I'm sitting at almost 52k miles and want to get the transmission fluid changed along with the rear diff.

1. Ford wants 279.00 to do the exchange and put the Motorcraft Mercon LV fluid. Goodyear will do it for 139.00 and use the Valvoline Max Life Dex/Mercon Fluid. They said its the only fluid Valvoline makes that is LV compatible. Has anyone ran something beside the Motorcraft LV? Just wanting some opinions.

2. Also getting the rear diff fluid changed. Do i need to get a bottle of Friction Modifier from the dealer? Truck has the E Locker.


Thanks

 

$279 or $139 to change tranny fluid? Are they nuts! Not unless they have to take the tranny out!

 

I don't know if I'd use that universal fluid.

No modifier needed in the ELD, it doesn't use clutches.

$139 isn't a bad price at all.

 

Well Just called Firestone and they gave me a price of 179.99. I questioned the fluid and he said it would be 12 quarts of the Motorcraft LV fluid as that is the only thing that is recommended. Then add $81.00 for a Motorcraft transmission filter if i wanted it.

$105.00 for the rear diff using full synthetic 75w140. The way i figured it will only be 398.00 after taxes for Transmission FLuid Exchange, Filter and the rear diff. Ford house was going to be around $510.00 for the 2 services and that doesn't include the transmission filter.

Have a APPT in the morning to geterdone.

 

I wouldn't bother with the filter, just get the fluid exchanged.

 

I was 50/50 on it. Figured if i don't do it this time i will do it with the next transmission service, which i plan to do around the 100k mark.

 

My last diff fluid change cost me 3 bottles of valvoline 75-140 synthetic at $9 on sale at Autozone and about $7 for a gasket. The Valvoline comes with the fm. With tax about $40 total.

 

The e-locker does not use friction modifier.

 

I know that. I read your previous post. But it won't hurt anything and I'm sure equivalent lube is available without it. I was just trying to point out how much money the shop was making on the job.

 

Thanks Roadie, I figured they would make some money off the rearend diff. But i did find a 30 dollar off coupon for firestone. 75 bucks wont be bad. I'm getting to old and fat to be rolling around on the driveway in the 95 degree heat. Id rather pay someone 30 bucks to do it

 

A rear dif service is easy! Loosen the bottom bolts first and let it all drain out. Then put on a new gasket in the usual manner. Once it's all sealed up pull the ABS sensor from the top of the housing and put in the right amount of lube. The dif uses synthetic oil from the factory with a 150,000 service life. Why are you wanting to change it so soon?

 

No real reason, just preventive maintenance. You know how Ford is with maintence. 100k spark plugs on EB (yea right). 150k transmission, 10k oil changes etc.

Just figured being tuned for over 40k miles and my spirited driving it may need to be done sooner than later

 

Towing a lot of weight for a lot of time beats up the dif oil more than a hard romp on the skinny pedal does. You have to stay on it hard for a long time to heat the synthetic oil up enough to hurt it. You won't hurt anything by changing it but you won't help anything either. That is unless you got water in it. Then a change is needed ASAP.

 

Well turns out the Firestone guy I talked to yesterday was off today. Other guy kept telling me it takes regular mercon. After about 5 mins of arguing I guess he got fed up with me and told me they can't flush these transmissions anyway cause of a special adapter it takes and that it has a themostat that has to stay at 195 to flush it.

So I am at the Ford house. Won't have to worry about it now, they should know what they are doing.

 

He might be right. A lot of VW/Audi products use ZF trannys like the F150 has and it they have to be hooked up to a computer program to check the level and do a flush. I suspect this truck is the same way.