Ravenol MTF-2 fluid change

[gettingoldercarguy]

All,

Just swapped fluid out to ravenol MTF-2. I bought two litres of the fluid through the NA distributor on Amazon. Got to me in two days iirc. Once I got over the headache of the OCD engineered bottle, the install was fine. As many have experienced, the hex bolts, an 8 I believe, were a pain to remove. Breaker bar to the rescue! Off in no time. If you do fully remove the fill plug, make sure you're ready for a deluge from the drain plug if there's much fluid left in the transaxle. Pro-tip, have a large funnel ready to redirect the draining fluid into the appropriate area and not the suspension/tires. I filled the car while on a slight incline from rhino ramps to overfill/compensate for air bubbles, drove for a few miles to let everything settle, parked, removed the fill plug to get it to the just right level, 20mm down iirc. The car shifts phenomenally now, a noticeable improvement. I have put 6.8k miles on the car in a year and a half. I don't drive much, but the difference was definitely noticeable. The Ravenol MTF-2 is an approved replacement for the DCT fluid spec'd by Ford for the Fiesta ST. It's slightly thicker too, @ 7.5cST @ 100C vs Ford's 6.1cST for the FML-XT-11-QDC. I've always trended towards a thicker fluid for both engines and transmissions when possible. Thinner fluids are good for eeking out hp and sometimes mpg, but I feel that's a horrible way to make both power and mileage. FWIW, I've run RLI 5w40 in the car since new swapping out every 2k miles. Didn't sample the transaxle fluid, but halfway wish I had. The difference in shifting/feel/sound is just silly.

-gettingoldercarguy

 

[M-Sport fan]

I've tried this same exact fluid in my 2000 Z/28's T56 gearbox, and was not all that impressed with it for the cost, and one source availability.

But, it might just be an actual 'magic sauce' for the ST gearboxes??

 

[gettingoldercarguy]

Possibly, different cars of mine like different fluids. I've never found a single fluid that's perfect or optimal in everything.

 

[gettingoldercarguy]

Just swapped out the fluid with amsoil svg 75w90. A couple of track days coming up, worried about having the correct amount in the transaxle. Used some erlenmeyer flasks to get a precise amount and gravity feed the box after letting it drip empty for a bit. Shift feel isn't as positive, especially when cold. Synchro engagement is rougher as expected with a gl5 fluid. Once warmed up, most of these issues subside. A clear improvement over the factory fill still. A quick run up some twisties maintained a good feel where thinner fluid allows the transmission to make more noise through the shift action and interference feels more obvious. The shifting still feels lubricated with the thicker fluid when the car is pushed a bit.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^Are you worried about shearing down the thinner MTFs during open track use??

How many 20 minute sessions a day do you run?

 

[gettingoldercarguy]

M-Sport fan,

Shearing, maybe, more of relying on the oil film layer as much as possible until it's broken. Thicker oils are better at that. I don't know what the gearbox temps get up to, so it's hard to say if that's really a factor. For 20 minute sessions, as many as they allow or until I feel fatigued and start losing focus.

 

[RavynX]

Hi gettingoldercarguy, any 1 or 2 year reviews on the Ravenol fluid? Have you done any Blackstone Used Oil analyses on the oil?

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^I don't know if he is still on here or not, nor whether or not he still owns a FiST.

After re-reading his posts, I would like to ask him about the RLI engine oil he was using as well.

 

[felopr]

I have motul Multi-DCTF and i like it alot, better than gear 300 that i had before
When you are draining the fluid dont remove the bolt in the fill port, leave it in, that way there is not much pressure of fluid going out and that way the fluid doesn't hit the control arm

 

[RavynX]

Thanks for the tip on the fill-port. My go-to oil choice is Amsoil but unfortunately they don't make a transaxle oil that works with Ford's spec. The Ravenol sounded interesting at almost half the cost though I'm wondering what the viscosity difference is between 6.1 cST to 7.5 cST would make if any within the car.

 

[felopr]

Thanks for the tip on the fill-port. My go-to oil choice is Amsoil but unfortunately they don't make a transaxle oil that works with Ford's spec. The Ravenol sounded interesting at almost half the cost though I'm wondering what the viscosity difference is between 6.1 cST to 7.5 cST would make if any within the car.

in others words is a heavier oil, like comparing a 5w-20 oil to a 5w-30
motul DCTF is 7.3 mm2/s (or cST) at 100c and i think is just right for the car

 

[RavynX]

Yes, I understand it's a heavier oil but I'm trying to figure out if it's a significant difference.

 

[felopr]

Yes, I understand it's a heavier oil but I'm trying to figure out if it's a significant difference.

the only way to know it is to just try it

 

[M-Sport fan]

Given that many (including myself) are using a 75W-90 gear oil like Motul Gear 300, even in the mid-Atlantic winter with no problems at all (and it's been below 0*F here at times during the last couple of days!), and they are all over TWICE those above viscosities at ~15 to 17.5 cSt @100*C, you probably would not even notice a 1.0 to 2.0 cSt @ 100*C swing.

 

[ron@whoosh]

I ordered some of the trans syrup with some Penn Grade motor oil for the crankcase
will report back with my findings

 

[M-Sport fan]

I ordered some of the trans syrup

Which one, the Ravenol MTF-2 (from Blauparts, or amazon?)?

 

[ron@whoosh]

which one, the ravenol mtf-2 (from blauparts, or amazon?)?

mtf-2

 

[M-Sport fan]

mtf-2

Their MTF-3 also meets/surpasses the Ford WSS-M2C200-D2 spec as well, but I'm not sure IF it is available on this side of the pond yet.

 

[ron@whoosh]

Their MTF-3 also meets/surpasses the Ford WSS-M2C200-D2 spec as well, but I'm not sure IF it is available on this side of the pond yet.

it looks to be available
is this it?
https://www.amazon.com/RAVENOL-J1C1003-Manual-Transmission-Fluid/dp/B00QPCL7ZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515879375&sr=8-1&keywords=ravenol+mtf-3

 

[M-Sport fan]

it looks to be available
is this it?
https://www.amazon.com/RAVENOL-J1C1003-Manual-Transmission-Fluid/dp/B00QPCL7ZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515879375&sr=8-1&keywords=ravenol+mtf-3

YES, that it!

Thanks for that, as I plan on trying it next, once I change out the Gear 300.
It's even a little over HALF the price of the Motul gear oil as well.

Ravenol also makes a slightly thinner than most 5W-30s (but still thicker than almost all of the 5W-20s out there), FULL SYNTHETIC PAO based, motor oil I want to try in the summer, their DXG 5W-30.
It has a REALLY LOW NOACK volatility number, while maintaining a decent TBN, and a formulation purposely geared towards preventing LSPI events.