WHAT KIND OF TRANSMISSION FLUID DO I USE IN MY 1997 FORD TAURUS WITH A SIX CYL MOTOR. ALSO MY CAR WAS FINE UNTIL I STARTED USING 5-20 SYNTHETHIC OIL IN THE OIL CRANKCASE FOR THE MOTOR. NOW I AM FINDING OIL DRIPS ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. ANY THOUGHTS GUYS HELP. I LOVE MY FORD

 

The service fluid for your Taurus is Mercon, but Mercon V will be the replacement in the future..

Dextron/Mercon is being 'replaced' with MerconV.. Here's a portion of the TSB in regards to the change..

TSB
06-14-4
[/align]

MERCON ATF IS BEING REPLACED BY MERCON V ATF AS A SERVICE FLUID.

[ul][/ul]
[/align]n Date: June 29, 2006

FORD:
[/align]
1980-1997 Crown Victoria
1981-1997 Mustang, Thunderbird
1981-2003 Escort
1986-1993 Festiva
1986-1997 Taurus
1989-1997 Probe
1994-1997 Aspire
1995-2000 Contour
1980-1996 Bronco
1981-2003 F-150
1981-2004 E-Series, F-Super Duty
1983-1996 Ranger
1986-1996 Aerostar
1991-1997 Explorer
1993-2004 F-53 Motorhome Chassis
1995-1998 Windstar
1997-2004 Expedition
2000-2005 Excursion
2001-2007 Escape
1987-2000 F- & B-Series
2000-2007 F-650, F-750


LINCOLN:
[/align]
1980-1997 Town Car
1981-1997 Continental
1993-1997 Mark VIII
1998-2004 Navigator
2002-2003 Blackwood


MERCURY:
[/align]
1980-1997 Grand Marquis
1981-1997 Cougar
1986-1997 Sable
1987-1999 Tracer
1995-2000 Mystique
1999-2002 Cougar
1993-2002 Villager
1997 Mountaineer
2005-2007 Mariner


MERKUR:
[/align]
1985-1989 XR4TI

This article supersedes TSB 01-15-7 to update the vehicle application chart.
ISSUE:[/u]
MERCONĀ® Automatic Transmission Fluid is being replaced by MERCONĀ® V as a service fluid.
ACTION:[/u]
Beginning immediately all automatic transmission / transaxle applications requiring MERCONĀ® can now be serviced using MERCONĀ® V or MERCONĀ® Automatic Transmission Fluid or dual usage fluids labeled MERCONĀ® / MERCONĀ® V. After July 1, 2007, MERCONĀ® Automatic Transmission Fluid will no longer be manufactured, therefore, availability of this fluid will only continue for however long it takes to deplete what remains in inventory.

 

The oil drips you are seeing are caused by the use of synthetic oil. The old and still living myth is that synthetic oils are thinner and thus cause leaks. This is not so. The problem is that you had an existing oil leak(s) and the synthetic oil found it for you. This is how it works. Petroleum oils contain wax and parafins.The lighter properties of the petroleum oilevaperate under normal operating temps leaving behind heavier components. These in turn causes sludge and varnish. The sludge plugs the gasket leaks that you had before they were noticable. Synthetic motor oils are a natural detergent/cleaner (Not to be confused with a DETERGENT motor oil which suspends particals so that they can flow out with the oil during an oil change) thus starts cleaning away at the sludge in the engine. Eventually, it will clean away the sludge that was plugging the leaky gasket and show you where it is.