This has been done to death I know, but
seeing as the 'great zf oil debate' thread (https://www.jaguarforum.com/showthre...=81862&page=52)
is 4 years old and other car forums' threads are of a similar age, I wondered if anyone has experience using the MANNOL AG55 oil in their vehicles for a few years now and if they had any problems with it?
TIA

 

Given how many far more major brands there are available at substantial savings over the the absurd OEM directive why pick such an oddball one as a substitute? I went with a Redline brand fluid because I've successfully utilized their products for many decades in my cars. Ford has their own version at an enormous savings.

 

I went with the pentosin ATF-1 fluid in my recent trans fluid flush and it seems to work really well. 06 STR

 

Jabbathebarn,

In general, the forum frowns on making identical posts in different forums, but given that this topic is relevant to X200 and X350 owners alike, I'm going to let it develop for now.

Here is my reply to your post in the X350 forum:

I have not been able to find a Material Safety Data Sheet for Mannol AG55 that discloses its base oils, so I have not been able to compare it to the three fluids we know are correct for the 6HP26: ZF Lifeguard 6, Ford Motorcraft Mercon SP, and Shell Spirax S4 ATF MSP (collectively I'll refer to these as "LG6"). The AG55 additives disclosed on its MSDS are different from those shown on various LG6 sheets.

Mannol AG55 is a low-viscosity ATF, with a published viscosity of 28.3 Cst (mm2/sec) at 40C and 6.07 Cst at 100C. But the published viscosity of LG6 is even lower, just 26.8 Cst at 40C and 5.6 Cst at 100C. This suggests that the base oil or base oil mixture of Mannol AG55 is different than that of LG6. From one of the LG6 MSDSs, the base oils of LG6 include one or more of the following:



ZF Lifeguard 6 is manufactured by Royal Dutch Shell in Belgium and is marketed by Shell as Spirax S4 ATF MSP/Ford SP. It is marketed by Jaguar under various part numbers It is approved by ZF for use in the 6HP26.

Ford Motorcraft Mercon SP is manufactured by Shell Energy North America in Houston, Texas, and is approved by Ford for use in the Ford versions of the 6HP26 (6SHP26, 6R60, 6R80). Early Mercon SP MSDSs give its color as brown (like LG6), but later ones give its color as red. Our member Box has suggested that this change occurred at the request of Ford so Mercon SP could be better distinguished from other fluids.

If anyone can find an MSDS for Mannol AG55 that discloses its base oils I would love to know.

Cheers,

Don

 

You can easily confirm all of these data by searching any fluid's name followed by MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet):

The published viscosity of ZF Lifeguard 6 is 26.8 Cst (mm2/sec) at 40C and 5.6 Cst at 100C.

The published viscosity of Redline D4 ATF is 35.1 Cst at 40C and 7.1 Cst at 100C.

The published viscosity of Redline D6 ATF is 31 Cst at 40C and 6.1 Cst at 100C.

The published viscosity of Pentosin ATF-1 is 36 Cst at 40C and is not published at 100C.

Given that even the closest viscosity of any of the three fluids above (D6) is 15.67% higher than LG6 at 40C and 8.93% higher at 100C, none of these are considered appropriate for the 6HP26. The higher viscosities could lead to increased internal pressures and temperatures and accelerated wear.

Research by Partick the Cat, Box, myself and others has demonstrated that only three fluids are known to be correct for the 6HP26:

ZF Lifeguard 6 or the Jaguar-branded version (refined and bottled for ZF and Jaguar by Royal Dutch Shell in Belgium)
Shell Spirax S4 ATF MSP (Shell also calls this fluid "Ford SP")
Ford Motorcraft Mercon SP (manufactured by Shell Energy North America in Houston, Texas)

All other fluids claimed to be equivalent to Lifeguard 6 or Mercon SP have been shown to have significantly different chemical compositions and properties, of which viscosity is one of the most important.

Cheers,

Don

 

I am thinking that when I do my trans filter and fluid change, I will be using lifegard6 or mercon sp now....the information I have read in this thread really explains the raw data of the different fluid specs and how it impacts trans operation for maximum performance.....I was skeptical at first, but not anymore....thanks to Don B and others for the time and effort on their research and experience....I know for a fact the previous owner of my car had the trans serviced at 130,000 miles and the shop used the castrol multi fluid.....i have 157,000 on it now, but want the correct fluid in asap to eliminate any fluid related problems....it gets 110 degrees F here in the summer, and heat and improper pressures are trans killers

 

In the U.S., Mercon SP is by far the most affordable correct fluid. You can get it through any Ford dealer, but it is also carried by chain stores like Advance Auto. In our area it runs $9.99 per liter.

The important thing is to use only genuine Ford Motorcraft Mercon SP. There are a number of third-party fluids that claim to be equivalent (e.g. Pentosin ATF-1 and Valvoline MaxLife Multivehicle ATF), but they have all been shown to differ significantly from Motorcraft Mercon SP/ZF Lifeguard 6.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks..... definitely genuine mercon sp for sure...... might do the service.....put about 500 to 1000 miles and then do a drain and fill again to purge more of the castrol out.....i would do your flush and fill procedure, but i am on jackstands and by myself.....will re-read the procedure before i begin and change my mind, or find a lift i can use for a couple hrs.....i can get 2 cases motorcraft sp for 60 each....24 qts total

 

I do these all the time on two ramps and two jackstands to make the vehicle level. You can do it!

Where can you get a case of Mercon SP for $60? The rest of us would like to know!

I can usually do an entire flush via the cooler lines with only 11 to 12 liters of new fluid, depending on whether the engine is normally aspirated or supercharged, and whether the fluid was low already due to a leak at the pan gasket or electrical connector sleeve. The most I've needed was 14 liters for an S-Type that was already 3 liters low when I started the flush procedure.

Cheers,

Don

 

so looks like I will be doing another flush and fill with the mercon sp. just bought a case of 12 qts for $87 off amazon for $88

 

Thanks for the pep talk, i will give it a go....i play golf and am good friends with the owner and son of a Ford dealership.. funny thing though,i have never owned a Ford vehicle.....my Jaguar is as close as I've come to Ford related vehicles

 

I did mine twice on jackstands on a uneven paver driveway. PITA but possible. I leveled the car and I also used my compressed air quick fill tool I made so that made it a lot easier.
You need to make that stubby allen wrench bit.
If you can do it on a lift by all means do that. I'd bet you're on the lift for at least an hour.