Mercon V – Trans issues/concerns

[Tomb stone]

On the last trip I took over the mountains, I noticed the transmission start to shudder (torque converter shudder) when climbing hills at a moderate throttle. It was more pronounced when climbing a hill and lugging the engine (not pushing on the accelerator hard enough to shift into a higher gear) I figured it was time for a trans fluid change. I had changed the fluid and filter about 4000 miles ago. Although a fluid change only replaces about 1/3 of the fluid, I thought I would get more than 4000 miles out of a change, though.
Anyway, I go ahead and remove the pan, clean everything up, and open the first quart of the Castrol Mercon V trans fluid to pour in. For some reason, I have the sick habit of sniffing this stuff when I open a quart. I don’t know why I do it because, as we all know, this stuff smells nasty (kind of like your first girlfriend---you just gotta take a second whiff) BUT ---to my surprise, it smelled like regular trans fluid (no stinky). I double and triple checked the label and confirmed that it is Mercon V. I compared the new quarts to an old quart of the smelly stuff I had (yes, I sniffed it to confirmed that it still stunk). The old and new quarts were slightly different but still had the same specifications printed on each.
Thinking that Castrol must have changed to a less stinky formula, I went ahead and used it to fill up my trans. After toping off the fluid, I drove the van on a long drive to see if the shudder disappeared. Unfortunately, it seems worse.
Do you guys think that Castrol messed up and put type III or IV in the wrong bottle, change to a non-stinky formula, or do you think there may be something else wrong with my trans?
PLEASE ADVISE,
TOM

[DRW1000]

Wow that's large font. Sort of difficult to read.

Anyway. Is the bottle marked exclusively Mercon V? or does it "meet" Mercon/Dexronlll and MerconV? Some fluids claim to meet all three and probably do but if so then they have to be somewhere in between Mercon and Mercon V chemically. I would imagine the smell would fall in the middle too.

[garync1]

Hey in the tire business sometimes a tire goes to the wrong mold meaning wrong tire and specs some are clearly noticable others are not. If the the other mercon V smelled differ than it could have took a wrong turn in the conveyor line anythings possable.

[Tomb stone]

Changed the font to a more believable size.

The quart on the left is the “stinky stuff” I bought in early 2006. the one on the right is the new “non-smelly stuff” I bought about 2 months ago. I believe I got them both at Wal-Mart.

I think I will contact Castrol and see what they say
TOM

[wiswind]

The Mercon / Mercon V dual usage label becomes more cloudy with FORD issuing TSB 6-14-4 that supercedes all earlier TSB's and states that all vehicles that call for Mercon can use Mercon, Mercon V, and fluids that say both....
The TSB further states that FORD will no longer license the Mercon specification after July 1, 2007

This will most likely lead manufactures to do as Modil has done with their Mobil 1 ATF, stating on the label that it is for use where Mercon or Mercon V are specified....as that is correct as per the TSB from FORD.

To the issue at hand.....
It would most likely be best to go for a complete fluid exchange in this vehicle.
It is very possible that there is need for more tranny service, but if it is a issue that is relative to the fluid, the full fluid replacement is the way you want to go.
The partial changes by draining and replacing the fluid in the pan are good for helping keep the fluid / additives fresh, but once you have a specific issue, like slipping, or shutter.....you need the complete change.....maybe a filter change.

If you have any further work inside the transmission done, specifically ask them to make sure that the cooler (in the radiator) is not clogged......flows freely.
If there are serious chunks in the pan......then it is very possible that some are caught in the cooler....restricting fluid flow.....which will lead to failure of the repair / replaced transmission.
This is mentioned in FORD TSB #3-14-8