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Motorcraft Transfer Case Fluid

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
What is it?

Not quite due yet (actually, I'm not even close to due, according to the book), but I happened to be looking through the manual to my '09 Ranger today, and saw that this was the spec'd fluid for the transfer case.

Easy enough, except I've never heard of transfer case fluid before- and didn't see any on the shelf at AutoZone.

I could (and likely will) get the stuff from a Ford dealership when the time comes...but I'm curious- what makes it different from gear lube, or transmission fluid, or whatever other common fluid is usually poured into t-cases?
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
My local Ford dealer told me to use mercron 5 in my 94 F 150. I'm not sure there is "Transfer case fluid"

May be just a plug to get you to use dealer service.
 
Last edited:

blacksnapon

Moderator
Staff member
Motorcraft® Transfer Case Fluid
XL-12 ESP-M2C166-H 1.2L (2.5 pt)
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Look it up in the owners manual

What the owner's manual says is "Motorcraft Tranfer Case Fluid", which I'm sure comes back to the part number Vince gives.

I want to know more about this mystery fluid, just to satisfy my engineer's curiosity.
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Got me a little more...but they're still a little vague.

I checked the book for the '97- it specs Mercon ATF for both the manual trans and t-case. The '09 specs Mercon V for the manual trans, and this "transfer case fluid" for the t-case. If I had to guess, I'd say "Tranfer Case Fluid" bears more than a passing resemblance to the old Mercon, but the new Mercon V that was supposed to replace it doesn't get along well with clutch-type t-cases.

That's just a guess, and at the end of the day I'll probably just buy the spec'd fluid from Ford and call it a day.
 

Beachbumcook

Kansas Chapter member
This is a great topic and Ford has a lot of people confused.

Many of us with 4X4's have always used used Mercon in our transfer cases (as per our manuals... as mine does).

What is funny, is that Ford put out a bulletin that Mercon V replaces Mercon (when they discontinued Mercon)... so even my dealer used Mercon V at my last two services!!!

What is interesting is that right on the bottle of Mercon V and on the Ford website site for their chemicals... it plainly states that Mercon V should NOT be used in transfer cases!!!!

So... what is it... Does Mercon V replace Mercon or not... or it does but not in transfer cases??

As mentioned earlier, Ford has a fluid called Transfer case fluid... and it is only for that purpose... amazing!!!

Now, from comparing the specs of these two fluids, they seem very simular... but who knows?? Now, I wonder if I should go to my local dealer and politely ask them to redo my transfer case with the proper fluid since everything Ford details on-line and right on the bottle states and proves that they used the WRONG fluid (Mercon V in my transfer case).

FYI - I even called the parts department at my local Ford dealer and was told that Mercon V was OK... when pressed, he double-checked, apologized and corrected himself and told me about the transfer-case fluid.... amazing!!!!!!

So much for the dealer parts people and the dealer mechanics knowing what is best for my truck... or Ford keeping them all trained and up on the latest specs - almost as bad as going to Jiffy Lube sometimes!!!!!
 

racsan

4xford
heck, ive had in my T-case for the last 4 years (or so) mobil-1 synthetic atf. i run pennzoil syncromesh in the manual trans. havent had a problem with either, thought my book said mercon for both. (its a '93, back when mercon was still a current oil)
 

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