We can argue till we're blue in the face about what WAS spec'd, what IS spec'd, what cut the gears are, etc. etc.
But we have enough real world testing to know what works and what doesn't.
Ford didn't move away from the Mercon spec because transmissions were wearing out gradually. I bet we could still find manual Contours on the road right now with over 100k miles on them and original tranny's. People who just stick to what the service manual says. Probably people who drive gently. That shows that Mercon may not be the best choice, but it's an acceptable choice. If it wasn't at least "ok" they wouldn't have put it in from the factory.
I will certainly concede that a smooth shifting MTX75 with no mechanical issues will do better with Ford Honey. Should last longer, should shift well (maybe a tad thick when really cold, but reasonable). It's what Terry runs in his tranny's and what he recommends after a rebuild. A rebuild that includes a lot of UPDATED parts that are the keys to smooth easy shifts... UPDATED parts that most of us don't have.
There's a LOT of us driving around with original MTX75s that aren't perfect, that have slight fork issues, or synchro issues. We've got problems.
If people have the money, and want to have the perfect transmission, they're gonna have to drop some big bucks and get a rebuild.
But I bet a lot of people like myself want to protect the tranny as well as possible, and just keep driving. My tranny isn't great, but it's not bad either. Far from undrivable. Why not maximize my protection and driving enjoyment???
In my car, this means Royal Purple. It's cSt is thinner than Ford Honey so cold behavior is better. Yet it's synthetic so it protects better than any dino ATF. Add in the friction modifiers and it's the perfect choice for me. And I bet a few other people too.
In my case at least, if was to go back to Ford Honey, I bet I would need tranny work done SOONER than I will need it running Synchromax. Why? All those stiff shifts are hard on the forks and on the cables and the entire shift tower. Something could snap. I'd also be crunching and grinding the synchros into oblivion. Been there, tried it, no thanks.
And.. YES, If I ever have the thing rebuilt by TH I will definitely go with Ford Honey.
Brian
99 SVT
78k miles
