Well, I don't know about all that. I do have a custom tuned programmer, and I use nothing but Merc V in it and have changed the filter 3 times, I just simply chalk mine up to hard driving miles, a 195,000, and it is after all a work truck, a hard working truck. I am not at all upset that it has to be rebuilt, though it would have been nice for it to have lasted longer, this trans lasted longer than any other I have ever had. I've gone through engines faster than that, and this one seems to be running strong still, knock on wood.

As far as using nothing but Motorcraft, I think that's a crock. I don't believe you should necessarily be tied or bound to a certain product like fluids just to be punished for it if you don't. Don't get me wrong, I am a ford man through and through, but once I buy the truck from the stealership, I prefer that it never sees the dealership again, and here is one example why: a friend of mine had his all wheel drive Ford 500 take a dump on him, all wheel drive malfunction light came on and the car would not move. He has it towed to the nearest Ford dealership to have it diagnosed, they told him he needed a new transmission to the tune of $7,000, and he paid $150 for the diagnosis. He decides to have it towed to a local auto shop where the guy that works there tells him there is a TSB on his exact situation, guy orders a DEM valve or solenoid for $600, plus labor, I think $800, and now my buddy will be back on the road for $1400, not $7000. The STEALERSHIP was just going to rip him off, and now he's going to try and get the $150 back for a wrong diagnosis.

Sorry for the rant

 

As long as the tranny fluid meets Mercon V (or Mercon LV in the new trannies) specs, that's fine.

 

Any ATF that has a MERCON V rating has been approved by Ford. The ATF manufacturer has to buy a license from Ford to have MERCON V on the label. They have to submit fluids to Ford for testing to have the license approved. Non-Motorcraft fluid is not a problem as long as it is MERCON V licensed.

 

Just to update. It wasn't first and reverse band. The sun gear and planetary gears were completely trashed. The guy that rebuilt it said he's seen quite a few with the same problem. Ford has since updated those gears.

Back on the road. For now.

 

glad to hear it MX. ive been a little worried about my tranny, its got 77K on it, and it did NOT like the stock tunes that came with my Edge CS.. Since getting the custom tunes from bill over at PHP, it seems to run a lot smoother, tranny wise atleast...