Mixing Mercon and Mercon V ? How bad is that!?

[John Miner]

I've clearly read the label on my Valvoline Mercon ATF container, and
the Service Manual for my 98 Ford Explorer.....but I waited until
AFTER I changed the transmission fluid! I now know I've mixed Mercon
type by Valvoline, with whatever was in there, which should have been
Mercon V according to the manual. I can't be the first person failing
to read the fine print on the Mercon container cautioning that it is
NOT intended for transmissions requiring Mercon V.

Really, how bad can this be? Will it cause damage, or should I simply
expect to have to change it again in 15,000 miles instead of 30,000?

C'mon, someone else has done this... admit it. What did you do, and
what were the results?

[Randy Walters]

jmi...@mindspring.com (John Miner) wrote:

>I've clearly read the label on my Valvoline Mercon ATF container, and
>the Service Manual for my 98 Ford Explorer.....but I waited until
>AFTER I changed the transmission fluid! I now know I've mixed Mercon
>type by Valvoline, with whatever was in there, which should have been
>Mercon V according to the manual. I can't be the first person failing
>to read the fine print on the Mercon container cautioning that it is
>NOT intended for transmissions requiring Mercon V.
>Really, how bad can this be? Will it cause damage, or should I simply
>expect to have to change it again in 15,000 miles instead of 30,000?

As long as it's a version of Mercon you're probably OK. My cars
owners manuals specify i use Dexron only, but according to the
manufacturers any version of their Dexron is backwards compatible
with other versions, as long as they're all Dexron. I assume it's the
same deal with Mercon and other types of ATF.

I can't believe i answered a Ford Explorer question in the VW Newsgroup!

Randy Walters
01 Jetta Wolfsburg (new daily driver)
85 Golf GTi (retired racer - parts chaser)
86 Jetta GLi (former daily driver - sold to the Potterman)
89 BMW 325is (weekend auto-x/canyon fun car)

http://home.earthlink.net/~randylwalters/

[sehaare]

John,
You'd get better replies if you posted to the explorer newgroup. I belong to
that one as well. I hate to tell you this but my gut feeling on this is that
you need to replace all the fluid. I own a 98 as well, fords have been
famous for weak trannies and if I had done what you did I'd replace it all.
I'd recommend going to a shop with a t-tech machine and have them flush it
all out should be able to do it for under $100.

Sorry but that's what I'd do
Steve

"John Miner" <jmi...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:2d94273d.02070...@posting.google.com...

[DriveSpy]

Youll need to replace the fluid with Mercon V. Mercon V is either a full or
semi-synthetic that has as nne of its features higher temp tolerance than plain
Mercon. The newer Ford automatics can run at temperatures requiring that added
temperature margin.