Yep I am going to be adjusting my intermediate band to see if the overdue adjustment will help my falling out of gear, Ive been using Type A that I was able to get in the Accell brand via amazon but its out of stock and Accell states its discontinuned so I am going to switch to Valvoline Dexron to replace it with.  I dont know how many times Ive seen people recommend Type F as the replacement for Type A when all my research has pointed to Type A being a GM fluid and being replaced by Dexron.

1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan - 292 Y8 - Ford-O-Matic - 155,000 mi

Ive been using Type A that I was able to get in the Accell brand via amazon but its out of stock and Accell states its discontinuned so I am going to switch to Valvoline Dexron to replace it with.  I dont know how many times Ive seen people recommend Type F as the replacement for Type A when all my research has pointed to Type A being a GM fluid and being replaced by Dexron.

TYPE A was discontinued in the late fifties. The only use I know now is for dirt bike gear boxes,
DEXRON is a GM marketing name. MERCON is a FOMOCO marketing name.

I believe the latest is GM DEXRON IV (non-synthetic). FORD dropped MERCON several years ago and offers only MERCON V partial synthetic as a back-fill (not for TYPE F call outs).

TYPE F can be used in a DEXRON application giving firmer shifting. DEXRON cannot be used in a TYPE F call out

For any application past say 1970, make sure you check the OWNERS MANUAL or appropriate LUBE CHART..

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I have a case of A. I use Mercon II in my 62 cruise-o because I was told to by the shop that built it.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Correct you can use Type F in Dexron applications, many hotrodders I know did that as a shift kit in a bottle basically.  I think thats what the transmission shop I will be having modify my C6 is recommending to run is the Type F for the firmer shifting which I am not too sure about since I am going with the RV/Tow shift kit to firm up the shifting already.

In my case I will be using the Dexron just cause it is a direct replacement for Type A and my transmission is original.  Once I have it rebuilt I will be running what ever is recommended for the overhaul kit even if that is Type F.  I just wont be draining my whole transmission currently of Type A when I do my band adjustment so I figure the dexron shouldnt give any issues with mixing with Type A since its supposed to be the replacement for Type A.

1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan - 292 Y8 - Ford-O-Matic - 155,000 mi

The fly in the ointment is that over the years, unless you do a chemical anaylsis, there could be anything in the transmission.  We all assume that the proper fluid was used each and every time a trans was serviced or the original type friction plates were installed in a rebuild


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Yep but type A was quite easy to find up till the 1990`s.  When I talked to the local napa stores with old timers still working there when I was first looking for Type A some 10 years ago they all told me that they havent seen Type A on the store shelves since the 1990`s.  With this taken into consideration my '56 has been parked since my grandfather passed away in 1986 so the odds in my eyes are very high that Type A was used in servicing the transmission as it would have still been obtainable in the 1980`s as Type A was still being used in many cars still.  In my search I found many cars in the 80`s were using Type A as a hydraulic fluid for convertible tops.

But I am going to have my old aircooled Fordomatic rebuilt when I put the car down for a frame up restoration.  I might even do it myself since I got the books just need the more specialized tools.  But if the car is questionable as in you dont know its history then it does become very hard to tell what is or isnt in a transmission fluid wise.  I sourced Texas Gold Type A transmission fluid as well as Accell Type A fluid which is the only transmission fluid I ever put in the transmission for top offs.  When I drop the pan I got one bottle of Accell Type A left and after that I might just start topping off with Valvoline Dexron as I believe it will have less of a risk of a bad interaction with Type A than Type F that has a difference in friction modifiers from Type A and Dexron.

1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan - 292 Y8 - Ford-O-Matic - 155,000 mi

Type A was originally used to provide smoother shifting. However, smoother shifting usually results in more slippage, which leads to overheating and premature failure. Ford that reason, Ford stopped using Type A and went to Type F. 

Ford also changed the clutch material as well.  The use of Type F in a Type A system will from every source I have came across to date will prematurely wear out your clutches.  Its why on original setups its best to use the proper fluid unless you have had it built and know the clutches can handle the fluid.  Like my C6, it calls for Dex/mer fluid but after rebuild majority will cite to use Type F now.

1956 Ford Fairlane Town Sedan - 292 Y8 - Ford-O-Matic - 155,000 mi

I would not use Type F unless you intend to go racing. Type F will firm up shifts but lacks the protection and longevity of Dexron.

Ford also changed the clutch material as well.

The use of Type F in a Type A system will from every source I have came across to date will prematurely wear out your clutches. 
Its why on original setups its best to use the proper fluid unless you have had it built and know the clutches can handle the fluid

TYPE F can be used in a TYPE A / DEXRON application. TYPE A / TYPE A SUFFIX A / DEXRON cannot be used in an original TYPE F application unless friction materials are updated.

TYPE A / TYPE A SUFFIX A (FORD different blending from GM 1959/ ) was used by FORD until the 1968 model year and beyond actually. TYPE F was designed to be a LIFETIME FLUID, that meaning once out of drive-train warranty.

GM DEXRON is a design progression from original GM TYPE A SUFFIX A as was 1959/ FORD fluid

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