I use B & M's trick shift fluid with their shift kit, for about 4 years now. Neck snapping shifts and doesn't foam like the mercon dexron... then again, neither does type F. some tranny shops use mercon dexron in all their trannys without telling you I would use type F, thats what i used to use before i swapped, and thats what ford says to use. use what you want....to each his own.
I use Castrol type F in all my trannys for performance. It is a quality hydraulic fluid that "does not foam". That is what mainly causes problems, in my opinion. Street applications only, I would still use Castrol brand that is recommended by the mfg.
MERCON V is a synthetic transmission fluid. The guy that built my transmission says its ok to use it in a C4. I don't think it will foam being a synthetic. He says the newer parts work better with it. Thanks everyone for the imput.
type f is what it calls for. let us know what happens if you put something else in it? personally i would go with the right stuff. i use castrol type f. in fact i just found 15 qts. of it in the walmart clearance section for $1.50 a qt.
To pick this subject apart some, the fluid to use is dependent on what friction material was use in the build and what the application is. You can't use all these reccomendations off the wall without these considerations and be proper about it. We can all use all kinds of anything but it won't be right just because it seems to work. I have a custom built towing 4r70w 4x4 in my F150 that OEM specs Mercon V but now uses DEXTRON due to the Raybesto frictions used in the rebuild. The rest of the story is what lubrication the peticular trans needs in addition. An C4 does not require the same consideration for some aspects of fluids that an AOD requires. The first fluids were type F to match the frictions in use in the original designs for the C4, C6 and the FMX types. As the designs changed and the demands for smoothness became a factor, the frictions were changes as well as the fluids to make shifting smoothe. It's a sales thing. Granted, the smoothe shifting does not lengthen friction life but they still last well beyond warrenty considerations for the purpose. Using anything else other than reccomended by the OEM or the rebuilder is a crap shoot. If you get away with it; that fine to. Hell, why not use STP or even rear end fluid. Should work just as well. The main points are the lube needed, the cooling needed, fluid temperature limitations as well as anti foaming to work with the lining material in place. The slip temps are greatest at the beginning of engagement and at the beginning of dis engagement for lining and band heat, and fluid breakdown plus the converter fluid shear temps. You must have a fluid that has the greatest chance of meeting all these actions for a given build and change the fluid at reasonable intervals. Do you really know what anything else will do under these conditions? I think not! That's why it become a crap shoot.
You could always use the blood of your vanquished foes...oh, i guess that really only works if you are a viking. Well, its red at least. Sorry, some people say my sense of humor is a bit twisted. I think they're right.
:16suspect Well going on your recommendation, my vanquished foes blood runs throughout my maverick, and.......... it's broke. sorry. then again, I'm just a mechanic.
I usually don't comment after i make a suggestion, But in this case I'm going to make a exception. I rebuilt my first C4 30+ years ago, i have rebuilt many others since then, including GMS, Chrysler, Ford ( including 4R70W,aod, aodes, ect) I also have a close friend that has his own trans shop or business, We have tried numerous types of fluid in many types of applications and have found synthetic motor oil to be the superior product. It will out cool, out lubricate, and outlast trans fluid (any type) So THIS IS NOT A CRAP SHOOT, it is something that has been proven in the field, under numerous circumstances.
Now...would that be a technical term? Stick to helping kids, Scott. And whoever mentioned B&M Trickshift fluid, here's a secret for you: It is standard Type F fluid. Nothing "trick" in that stuff. Just another point of view.....we use Royal Purple synthetic transmission fluid. Never had one single failure in any of our cars. My '98 GT has over 227K miles and 700 dragstrip runs (with a transbrake) and it still hits nicely. Dad's Thunderbird puts around 900 hp through his 'Glide and it has not been apart in over three seasons (390 runs). That's 3000# of Bird going 9-teens at 150 mph. In a sidebar to what Blown5.0 stated about the synthetic motor oil.....we had a scare not long ago with Dad's car. Beginning of the season and we're putting the engine/transmission back into the car. We had to top off the transmission fluid and the engine oil. We had the Royal Purple engine oil lined up on the radiator support and the transmission fluid on the cowl. One of Dad's friends grabs a bottle and starts filling the transmission. You guessed it.....four quarts of RP 5W20 right into the transmission. Dad shrugged and said, "Top it off with the tranny fluid and get the engine full of 5W20." He wasn't about to drain the transmission. Nine months later we take the transmission out to have a look at the innards as a precaution. You could still read "Raybestos" on the clutches. After 110 runs with a combination of engine oil and transmission fluid we had a transmission in perfect shape.
Yep, Trick Shift is type "F" with a blue dye added. That's why it makes those GM's run so much better. Like I said before - run the oil you want in your transmission as long as you are willing to pay for the rebuild. Like anything else - when you make the choice you get to take the consequences - good or bad.
was woundering can you mix the 5w-20 & type F ,if you drain the pan,can you mix it with whats in the converter & be alright ,i was going to use royal purple 5w-20 ?
you are asking the wrong crowd if you are looking for a straight answer... note...use what the...transmission shop that built the transmissiion said use...
