trans fluid caution beware

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Oct 6, 2006 | 10:32 AM

amerimutt

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Joined: Sep 2006

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trans fluid caution beware

trans fluid caution beware
<HR style="COLOR: #666666" SIZE=1>The caution advisory is on Valvoline transmission fluid. They add to the confusion and frustration with Mercon V and what ever fluid we are left with to use! My experience doing a simple Tranny flush went bad enough with the mystery extra fluid (checked on level ground) only to find synthetic is what I have domed my wife’s car with a 2002 Ford Escape automatic Transmission 6cly 85k miles

I thought I was doing a preventive maintenance transmission fluid change, I proceeded as follows; warmed the vehicle up (15 mile drive) parked and drained one gallon of fluid, replenished the one gallon fluid (as per Chilton manual procedure) adding small amounts with engine running, drove vehicle 5 mile test drive cycling threw all gears as well as overdrive and cruise control. Parked vehicles removed the new one gallon of transmission fluid (sacrificed for flushing purpose) test drove the vehicle, everything was fine! Discovered the dip stick was reading quart to much! Hot motor as well as cold? So naturally removed the one quart, then a slipping began! Then the frustration! Posing the question to the dealer, what might be the problem? As well as, is the fluid being used wrong? They didn’t know why the dip stick would read one quart to much! And regarding the type of transmission fluid there answer conflicted with the manual and Chilton’s! As did the answer by another dealer about the type of transmission fluid. One says Mercon V the other Dextron III/ Mercon? The fluid that was put in was Dextron III/Mercon ! But here is what adds to the problem, the new fluid is a synthetic! Only discovered this by calling the manufacture, Valvoline. When asked what is your fluid synthetic or natural oil based? We were told synthetic! But nowhere on the bottle does it state the product is synthetic! We specifically shopped for non synthetic per manual recommendations. So the fix is what? Is the transmission damaged? Or everything will be fine the dipstick is wrong possible manufacture error (being wrong dip stick installed) and just add the quart back into transmission! Or having the Trans flushed would fix the problem any advise would be appreciated Thank you

Oct 9, 2006 | 06:56 AM

DoctorCAD

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Joined: Feb 2004

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Some dipsticks were wrong, FM and other sources recommend only DexIII/Mercon.

Oct 9, 2006 | 09:16 AM

ove1

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Joined: Apr 2004

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From: Minnesota

An owner in another forum reported severe shuddering problems after changing his fluid to Valvoline synthetic. Fortunately, flushing it with Dexron III/Mercon seemed to fix it without permanent damage.

Oct 9, 2006 | 02:58 PM

MazdaRangerGuyInSTL

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Joined: Sep 2006

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Synthetic fluid is BAD on any transmission not designed specifically for it.

Mercon V is BAD on escapes and focuses.

Dexron III/Mercon is BAD on any car requiring Mercon V, Mopar ATF +4, and ANY CVT.

Almost put Dexron in a 1998 honda civic CVT once (I had no idea they had those back then).. lucky i cleaned the junk off the dipstick and found a BIG WARNING TAG that stated "CVT FLUID ONLY".. good thing too because it would have trashed that $4000 transmission!

Get a complete flush, use DexronIII/Mercon and hopefully you'll be ok.

Oct 9, 2006 | 04:01 PM

ericsmith32

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Joined: Feb 2005

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From: Kansas City, KS

I'm going to try the slow introduction method with RP syn ATF and our 04. Some people have trouble and other do not. Have you tried resetting the computer?