What fluid for F250 Manual trans
 

I'd like to change the fluid in my '88 Ford F250
5 speed manual transmission.
One parts clerk says to use regular 90 wt. gear
oil, another says regular transmission fluid.
Big difference...
What is the correct stuff to use?
TIA
Rich

In article .com>,
"Rich" > wrote:

> I'd like to change the fluid in my '88 Ford F250
> 5 speed manual transmission.
> One parts clerk says to use regular 90 wt. gear
> oil, another says regular transmission fluid.
> Big difference...
> What is the correct stuff to use?

Put me down for one "Second parts clerk is an idiot, use 90", please...

But that's only a guess based on the age of your ride. Some manual
trannys actually do use ATF, but I don't think they started doing that
until after about '93.

Somebody else will be along shortly with the right answer, I'm sure :)

--
Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the
subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
See <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> for full details.

Look on the cover plate of the trans. (where you would bolt on a PTO)
or directly above it on the left side. If it's a ZF 5 speed like I'm
used to seeing in 89's & up, they want full synthetic ATF in there.
Usually it's on that label but if not, thats what I'd put in there.

"Rich" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'd like to change the fluid in my '88 Ford F250
> 5 speed manual transmission.
> One parts clerk says to use regular 90 wt. gear
> oil, another says regular transmission fluid.
> Big difference...
> What is the correct stuff to use?
> TIA
> Rich
>
either pull the fill plug or loosen the drain plug enough to get a drip. As
mentioned, it should be obvious with just a drop. All of the 90wt stuff
I've ever seen has a distinct smell so the fill plug will give that clue.

>Some manual trannys actually do use ATF, but I don't think they
started doing
> that until after about '93.

I've got a mid-80s Toyota that does. Dunno when this trend started.

Anyway, a bit of browsing around makes me think that, with a Ford in
that span of years, you have to get a service manual and possibly
figure out which of two possible transmissions your vehicle has.

Alternately, you can take out the filler plug and stick your finger in
there. (This is actually how you are supposed to check the level on
many such assemblies. It's usually supposed to be full to the bottom
of the filler aperture, cold.) If the stuff is substantially more
viscous than any motor oil you've ever dealt with, it's gear oil.
(After being in service for some time, gear oil is probably also
blackish and has a bit of a rotten egg smell.) If it's red, about the
viscosity of motor oil, and smells like regular automotive
petrochemicals without that overtone of evilness, it's tranny fluid.

Either way, you can choose mineral-based or synthetic replacements.

A diligent person would get one of those cheap drill-powered hydraulic
pumps and some rubber tubing and change the fluid in the
differential(s)
too. This is much more likely to be gear oil. If you have
positraction pumpkins, be sure to get that kind of fluid, not the
regular stuff.

Cheers,
--Joe