I'm looking to change my trans fluid soon and wanted to know what I should use.
Also if I use Royal Purple Synchromax is that all I put into the transmission with no other auto trans fluid. The right amount of fluid of course just didn't know if it was more like a additive for the trans.
Any help is appreciated.
For my 94 F250

 

My truck is an auto so I can't help there.

My car is a stick and it specs ATF too. I used redline synthetic MT fluid and it shifts better. I buy the claim that the MT fluids are better than ATF in sticks.

 

I'm running straight synchromax in mine. Seems to be fine, but I don't know what was in there that I drained out to put the RP in.

 

Just use straight synchromax.

 

Thanks for your help now just need to find who has it and how much. Otherwise I'd use Type F Fluid correct?

 

Is there a reason why they spec ATF instead regular gear lube ? Fuel economy ?

 

All I know is that's what Ford uses for their manual transmissions even back when my dad had his 88 F250 Dsl 5spd

 

if you have a powerstroke with a ZF 5 speed behind it then your owners manual calls for SYNTHETIC MERCON. The modern equivelent of what Ford used to have is the synchromax synthetic from Castrol as far as my research could uncover. Personally I use mobil 1 full synthetic atf in mine. It's all I could get locally.

DO NOT put gear oil or anything like it in your ZF. Not if you expect it to last very long. Your synchronizers will shred pretty fast and the bearings will fry right after them. I just found out the hard way and the gear oil was only in about 1000 miles thankfully but I still had to replace a couple synchros and most of the bearings. I didn't do it either BTW. Our freindly neighborhood dealership did it for the last owner right before I bought it from him a couple months ago.

I only got to fix it myself and as a precaution changed out all the rest of the fluids too with the correct stuff.

 

I went to the local Pep Boys and bought Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF Multi-Vehicle Formula.
Is that the right stuff or should it have been the Mercon SP for the 94 F250 w ZF 5spd
If so the back of the bottle says not to use it (Mobil 1 Syn ATF) I know our trucks are manual transmissions so maybe it's really not a factor but I'm not sure.

Thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'd use mercon.... synthetic or otherwise, I don't know if type "F" is correct, got a 5 gal jug of it in the garage never opened and I'm scared to touch it....I just dropped the pan on mine and put in a new filter, took just shy of 6 qts but I didn't flush or drain the torq converter just the pan.....

Slick

 

Type F is definitly the wrong stuff to use in the ZF. It was spec'd for older C-4, fordomatic, cruiseomatic, some C-6 and most power steering systems up to 91 or 92.

The mobil 1 you got should be the right stuff. I know mobil 1 has been having some trouble making up their minds what to put on the label and has reportedly changed the formula several times but it's still good stuff. If you read the back label carefully you should find where it says it meets all Ford automatic transmission specs and meets or exceeds mercon or mercon 5 specs. the name Mercon is no longer used by ford or anyone else I know of except castrol but if it is synthetic and says it meets mercon 5 specs, which is better than regular mercon, then it should be ok.

I remember reading somewhere on the ZF website that mobil 1 ATF is one of the recommended ones for this transmission. It also listed castrol transmax I think too but the specific one they listed is no longer available. Another company that can't make up their mind.

Just make sure it is synthetic ATF meeting whatever the current Ford spec is and you should be safe.

 

Thanks for the heads up. It's getting to be time to change it & I would have put the Atf in anyway. Now I have more choices of what to use.

 

i didnt like the syncromax it didnt last real long the amsoil atf and shaeffers worked much better im runnin the shaeffers now it lasts alot longer

 

I heard Amsoil products are pretty good plus there track tested as well (dragsters).
For now I put the Mobil 1 Synthetic that covers Ford Mercon, Mercon 5 which I found a website last night that says our manual trans ZF 5 uses Mercon 5 fluid.
Plus when I drained both the trans and xfr case the fluid that came out was like a dark nasty purple. I'm glad I only put 3k on the truck since I've owned.
Now the truck has a whopping 100793 original miles on it. Not even broke in yet for a 94.5 model.
Thanks for your help.

 

I just flushed my transmission and torque converter. Schaffers was recommended to me, so that's what I'm trying this time. So far the tranny is working fine. No problems after two days!