What does your PTU fluid look like at change?

[6500rpm]

With the number of PTU failures reported, members are stating changes anywhere from multiple times a year to every 30K miles. I was just curious for those who are changing your fluid out...

1) What you are seeing in terms of color/condition of the fluid?
2) What brand fluid you drained or put back in and how much was recovered?
3) Any metallic's in the fluid?
4) Even with routine changes, are you still experiencing failures?

I've seen low mileage failures in other models in the fleet and a recent post called out a 2016 failure, I'm really interested in fluid type and condition. It's easy to look at proximity to the converter and abuse in the SHO, but considering we have more or less standard equipment in the fleet, I'm curious about fluid level/possible purging/ or signs of hard parts failures (ie: metals in fluid).

 

[reward44]

Changed at 45k and definitely needed it. No metal but very dark colored.

 

[limited02]

Been wanting to change mine and have all the stuff to do it but time isn't on my side. Actually requested the dealership to do it and as well as the transmission fluid but they refused...

 

[BamSHO]

Fluid coming out, usually black, but still flows good. If its comes out like sludge, I'd be worried. Most of us are using Royal Purple or Amsoil.

 

[SHOdded]

Been wanting to change mine and have all the stuff to do it but time isn't on my side. Actually requested the dealership to do it and as well as the transmission fluid but they refused...

Look up a well-rated trans shop instead. I am surprised they refused to do the trans fluid, tho.

 

[SilverSH0]

I changed mine and was surprised by the condition. Maybe I was expecting the worst due to all the forum posts and the car having 70k miles. The fluid was dark brown, but had roughly the same viscosity as the oil I put back in. I but a drop of both on a board, inclined the board, and both flowed at roughly the same rate. Having changed it again this winter, it came out roughly the same. The fluid seems to be a dark brown color but the viscosity doesn't seem to change much. To me that says the fluid is still good as color isn't really an indication of fluid life (when I change oil at 3k miles it's black but it's still plenty good).

Since I store my car for the winter, I change it every winter while the car is in storage. It's easy to do and I usually do it when I'm tinkering on something else. I use Mobil 1 oil since that's what's in my garage.

 

[brucelinc]

I first changed mine at 50,000 and, like SilverSHO, it still flowed very well. It looked and smelled like gear **** that had been in a gearbox - completely normal. I refilled with Motorcraft synthetic - the original equipment ****. I changed it again at around 60,000 since I had been tracking the car and planned to track it even more. That time, it looked about exactly the same as before - dark but easy flowing.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

I changed mine and was surprised by the condition. Maybe I was expecting the worst due to all the forum posts and the car having 70k miles. The fluid was dark brown, but had roughly the same viscosity as the oil I put back in. I but a drop of both on a board, inclined the board, and both flowed at roughly the same rate. Having changed it again this winter, it came out roughly the same. The fluid seems to be a dark brown color but the viscosity doesn't seem to change much. To me that says the fluid is still good as color isn't really an indication of fluid life (when I change oil at 3k miles it's black but it's still plenty good).

Since I store my car for the winter, I change it every winter while the car is in storage. It's easy to do and I usually do it when I'm tinkering on something else. I use Mobil 1 oil since that's what's in my garage.

Is this a performance package care with the cooler? Could that be a difference?

 

[BamSHO]

No, have seen non PP cars fluid look the same as PP cars with the coolers.

 

[brucelinc]

I cannot confirm this but I was told that there is an inconsistency in the tolerances of how the gears within the PTU are manufactured. Some are too "tight" causing the PTU to run hot and destroy the **** while others are a tad looser and cause no problems. If this is true, it seems like the situation would have been corrected by now. However, I have never understood why some PTUs seem trouble free and others turn to crap.

 

[SHOdded]

Given that Ford has tried many design changes with the PTU, and the fact that they have continuing issues, I would still lean towards poor fill at factory and/or insufficient fluid capacity. Still pure speculation LOL. Could be any/all of these things.

 

[BamSHO]

Just a visual for you guys, look at a 20oz bottle of Coke or Pepsi. That's all the fluid in it. Just makes you wonder sometimes, that's why frequent fluid changes are needed.

 

[6500rpm]

I'm going to see if I can find some specs on the different fluids, most of what I've been finding leans to heat being the killer. Oddly enough, I keep hearing the fluid as being "lifetime" but I just found this in the transfer case section of the 2013 Taurus service manual.

Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Oil Life Monitor Reset
NOTE: To reset the PTU oil life monitor after the "Change AWD Power Transfer Unit ****" message is set and the fluid has been changed, use the following procedure:

1. With the vehicle in Park, switch the ignition from the off position to the on position (the engine speed and vehicle speed must be 0 to perform the reset procedure).
2. Within 10 seconds of the ignition in the on position, fully apply and completely release the brake pedal 4 times within 10 seconds.
3. Within 10 seconds of applying the brake pedal 4 times, push the accelerator pedal to WOT and completely release 4 times within 10 seconds.
4. Within 10 seconds of pressing the accelerator pedal 4 times, press and hold both the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal to WOT . After pressing both the brake and accelerator pedals for 5 seconds, a message in the information center displays, "AWD Power Transfer Unit **** Set to New".


Royal Purple Gear Oil Spec Sheet
http://www.royalpurpleconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/PS_Max_Gear.pdf

http://www.royalpurpleindustrial.com/assets/sds/MAX GEAR 75W140_MGR75W140_US GHS_ENG.pdf

Motorcraft
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/main/product.asp?product=SAE+75W-140+Synthetic+Rear+Axle+Lubricant&category=Transaxle Fluid

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/main/msds/us048396us.pdf

Amsoil
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/gear-****/severe-gear-75w-140/

http://www.amsoil.com/msds/SVO.pdf

Mobil 1
https://mobiloil.com/en/gear-lubricants/mobil-1-synthetic-gear-****-ls

http://www.mobil.com/english-US/Passenger-Vehicle-****/pds/GLXXMobil-1-Syn-Gear-****-LS-75W140

https://www.whatsinproducts.com/files/brands_pdf/11015_05011007 MSDS Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear **** LS 75W-140.pdf

FLASH POINTS (taken from MSDS sheets)

Motorcraft >165c/ 329f

Amsoil 210c/ 410f

Mobil1 190c/ 374f

Royal Purple 210c/ 410f

 

[SilverSH0]

Is this a performance package care with the cooler? Could that be a difference?

Mine is a non-PP car. I think I might still have some of the fluid from my previous change in a jar in the garage. I'll have to look and post a picture if I still have it.

 

[SHOdded]

Good find, 6500!

 

[JasonoftheRugar]

Mine is a non-PP car. I think I might still have some of the fluid from my previous change in a jar in the garage. I'll have to look and post a picture if I still have it.

Holy crap! Why did you keep old oil?? Am I missing out on some thing?

 

[JasonoftheRugar]

I'm going to see if I can find some specs on the different fluids, most of what I've been finding leans to heat being the killer. Oddly enough, I keep hearing the fluid as being "lifetime" but I just found this in the transfer case section of the 2013 Taurus service manual.

Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Oil Life Monitor Reset
NOTE: To reset the PTU oil life monitor after the "Change AWD Power Transfer Unit ****" message is set and the fluid has been changed, use the following procedure:

1. With the vehicle in Park, switch the ignition from the off position to the on position (the engine speed and vehicle speed must be 0 to perform the reset procedure).
2. Within 10 seconds of the ignition in the on position, fully apply and completely release the brake pedal 4 times within 10 seconds.
3. Within 10 seconds of applying the brake pedal 4 times, push the accelerator pedal to WOT and completely release 4 times within 10 seconds.
4. Within 10 seconds of pressing the accelerator pedal 4 times, press and hold both the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal to WOT . After pressing both the brake and accelerator pedals for 5 seconds, a message in the information center displays, "AWD Power Transfer Unit **** Set to New".


Royal Purple Gear Oil Spec Sheet
http://www.royalpurpleconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/PS_Max_Gear.pdf

http://www.royalpurpleindustrial.com/assets/sds/MAX GEAR 75W140_MGR75W140_US GHS_ENG.pdf

Motorcraft
https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/main/product.asp?product=SAE+75W-140+Synthetic+Rear+Axle+Lubricant&category=Transaxle Fluid

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/main/msds/us048396us.pdf

Amsoil
http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/gear-****/severe-gear-75w-140/

http://www.amsoil.com/msds/SVO.pdf

Mobil 1
https://mobiloil.com/en/gear-lubricants/mobil-1-synthetic-gear-****-ls

http://www.mobil.com/english-US/Passenger-Vehicle-****/pds/GLXXMobil-1-Syn-Gear-****-LS-75W140

https://www.whatsinproducts.com/files/brands_pdf/11015_05011007 MSDS Mobil 1 Synthetic Gear **** LS 75W-140.pdf

FLASH POINTS (taken from MSDS sheets)

Motorcraft >165c/ 329f

Amsoil 210c/ 410f

Mobil1 190c/ 374f

Royal Purple 210c/ 410f

Dude! a whole lot of info! my heads spinning.

 

[SilverSH0]

Holy crap! Why did you keep old oil?? Am I missing out on some thing?

I take it to the recycling center and since I"m in the country that's usually a special trip so stuff sits and waits. Since you don't get much out of the PTU it has sat in a jar waiting to go to the recycling center. So essentially, I'll get a picture if it's still sitting waiting to go. If I happened to already take it (I don't remember if I did or not), then it'll be gone.

 

[6500rpm]

Dude! a whole lot of info! my heads spinning.

You and me both brother. I'm about to hit 40K miles and looking at a number of maintenance items and modifications here soon. Started with this and somehow transitioned to looking up threads here and on EB on McNally catch cans. Surprisingly very little found on the RX can related to installs on our SHO...I'm spent for the night.

 

[SHOdded]

You should broaden your search to SHO/Flex/MKS/Explorer Sport, on their dedicated forums. While there are some differences in the engine compartment (body), should be mostly the same as far as routing/mounting goes. The XSport does have more space and a "cool" location to mount the catch can tho.