Right. I am actually surprised that Ford still offers power steering and transfer case fluid any more.
Equally surprising might be encountering a Ford diesel senior master service technician who is unaware of what fluids Ford currently produces and recommends for Ford diesel vehicles, but given the age of the vehicle under discussion, it isn't. Here is the memo:
_____________________________________
May 18, 2007
To: All Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Dealerships
Subject: MERCON Automatic Transmission Fluid To Be Discontinued
BACKGROUND:
Effective July 1, 2007, the production and licensing of MERCON Automatic Transmission Fluid will cease. These actions are not exclusive to Motorcraft and affect all producers of MERCON. MERCON V provides significant performance improvements over MERCON especially with transmission shift performance at low temperatures and anti-shudder.
SERVICING FORMER MERCON APPLICATIONS:
Automatic Transmission, Power Steering Systems and Manual Transmissions previously requiring MERCON must now be serviced with MERCON V.
Transfer Case Systems previously calling for MERCON must now be serviced using Transfer Case Fluid, part number XL-12, specification # ESP-M2C166-H (release and TSB pending).
Power steering systems listed in TSB 07-1-7 can continue to be service with Premium Power Steering Fluid, XL-9 or F7AZ-3F823-BA (specification # WSA-M2C195-A).
Ford does not recommend the use of any products that do not meet the above specifications or ATFs that claim to be the equivalent of MERCON or being acceptable for these applications.
PART NUMBERS TO BE OBSOLETED:
XT-2-QDX MERCON Quart bottles
XT-2-DDX MERCON 55 Gallon Drums
XT-2-TDX MERCON Totes
XT-2-BDX MERCON Bulk
NEW PART NUMBER RELEASED EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2007:
XL-12, Motorcraft Transfer Case Fluid Quart is scheduled for release August 1, 2007.
Please see your Motorcraft Ford Authorized Distributor or Bulk Oil Distributor for availability
PART NUMBERS NOT AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES:
XL-9 Power Steering Fluid
F7AZ-3F823-BA Power Steering Fluid
(RT posted this same memo several years ago on this forum in a post on this same topic)
Oh, by the way, Mercon LV is specified "For use in all transfer cases" by Ford.
Exactly... which is why I said "which does not necessarily rule out the use of Mercon LV". But when taking all of the information that Ford has provided in totality, there seems to be an incompatibility in one direction, where XL-12 Transfer Case Fluid cannot be used in transfer cases calling for Mercon LV. And since Ford already clearly directs that XL-12 be used in transfer cases that previously called for Mercon, is Ford anticipating that service techs would even consider Mercon LV instead of the XL-12 Ford calls for? There is enough potential for misinterpretation of one sentence for me to stick with what Ford clearly recommends.
Somebody needs to get their panties un-bunched.
This is neither instructive nor constructive.