Oil on top of transmission/PTU

[elund126]

While changing my oil last weekend, I noticed alot of oil leaking on or around the back of my motor. I had some time today to start nosing around and without disassembling anything, I can see that there is a lot of wet black oil on top of the transmission which seems to be centered around a large bolt on top of the trans. What is this bolt? If it is not possible to leak from there, where else do I look? Thanks, Eric.

http://i.imgur.com/joMZL6o.jpg

[SHOdded]

Can't see the pic   Usually a leak back there would be from a turbo or an oil feed line.  You think it is transmission fluid, though?

[elund126]

Can't see the pic   Usually a leak back there would be from a turbo or an oil feed line.  You think it is transmission fluid, though?

I think I fixed the picture issue.

[elund126]

Can't see the pic   Usually a leak back there would be from a turbo or an oil feed line.  You think it is transmission fluid, though?

It seems like the same gunk that was blowing out of my CAC tubes from my 6.0 Powerstroke when the boot cracked. However, this seems like way more than my truck.

[pmezo33]

Kind of hard to tell from the picture exactly where it's coming from, but that looks like gear oil.  That's not transmission fluid.  Look from the top of the engine along the firewall and see if you can see gear oil on top of the PTU.

[elund126]

OK, I think I am actually looking at the top of the PTU. The part number on the sticker is "at43-7251-dems10a"

[pmezo33]

7251 part numbers are PTU's.  Is that what we're looking at in the picture?  If that's the case, it might be time for a new PTU.  Very common with these cars to start puking gear oil when they go bad.

Have you ever changed the fluid?  How many miles on the car?  Any symptoms other than the leak?

[elund126]

Don't beat me up too bad......100k on the fluid.....I know  I know.....just never enough time in the day with 2 teenagers playing sports!!

There are no symptoms at all.

[pmezo33]

Clean it up.  Drain and fill it.  Drive about 20 miles and do it again.  And again.  And again until the fluid runs clean again. 

Don't be surprised if you start hear grinding in the future.  When that happens, buy a new PTU.  For now, I'd just change that fluid a bunch of time until it's clean(ish).

It's good practice to change the fluid in these PTU's every 20k miles or so.  It's really an easy job.  Once you get the hang of it, it's no harder than an oil change.  I can probably do the whole process in about 15 or 20 minutes at this point once the car is in the air.  There's tutorials on here how to do it if you're not familiar.

[elund126]

I think I have read the posts at least 20 times. I'm not too worried about being able to do it, just trying to find some time to do it! Can you take my kids to a 3 on 3 basketball tourney this weekend???

[pmezo33]

I think I have read the posts at least 20 times. I'm not too worried about being able to do it, just trying to find some time to do it! Can you take my kids to a 3 on 3 basketball tourney this weekend???

haha no thanks.  Good luck though.  You're most likely going to have to deal with a very sludged up PTU.

If time really is an issue and money isn't a problem, you might just want to get that PTU swapped out and call it a day. 

[lattyd]

That's exactly what mine looked like when it started puking fluid. I did a few rapid succession changes then put on the PTU vent kit that replaces that little toggle cap vent with the long hose up near the brake fluid tank. PN: AG1Z-7034-A (Installed without removing PTU).

I've put 5-6K miles on mine since it happened with no issues / noises. Even Tuned for the last 1000 miles.

[Quinid]

FYI if that PTU goes, you will not exactly be able to limp home either. When mine went I drove a 1/8 mile to the nearest place to park. It was VERY violent. Thought you should know with the chances of the kids being in the car when it happens.

[elund126]

UPDATE: Found some time today to "change" the PTU fluid. Got the plug out no problem. Pretty big glob of crud on the plug. Sticky and smelly as everyone else has found. Attempted to remove fluid using a Mighty Mini Vac and i couldn't get any fluid out at all. Tried maneuvering the tube around to different angles, still nothing. So, logically, I thought, I will just add some fluid, drive it around, and change it all out again. Well, I added quite a bit of fluid, maybe 8-10 ounces before it was full. I'm guessing the vent allowed most of the fluid to "vent" out of the top. Drove the car a few times last night picking up the kids from various places. I will change out the fluid again this weekend.

[SHOdded]

Progress!