Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle MTX fluid observations

My Synchros aren't so great. My biggest problem has been the 1-2 shift, it used to crunch a little when the temps outside were 40 or lower.
Based on advice I got here at CEG, I had been running ATF+3, dino. It was doing pretty well. For the money it was the best fluid I have tried. I think it was starting to break down (shifts getting harder when cold) and so I decided to try a different fluid.

I replaced the fluid with Royal Purple SynchroMax a few days ago. After a few cold days of driving (right around freezing) I can say my transmission is shifting easier, and synchros are behaving better than they have in probably the past 30-40k miles. I am VERY pleased!

I won't make a blanket statement, but, for MY car and for the Cleveland climate, Royal Purple is the best fluid I've come across.

From my trials, I would rank them like this:
#1 Royal Purple (easy shifts, no crunching into second)
#2 ATF+3 (Quaker State dino) (shifted easily, occasionally crunched)
#3 Redline MTL (shifted easily enough but crunched too often while cold, even though I had added FM)
#4 Factory Fill (hard shifts, crunching when cold)
#5 Ford Honey (unbearable. to go into 1st, car had to be at a complete stop, then i had to double clutch. never did 1-2 in the first 10 minutes of driving, had to go to 3rd. )

Brian

Just swapped in some Royal Purple and chalk up another happy customer

It's smoother all around feeling, starting to get warm up here so I can't tell the cold morning improvements.

Pretty much I'm VERY happy with the ease of day to day driving. Not more random moments where I need to nuetral/reclutch to get into first.

You don't need the FM with the Synchromax, right??
Just drain, fill, and drive..........

Poster: Manch-VegasSVT
Subject: Re: MTX fluid observations

You don't need the FM with the Synchromax, right??
Just drain, fill, and drive..........
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RIGHT

I'm definately switching to Royal Purple Synchromax (due to everwhelming positive responce) in both the Tour and my 96 Ford Aspire

quote from Royal Purple:

"What product do you recommend for manual transmissions / transfer cases that specify a Ford Mercon�® and / or GM Dexron�® fluid?

For manual transmissions and / or transfer cases specifying a Ford Mercon�® or GM Dexron�® type ATF, Royal Purple�® recommends either its Max ATF�® or for greater performance, its Synchromax�®."

I also found that synchromax works better than any other I have triedn including dextron atf and redline MTL.

My hardest shift is down shifting from 3rd to 2nd when cold, and the synchromax seems to do better than the other two listed above.

yes because Ford changed its mind.. but when the car was new the factory manual said Mercon AND Haines manual said Mercon.. only after poor cold weather shifting did they switch to overpriced Honey..