Interesting, I’ve never dove into transmissions, not really my thing. Seems like transmission guys a pretty secretive about their knowledge and rarely like to share.
While we're at it, since I never really order stuff to change it, do I need filters or no? Oil I know what to do, it's trans and diff I'm clueless aboot
Neither has a filter. Watch some Youtube videos on changing the fluids, see if it something you can do. The MT82 Mustang transmission is pretty much the same as far as changing the fluid goes. Lots of videos on there of that. Only difference I see is that they take 2.7 quarts where the Bronco takes 2.5 quarts. The number one thing that most will say is to always make sure you can get the fill plug loose first before doing anything. If you were to drain and not be able to get the fill plug out, you'd have to be towed somewhere to fix it. Tighten back up to 26 ft lbs.
Thanks, and I'm asking the guy who does it all for the flush. Having him do my Rocklights as well (He does a bit of everything). Local carwash could do it too, but they're like "We won't do anything but OEM approved"
Please be careful what you are suggesting. "GL-4" is a gross generalization of what Ford is requiring for transmission fluid. Once you're out of warranty throw in whatever you like, but if you're wanting them to cover any failures, please use the exact specification of transmission fluid they require.
It's nice to see somebody actually trying to do something instead of just bitching and moaning about it (ie: the @zombie Approach).
With Mitsubishi Evo's the secret sauce was a 60/40 mix of Redline MT90 and Penzoil Synchromesh and once that was discovered all the 5-speed transmission issues went away and people were getting 50K miles out of them at 600+ WHP.
Personally I'll be sending a sampling of the factory engine oil and transmission fluid to Blackstone Labs to get baseline of what's going on instead of how a fluid "looks".
https://www.blackstone-labs.com/information/sampling-procedures/transmission-sampling/
I look forward to trying some different fluids over a controlled period and having them tested to see what works best for this transmission. Amsoil now makes a light weight synchromesh which could be blended with their 75w90 GL-4.
Edit to post Ford's recommended transmission fluids for MT vehicles.
In trying to assist further on other transmission dual-clutch fluids which meet Ford's WSS-M2C200-D2 standard, there are no Amsoil products currently meeting this requirement. EDIT: plugging in the Bronco to use Amsoil's search function will not document DCT as an acceptable fluid even though the tech sheet on that fluid indicates it meets standards.
Redline offers their MT-LV which meets the requirement despite being 70w75 instead of 75w80 as implied by "WSS".
https://www.redlineoil.com/mt-lv-70w75w
And what I intend to use on the first fluid change is the updated version of the tried and true BG Synchroshift (now in version II) which meets Ford's WSS-M2C200-D2. This was the stuff of legend in my old Evo days and is a real miracle worker for helping brass synchros work snicker-snack smooth and silky. Cold temps tend to be an issue for this fluid which is why they blended it with MT90 back in the day, I'll do a 66%/33% blend of BG SSII and the Redline MT-LV.
https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/driveline/bg-syncro-shift-ii/
Note that the older MT-82 Transmission used in the Focus RS also has/had cold weather issues as oil shear problems on the synchros. This type of article goes way back to when the RS was being sorted out in the aftermarket. The fluid suggested in the below does not specifically meet Ford's current recommendation but may have at the time the article was written, originally the MT-82 had fluid requirements of XT-M5-QS
https://www.svtperformance.com/threads/mt-82-manual-transmission-oil-change-amsoil-mtf.1183093/
I can't comment with any accuracy of what the MT-88 transmission will do as we don't have enough cases and resolutions to give guidance to those dealing with this issue. Only give experience with the Evo that I tracked and daily drove for >50K miles.
Temperature doesn't appear to be the issue in my case. I had done a few mods and took the Bronco out for a spin. The noise was not there when I started the little trip but present when I was driving down the street at low speed in the neighborhood so when the fluid should have been warmed up. The temps were about 55 deg.
I was in your shoes a month ago. Decided to get it. Everyone's situation is different though. It's not my DD. More than likely, your transmission would have been built last year. Would be nice to know what the actual issue is. Tolerance, end play, bad material, hard to say but at some point it will probably come out. No one has ever been left stranded though if that helps.
On the fill, are you going to do the 2.5 quarts or fill up to the bottom of the fill port? I've seen both, same with the Mustang MT82. Full is actually about 1/2" below the port.
