I have 3 gallons of Valvoline Max-Live transmission fluid which states it is suitable for most Ford, Chrysler, etc using Dexron, Mercon LV (low viscosity), etc.

According to "Bob is the Oil Guy", it is also a suitable replacement for Mercon V (5) as well as Mercon VI (6).

Is this true? Since it is a Sunday morning I cannot call Valvoline until at least Monday to confirm. I was curious if it would be fine in my 4R70W which I will be doing a valve body swap in, either Monday night or Tuesday morning.

Thank you!

To the best of my knowledge, Mercon LV is more or less equalivant to Dexron VI. However, according to this, Mercon LV is not compatible with Mercon V.

Ford has the original Mercon spec. which was superceded by the Mercon V spec. The Mercon LV and CVT is not recommended for the transmissions unless the new transmission was designed for the fluid. The Mercon LV and CVT fluids are a totally different specification and will not be compatible with the older Mercon V standard. Amsoil on one of their tech bulletins specifically states that their transmission fluid although it meets both the Mercon and Mercon V standards, it does not meet either the CVT or the type F standards promugated by Ford. Ford to my knowledge never had a Mercon VI standard.

Here is a post that has additional information about the Ford Fluids.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f23/mercon-sp-or-lv-fluid-64848.html

I'm not knocking Max-Life, or Valvoline in general; I have their Mercon V in my transmission and their synthetic 75W-140 in the rear axle as I write this, but I have a problem with so-called one-size-fits-all transmission fluids. How can a single fluid meet different standards that are in some cases mutually incompatible? If it were true, then why do they still bother making a Mercon V-specific fluid and a Dexron VI-specific one as well?

If it were MY car, I would stick with Motorcraft Mercon LV until one of the majors comes out with their own LV-specific version.

Interesting. The local stores around here do not carry Valvoline Mercon V like shown on their website. Advance Auto carries the Max Life "one size fits all" and then they carry their own store brand Mercon V. I will see if I can exchange the 3 gallons for 12 quarts later today I guess.

Blaine, I may have misunderstood your original post...from the title you gave it, I thought you were looking for a Mercon LV-compatible fluid, but I see by your sig that you have an '01 Grand Marquis...if that is the car you are talking about, then the MaxLife you have should be fine, although I would still use the Mercon V-specific fluid. The AAP house-brand should be fine as well. I got most of my Valvoline stash from NAPA.

I would not take everything you read there as gospel. There is some good info. there but there is also some equally wrong!

Edit: I found the answer directly from Ford. Short answer is no LV is NOT compatible with Mercon V.

"Do not use in applications where MERCON® V, MERCON® SP (exceptTorqShift®), Continuously Variable Chain Type Transmission Fluid, Motorcraft® Premium Automatic Transmission Fluid, FNR5 Automatic Transmission Fluid or Type F Automatic Transmission Fluid is recommended, or in transfer cases."

http://fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/main/product.asp?product=MERCON%AE%20LV%20Automatic%20Transmission%20Fluid&category=Transmission%20Fluid

Either way I exchanged it for Advance's house brand Mercon V. Got the BC Automotive valve body installed last night, removed the lower accumulator springs for 1-2 and 2-3, installed the extended tail housing with a new seal on the output, filled it up and MAN WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT IN SHIFTING! It isn't harsh at all, even with the springs removed, shifts are nice and quick, firm, and quite crisp. Awesome.

Last July when I pulled the transmission to swap in the 11.25" torque converter I definitely used Valvoline Max-Life "one size fits all" Mercon/Dexron fluid, although I think it was slightly different as I could have SWORN it said it was compatible with Mercon V, unlike these new bottles which do not mention Mercon V at all.

Glad that worked out for you.

How about that pin ?

Pin wasn't in it, the valve moved freely, all of them did as a matter of fact. Removed the seperator plate, I did not remove the plate on the bottom.....what is behind the plate on the bottom?

And by the way the "missing bolt" (single lone bolt on the seperator plate side) was installed in the hole that holds the solenoid bracket on the opposite side of the valve body.

HA! @ the bolt.


I don't know what's under the little plate, never opened it.

Damn, Now I wanna.

Thinking not much, perhaps more of a reinforcement plate for the aluminum valve body?