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Ford Trans Lube Chart

Terry Haines

By Terry Haines
in Knowledgebase - Ask Terry.

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  • 9 months later...
Trykstyr

Trykstyr

Posted
Posted

Hi Terry,

 

I'm glad to see this answered as I had asked my auto parts store this very question. The guy there said ATF fluid too. I asked him if he was sure and he called someone to double check and thats what they said too. According to the chart, my CSVT will use XT-M5-QS Full Synthetic. What does that translate into at my local parts store? As I'm getting my tranny put in this MAY be relevant to me very soon.

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Terry Haines

Terry Haines

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I have noticed that Amsoil now list a 'new' manual trans fluid for the MTX75,I think this meets the Ford spec but I have yet to try it or get any feedback from owners who have.The Ford honey of Royal Purple 'Syncromax' have been the common choce for a while..

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Trykstyr

Trykstyr

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Ok so I found a place about 100 miles away that has RB Synchromax. Im going to go get it tomorrow before I take my wife out for her birthday. They have 2 quarts left but I read the car takes 2.1 Quarts. is the .1 quart for friction modifier? If not do I really need to get a third quart just for that .1?

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spridget

spridget

Posted
Posted

Royal Purple SynchroMax works great. I'll use it exclusively from now on.

 

FYI - earlier MTX-75 (rod shift) require slightly more fluid, about 2.5L, later units (cable shift) require less, about 2.25L. Purchase 3 bottles either way.

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  • 3 months later...
MysticGold04

MysticGold04

Posted
Posted (edited)

What about a 2006 model capacity? 2 quarts was not spilling out of the fill hole.. should I "fill to spill" ??

 

BTW could not find the RP locally so I used Rotella T6 5w40 until I can get the RP stuff.

Edited by MysticGold04
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  • 2 weeks later...
spridget

spridget

Posted
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Ive used rotella a couple times and it works ok but I was getting alot of noise at from the gearbox at idle. Sounded like a loose exhaust heat shield. Drained and switched to RP, noise is gone and cold shifting is much smoother. Rotella is good for short term use or flushing a box that had ATF.

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  • 1 year later...
mondeoman

mondeoman

Posted
Posted

I just noticed that Royal Purple 2012-2013 Catalog shows the HPS 10w-40 is used in place of Ford XT-M5-QS. What happend to the Royal Purple Synchromax being the compatable equiv to our Ford XT-M5-QS? Or am I missing something here?

tia -

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Terry Haines

Terry Haines

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Very interesting!...Back many years I had lab tests done on the XT-M5-QS and established that its base was a 15W/40 diesel engine oil.Back then Syncromax was called up as being equal to the Ford lube...maybe,just maybe royal Purple have 'caught up with their own lab tests and revised the spec in line with what I found!!

Mybe drop them a mail and ask RP 'why' the spec change. I have noted for many years that a 15W/40 synth diesel engine oil could be used as a substitute for the Ford or even Syncromax fluid.

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mondeoman

mondeoman

Posted
Posted (edited)

Terry - Thank you for your comments and thoughts. I hear you about your lab tests and resultant findings. And yes, I will email RP and inquire as the the changes in their chart as it pertains to our XT-M5-QS. And yes, I have been using 15w-40 synthetic diesel oil in my MTX-75 for over 130k miles. Granted, no hard driving of any kind. No ills other than the cold shifts being stiff and notchy. Wears off within 1 mile of moderate driving during the warm-up cycle.

 

 I appreciate your candor and insight into this "change". I suspect you are "spot-on".

 

 Thanks again -Mondeoman

Edited by mondeoman
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Terry Haines

Terry Haines

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Good to hear the 15W/40 synth diesel engine oil is working well for you,I think 130k is a good test!!.. FWIW most early rod shift MTX75 always are a bit stiff at initial start,even with the Ford fluid. We did test the diesel engine oil on a couple of local cars and back when I had my 95 V6,in that too. A lot of shifting issues in the rod shift goes back to wear/stiffness in the rod linkage set up. On those cars that we have remanned the linkage etc it seems to smooth out and revert to the 'as new' feel...Maybe RP will advise us on their lube spec change...

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mondeoman

mondeoman

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Terry - Thanks for this information.....I purchased my '95 with only 50k miles and just as you report.....bit stiff. No changes in the following 130k miles....not going to worry much about it. I suspect you are, once again, correct on the shift rod and it's linkage as the culprit - I replaced the rear mount at 60k miles with the SVT part, and shifting changed for the better - as far as crisper/more positive selection of gears. Sure beats my '98.5 SVT's cable shifting!! I will let you know when and if I hear back from RP.

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  • 2 weeks later...
SVTDEMON

SVTDEMON

Posted
Posted

Terry I can not thank you enough for all this awesome info.  :punk:

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mondeoman

mondeoman

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OK, here is what I have received from RP - unfortunately there are still questions I have to James' responses. My questions/posts will be in BOLD:
I just noticed that Royal Purple 2012-2013 Catalog shows the HPS 10w-40 is used in place of Ford XT-M5-QS. What happend to the Royal Purple Synchromax being the compatable equiv to our Ford XT-M5-QS? Or am I missing something here?
Synchromax is a significantly lighter “ATF like” fluid than the “Ford Honey” XT-M5-QS, and when we are recommending a replacement manual transmission fluid we try to get the viscosity as close as reasonably possible. This is so that noise, NVH and shift feel will all remain optimal. Although we will sometimes recommend Synchromax to replace XT-M5-QS in some high revving race only applications, it is not our normal go to fluid for normal street use to replace this particular fluid.
What is your application? Year, make, model, engine, trans?

 

 I appreciate your explanation.
I drive two different Ford Contours 1) 1995 Contour 2.0 Zetec with the manual 5 speed MTX-75
2) 1998.5 Contour SVT 2.5 Duratec with the manual 5 speed MTX-75.
btw – there are MANY of us Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique enthusiasts out there using your products. See contour.org and fordcontour.org Do a search as a visitor for “RP”.
Don’t forget the many Mercury Cougars (1998 – 2002) and the Ford Focus – all with the MTX-75 transaxle.

Sweet! You have an SVT Contour! Those are very cool cars!
I am also a moderator part time on SVTperformance.com and drive an 04 SVT Focus and an 04 SVT Cobra Mustang, both with Synchromax in the trans naturally.  User name Jimmysidecarr
Keep in mind you can also use the XPR 10W-40(part #01041, quart bottle) to replace the Ford Honey in the MTX-75s.
Have a great Christmas!
Jim Morrissey
PS I’ll be off until 12/26 on vacation.

 

James – very cool indeed!!!!
So, I am a little confused….which do you suggest for “normal” driving of the MTX-75? For years RP suggested the Synchromax, changing to the HPS 10w-40 for the 2012-2013 Application Chart. Now you mention the XPR 10w-40. See my confusion? I was asked, on behalf of Terry Haines and others on both of my Contour forums, to inquire of RP. Terry Haines has been rebuilding the MTX-75’s for many, many years.
Yes – you also have an excellent Christmas

 

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mondeoman

mondeoman

Posted
Posted

OK, this is it...from RP as of 12/26/2012:

 

The 10W-40 recommendation is what best matches the original Ford fluid viscosity, this matters because shift feel, smoothness and quietness are best optimized this way. There is no question Synchromax works and has more than enough protection, but it may not feel correct as it is closer to a light 20 weight on the engine scale. We used to recommend our old formula SAE API-SL street oil 10W-40, but that is now an API-SN and as a result of the SN chemistry restrictions it now has less anti wear additive than we feel is appropriate for gear box usage.

Any of our performance 10W-40 oils will work great in the Ford MTX-75.

Royal Purple HPS 10W-40 (part #31140, quart bottle)

Royal Purple Max Cycle 10W-40 (part #01315, quart bottle)

Royal Purple XPR 10W-40 (part #01041, quart bottle)

 

Thank you for choosing Royal Purple and have a great day!

 

Jim Morrissey

Technical Services/Automotive

Royal Purple, Inc.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Ferret II

Ferret II

Posted
Posted

I had purchased Synchromax for my '96 Mystque V-6 MTX before the recommendation was changed by Royal Purple.  I'm wondering if I should go ahead and use it (it's not returnable).  Almost certain that's fine to do, but have been wondering if Terry might be changing his recommendation. 

 

From my research on this site (and other sources), prior to RP's new recommendation, I'd concluded the best choices were either Ford Honey (XT-M5-QS) or RP Synchromax, and I'd replaced the transmission fluid with RP Synchromax in my '95 Tour V-6 MTX - shifting seemed smoother and I was pleased with results.

 

I don't understand this statement from RP in the post above: "The 10W-40 recommendation is what best matches the original Ford fluid viscosity, this matters because shift feel, smoothness and quietness are best optimized this way."  I thought the whole point was not to match the original Ford fluid?  Maybe original here is supposed to refer to the Ford Honey, though...

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mondeoman

mondeoman

Posted
Posted

Hi Ferrett!! Yes, I too am baffled by the "change" in RP's recomendation and the explaination I recieved. I have no doubt that the Synchromax is totally acceptable, if not superior to the HPS 10w-40 now recommended by RP. I suspect economics played into this "change". The explanation that the Synchromax may not feel correct because it is closer to a "light 20w" is absurd!! And just what does RP think a 10w-40 feels like when it is operating in the "10w" viscosity range? A "light 20w" maybe, at worst case - logic is not prevailing in the RP response, IMHO.

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  • 2 weeks later...
CrewChiefPro

CrewChiefPro

Posted
Posted

I would think that synthetic 5w 40 diesel oil may be better in colder climates.  Should help cold shifting.  15w 40 seems awful thick, especially in 0 degree weather.

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mondeoman

mondeoman

Posted
Posted

Agree - over 130K miles on 5w-40 Synth diesel w/o adverse affects. Granted, the recent temps in the 20's required me to shift lightly for the first mile - 178k miles she deserves a warmup, you think?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Bill Counts

Bill Counts

Posted
Posted

My slave cylinder went out and called ford for honey and they quoted 23 dollars per qrt and it would take 10 days to get it, they said use merc 5 full synthetic.  RP Synchromax is hard to find local and the tranny guy needs it monday. Should i just let them use the merc and flush and refill later with RP Sync ?

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spridget

spridget

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Posted

My slave cylinder went out and called ford for honey and they quoted 23 dollars per qrt and it would take 10 days to get it, they said use merc 5 full synthetic.  RP Synchromax is hard to find local and the tranny guy needs it monday. Should i just let them use the merc and flush and refill later with RP Sync ?

 

 

No. Use a premium diesel engine oil 5w-40 or 15w-40 like Rotella T6, Delo 400, or AMSOIL.

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