PTU fluid change frustration

[SHOdded]

Sabtaj1, here's a how-to for the Ford Edge PTU by the_natrix:
http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/10914-ptu-leak-failures/page-2#entry89903

Will be interested to see how a '13+ EB PTU differs from what is shown in this writeup.  Will this be a PI (or SHO PP) type PTU, do you know?  I thought they had a drain plug, just not easily accessible.

2015 PI PTU "walkaround" video

[SHOdded]

Hear me out on this before you say no way, but have any of you tried using a flush solvent in the PTU, and put the vehicle in drive for a minute or two while on jack stands to help break up the sludge?  And then remove the solvent/old fluid and replace with new fluid?

It's best/safest to drain and fill multiple times at short intervals with new PTU fluid.  But solvents like kerosene can be used as well.  Or you could run ATF through it instead.  All at your own risk, though.  Since the PTU has so little capacity to begin with, you MUST remove any solvent or ATF very thoroughly so as not to change the properties of the PTU fluid that finally goes in.

Here's an article on how to flush differentials & gearboxes:
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/864/flush-gearbox

[SHOnUup]

A guy has recently used a cleaning agent in the PTU, for the life of me I can't remember which member it was...if I do, I will check on his current thoughts.

Rich

[Excalibur]

Thanks to everyone for all the contributions to this thread. I will look into tackling this soon as well. Hopefully the ptu isn't why I'm having a burnt smell sometimes in cabin.

[Woody]

Great thread.  I just dropped my MKS off for some service.  65k and the guy said the PTU and Trans should be fine but he would do the rear diff.  So they are currently doing the diff, plugs, coolant and addressing a horrible noise on startup.  They are currently suspecting timing chain guides or tensioner.  After reading this I think I will do the PTU fluid change myself and get the trans done by a shop.  They are also installing the H&R springs for me.  I wasn't up for it.

Funny thing is I've always suspected the PTU in these is from the job I was hired by my current employer for.  We built the assembly lines for this PTU.  Wish I had known then I would have one today and kept some of the parts.  Crazy part is that was in 2004/5 we did those assembly lines!

Today we are doing multiple cylinder head projects for Ford.  We should be seeing some great power in about 2 years. 

[John Miller]

I just did the PTU yesterday at 28k miles. The oil was darker than new, but looked fine. Same with the RDU. I simply didn't see the "sludge" I thought I would based in reading others' posts.

RDU was no trouble, but I was left thinking the PTU was not worth the pain ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gtmorgan23]

Well I am compiling the stuff to tackle the PTU fluid change. Just trying to decide the best pump to buy.

I will have to use 4 jack stands in the garage so we will see how it goes.

[pmezo33]

Well I am compiling the stuff to tackle the PTU fluid change. Just trying to decide the best pump to buy.

I will have to use 4 jack stands in the garage so we will see how it goes.

Mityvac is the way to go.

[RdGlideGuy]

I started getting the natural gas smell in the cabin a couple of weeks ago. After a close inspection from under the car there is no leaking from the seals and it only looks like it puked out the vent cap. I pulled the plug and used my mityvac to no avail, there was nothing liquid left in the PTU, just thick grease. I put in 11 oz of syn 75/140 and plan and suction it out in a couple of weeks and refill. On my 2010 I only have the metal vent cap and I tried to pry off the cap and put on the 5/16 tubing to extend the vent but it pulled out of the case. How can I add tubing and run the vent up to the master cyl?

[SilvererSHO]

I started getting the natural gas smell in the cabin a couple of weeks ago. After a close inspection from under the car there is no leaking from the seals and it only looks like it puked out the vent cap. I pulled the plug and used my mityvac to no avail, there was nothing liquid left in the PTU, just thick grease. I put in 11 oz of syn 75/140 and plan and suction it out in a couple of weeks and refill. On my 2010 I only have the metal vent cap and I tried to pry off the cap and put on the 5/16 tubing to extend the vent but it pulled out of the case. How can I add tubing and run the vent up to the master cyl?

I wouldn't do that.  Just because it's thick grease/sludge doesn't mean it's low.  It's just caked all over the inside of the case is all.  You added 11oz. and now it's possibly overfilled by almost double of what it holds which is 18oz. if I remember correctly.  I had the same thing going on and did just as you did too.  I just put it in reverse and backed up 40 yards or so and then pulled right back over my pit and sucked it out which you can finally do with some new lube in there.  I didn't drive it around out of fear of blowing a seal out.  I then repeated the process one more time.  Then, the third time I added fresh stuff I drove it a couple of days and sucked out what I could and added fresh stuff again and repeated that two more times.  I'm going to do it again next oil change.  I figure by now it's got to be over 90% filled with new Amsoil.  Next time around it should be almost all new lube.

[lattyd]

I started getting the natural gas smell in the cabin a couple of weeks ago. After a close inspection from under the car there is no leaking from the seals and it only looks like it puked out the vent cap. I pulled the plug and used my mityvac to no avail, there was nothing liquid left in the PTU, just thick grease. I put in 11 oz of syn 75/140 and plan and suction it out in a couple of weeks and refill. On my 2010 I only have the metal vent cap and I tried to pry off the cap and put on the 5/16 tubing to extend the vent but it pulled out of the case. How can I add tubing and run the vent up to the master cyl?

If youre going to pull the old metal vent cap, you might as well install Fords updated vent kit (or DIY by getting cap / tubing).
PN: AG1Z-7034-A

https://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,6849.0.html

After I installed that new vent cap, I went through 3-4 quick change intervals using the fill plug on the side of the PTU. Its been over a year now with no issues at all. I did change the fluid again @ the 1 year mark and the fluid was black, but nothing like the sludgy stuff that came out of it the first few flushes.

[RdGlideGuy]

I tried pulling the stock vent cap off but the whole thing pulled out of the case and I couldn't pry the cap of the nipple. It was pretty gummed up so I used brake cleaner and flushed it well and dried it and put it back in for now.

[lattyd]

yeah, the whole thing came out of the case when I removed mine as well. The new vent kit came with a new "nipple" for the case.

[polskifacet]

You have to add a cleaner of some sort to get the sludge out. Marvel Mystery oil worked great for me, flushed out a bunch of metal that I assume was stuck in sludge around the case.

[griggs95]

This PTU thing has bothered me for such a long time. The fact that it's non serviceable but yet its serviced all the time. Knowing that at some point it will go kaboom is just not cool in my book

The average joe who purchases a vehicle with one of these in it (especially used or out of warranty) will have a really bad day at some point. This is not an obvious thing to look for, especially if the owner takes the time to service an awd system that even a dealer would say is not serviceable. Your car is ready for the snow mrs. Johnson...have a fun time with your kids on vacation...

Has Ford changed there minds on making this a priority service option for those with a PTU? If they haven't, that just makes me even more mad at Ford. I guess its still true that the money is made on selling parts, rather than the vehicle itself.