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Manual Trans Oil Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter bradymcwaters
  • Start date Start date Oct 31, 2020
B

bradymcwaters

New Member
Dec 27, 2019
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Ottawa
Oct 31, 2020
#1
  • Oct 31, 2020
  • #1
I have a 2002 GT 5-Speed, and I've gotta do a trans oil change (first one on this car). I've seen a million different answers as to what oil you should use, and a lot of people say standard Mercon works fine, but the manual says synthetic mercon which I can't seem to find. However i do have mercon LV which i can get cheaper from work (along with regular mercon). So what would be better? Mercon or Mercon LV.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,233
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Massachusetts
Nov 3, 2020
#2
  • Nov 3, 2020
  • #2
The recommendations are all over the place, even from official sources.

Ford had recommended Mercon V
Tremec has recommended DexIII/Mercon and GM Syncromesh
Tremec's service Manual manual recommends Mobil 1 ATF.

I ran the D3/mercon in my 2003GT. The factory fill, IIRC, was synthetic. The early T-3650 was plagued by notchy shifts so an early recommendation was to use non-Syn trans fluid as a way of mitigating that. Later, 2005+ T-3650's don't have that issue and the fluid recommendation changed for those, which muddies the waters when searching for info as to what to use. I think any of the above 3-4 fluids will be fine

I would not use the Mercon LV
 

zookeeper

Founding Member
Aug 25, 2001
3,415
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Rogue River, Oregon
Nov 7, 2020
#3
  • Nov 7, 2020
  • #3
Good info. The ‘89 T5 in my ‘68 shifts like butter but the 5 speed in my ‘02 is quite notchy between gears. Maybe an oil change is needed.
 
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