Just to muddy the waters a bit more , my hardcopy '1996 Contour/Mystique' Service Manual (copyright 1995) shows the following fluid specifications:




My glovebox manual states to run 'Mercon ATF' (no mention of any Friction Modifier).

I just got my 96SE running again after installing Clutch/Forks/Torsen. The Torsen sure 'rattles,' but will hopefully quiet down when it has more than 2 miles on it! For the break-in, I'm running straight ATF. After that, I'm leaning towards using RP-Syncromax, as RP's specs reference Ford's Honey (even though I have 3 bottles of RedLine MTL sitting in my garage).

I ran the Mobil/FM Cocktail for 70K+ miles -- never had a shifting problem and the transmission was shiney/spotless when I opened it up last weekend. I'm of the opinion that the greatest factor in the protective abilities of an MTX fluid is the regularity of drains/fills and user driving habits. I feel comfortable with the 20K mile MTX fluid changes.

1996 Ford Contour SE (Mine): V-6 MTX/DMD/MSDS/K&N3530/Torsen/Spec-1/Split-Exhaust/Walbro/Syncromax..119K 2003 GMC Yukon XL SLT (Hers): 285HP/Stock..93K