Is Mercon lv good for both the transfer case and transmission? Do I check transfer case fluid lever hot or cold?

 

I use 1qt Mobil 1 ATF and 1qt Mobil 1 75w-90 gear oil.

 

Pretty much everything else requires "type f" ATF. I'd expect the transfer case to be the same but i can look through the various literature. Mine had the original window sticker in the glovebox yet!

Yeah, after further review in the owner's manual it claims it wants ATF mercon, i'd get what everyone is recommending here.

 

Type F is an older spec than the regular Dex/Merc stuff. Type F is what the power steering system calls for. I use Dex/Merc in my transfer case. I think I have Carquest or maybe Castrol brand right now. Mercon V is very different than Dex/Merc and while some people claim that Mercon V is backwards compatible, I'm skeptical.

 

Valvoline DEXRON/MERCON Automatic Transmission Fluid - 1gal (773636)

 

Use Mercon and checking it cold is fine. Just make sure the surface is fairly level. The transfer case is supposed to hold 2 quarts.

 

Do NOT use Mercon LV (low viscosity)

Dexron III/ Mercon is what you need.

 

That ford tech on YouTube has it posted lv is now approved for all transfer cases post 1980 or so. I was wondering about my transmission too. I think when I bought V it was because it stayed it met all prior Mercron requirements.

 

Mercon V will work in the transmission fine, but not the transfer case apparently. I'd stick with Dexron III / Mercon.

It can be very confusing with so many fluids with similar names. For what they want for working on transmissions and such it would pay to read the fine print.

It's been debated here back and forth. https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/...uid/5-2169413/

I guess I'd still stick with what is specced for it.

 

That just cracked me up when I changed it last- by 1993, Type F was 15 years
out of date for transmissions. But I guess, our power steering parts date
back to the dark ages...

heh
t

 

There is a series of video's on youtube where this fella is an instructor at some automotive engineering school and he covers the history of automatic transmissions and their fluids and formulations. Believe it or not, transmission fluid wasn't always red, that was a dye they added to differentiate it from what WAS being used up until then 10 wt oil! They started adding things to it for different transmissions as each auto maker started to develop their own transmissions.. If i recall correctly some of the first ford and dodge automatics used chevy transmissions. Up until I think it was 1959 or 1960 all auto trannies used GM type A transmission fluid.Pretty interesting watch even if it is long... a LOT of info packed in there that i had absolutely no idea about.

 

That guy runs the auto tech program at Weber University in Utah. He has some excellent videos with accurate information.

Highly recommended!!!

 

I'll have to look into that an I have 15 quarts of the Amazon fluid coming. Ehh. What gets me is I remember reading my manual which said Mercron and the mercon V stating something to the nature of suitable for use in all cases requiring prior mercron specifications.

 

Mercon V is backwards compatible in transmissions for those that call for Mercon. No other Mercon will work, Not Mercon LV,Mercon SP or Mercon ULV.. ONLY Mercon V will work where Mercon was specced.

 

The mercon rated atf from Walmart works just fine, I use it in all of my transfer cases, power steering systems, and auto transmissions (that call for Mercon), never had an issue.