thanks all

 

Click here:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NO_75207

Features & Benefits

Valvoline Mercon V ATF

For Transmissions Requiring Mercon V or Dexron III/Mercon Fluids.




Scroll down to the bottom right and you'll see:

SAFETY DATA SHEET

[PDF] NAPA MERCON V

See it there? click on that "PDF link" on their website...........I think I just made the link here clickable too.......Nope.Doesn't work.Oh well lol.I tried.Just click on it,on their site.

Couple more for ya:


VALVOLINE
ATF
FOR
MERCON®
V APPLICATONS
Valvoline
ATF
for
MERCON®
V*
Applications
(Automatic Transmission Fluid) is formulated with premium baseoils combined
with
advanced additive technology to meet the challenging demands of an automatic transmission environment.
Valvoline
AT
F for
MERCON®
V Applications
is designed to provide better heat resistance, cold flow capabilities, and transmission
shutter resistance than conventional ATFs
. I t is recommended for use in automatic transmissions of
most Ford
passenger
cars and light
-duty trucks
(except those specifying MERCON®SP
, MERCON®
LV
or Type F fluids
), including Lincoln and
Mercury
, as well as
most pre
-2006
GM vehicles and many imports.

This Valvoline product has been thoroughly tested and it meets or exceeds all performance requirements of the MERCON®V specification.

* Ford and MERCON
are a registered Trademarks of
the Ford Motor Company



Uh oh.Mark won't like this part:
This is not a licensed Ford product.

Approvals/
Performance Level
s
M
ERCON
®
V
MERCON
®
DEXRON
®
-
III
DEXRON
®
-
II
Caterpillar TO
-
2
Allison C
-
4


http://content.valvoline.com/pdf/mercon_v.pdf

https://sds.valvoline.com/valvoline-...tResults.faces

 

That is the NAPA page I mentioned in an above post. I'll say it again. The labels are worded differently on what I bought and the image at the NAPA site, as stated above.

The "Safety Data Sheet" is a general notice for all Valvoline ATF It does not mention Mercon once.

Just because it is made by Valvoline, it does not mean that the NAPA brand has the same formulation as Valvoline Mercon V. If it is, why would they not just say Mercon V?

Where does " This Valvoline product has been thoroughly tested and it meets or exceeds all performance requirements of the MERCON®V specification." come from?

I appreciate the effort you put into this post.

 

Take it back and go get yourself some of this:

Motorcraft MERCON V - Automatic Transmission Fluid | O'Reilly Auto Parts

Then you'll feel better.Why worry yourself over ATF? If your concerned NAPA's MERCON V doesn't meet MERCON V specs then just go with motorcraft.

NAPA labeled ATF used to come in a different label.Sounds like you found some of the older bottles.It's just a label.The fluid is the same.I think you worrying way too much but since you are,go get yourself some motorcraft so you can rest easy.

 

The R says it all. Its a licensed product.

Its what went in my expensive trans after being rebuilt.

Use the Motorcraft if you have it.

 

My previous work conditioned me look at the details. One example is on the second part of its kind for the 777. There was a row of bolt holes that were partly in a fillet radius. This is common and the hole is usually spotfaced so that the bolt head has a flat place to seat. But not on this part. The engineers didn't catch it. The planners didn't catch it. The inspectors didn't catch it. The assemblers who actually broke heads of bolts because of this didn't catch it. I caught it. If it wasn't caught, it is likely when the part was loaded in flight the row of bolt head would have popped off causing the part to fail resulting in a crash.

During my manufacturing engineering days I told the engineer in charge that the heat control method and safety circuits were not reliable. He used it anyway. The heaters overheated and caused perhaps $100,000 dollars loss product and three weeks of lost production to get $5000 dollars of custom built heaters made. It was lucky that the failure happened during the day when people were there. If it happened at night there could have been a hot fire with a lot of fuel to burn.

You are right. Buying product that doesn't have the confusing wording would alleviate my worries.


You are probably right that it is the same fluid but I don't know that.

The Ford dealer sells Motorcraft Mercon V for $5.72 a quart. Problem solved.


Thanks FORDF250HDXLT, this worked out well.