PTU Vent Leaking

[SilverSH0]

I have a 2010 SHO and for the past couple months I've had a burnt oil smell sometimes when I stop at a light/stop sign. The oil level is constant and it's not leaking any oil on my floor (always garage kept on a clean epoxy floor).

After some online searching I decided to look at the PTU for leaks. The entire engine is clean so it's easy to see any leaking oil. Sure enough, there's a decent amount of oil that's come out of the PTU vent and leaked down the side. I've seen there is a TSB out where they replace the vent and run a hose up near the brake booster. I went to Ford today (Saturday) and asked them for a quote but they wouldn't give me a quote because they want to inspect and diagnose first.

In my online searching I've seen the pictures of the inside of the PTU's. They sludge up, clog the bottom hole in the air/oil separator tube, and then puke out the vent. If I changed the fluid with new several times in short succession, do you think it would help dilute the sludge and clear up the air/oil separator? Does anyone know what's involved to change out the old vent for the new updated vent? I'm trying to determine if I should change the oil a couple times or if I should bite the bullet and pull/clean the PTU over the winter. I don't really want to pull the PTU, but if that's the only way then I guess I don't have a choice.

 

[SHOdded]

If there are no leaks and no whining/grinding noises, you could get by with R&R'ing the PTU fluid a few times over short intervals (500-1,000 miles). I would use Motorcraft for the short intervals, then move up to Amsoil or Royal Purple (for example) for the longterm.

It's a bit easier to do on the 2010-12 than the 13+
http://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com/index.php/topic,1706.0.html

 

[SilverSH0]

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any whining noises or leaks (except for what's coming from the vent). I was hoping that changing the fluid several times in a shorter interval would "dilute" the sludge that wouldn't be removed from the pump and maybe clear up the air/oil separator (and stop it from puking out the vent).

Unfortunately I doubt I'll get 500 more miles on the car before it's away for the winter. So if changing the fluid doesn't work, it'll have to leak for another year until I can pull and clean.

 

[SHOdded]

One thing to note. If a seal is leaking between the trans and the PTU, the PTU fluid can be contaminated with trans fluid and cause the overflow. So it is important to note the color of the fluid involved in the leak (brown/pink/combo), and smell if any. PTU fluid (or gear oil) has quite an odor to it, compared to trans fluid, no mistaking the two.

That said, even getting 1 change done now is better than zero

 

[SilverSH0]

One thing to note. If a seal is leaking between the trans and the PTU, the PTU fluid can be contaminated with trans fluid and cause the overflow. So it is important to note the color of the fluid involved in the leak (brown/pink/combo), and smell if any. PTU fluid (or gear oil) has quite an odor to it, compared to trans fluid, no mistaking the two.

That said, even getting 1 change done now is better than zero

It's definitely gear oil and not tranny fluid. There's no pink to it and it doesn't smell like tranny oil. Just black oil around the vent.

 

[bpd1151]

Maybe your PTU is beginning to outright fail?

I say that because if you're pushing fluid out the vent, that indicates to me the possibility of your fluid overheating (for reasons yet to be discovered) & expanding out the vent.

Either that, or maybe it was over filled at the last maintenance interval.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[SilverSH0]

Maybe your PTU is beginning to outright fail?

I say that because if you're pushing fluid out the vent, that indicates to me the possibility of your fluid overheating (for reasons yet to be discovered) & expanding out the vent.

Either that, or maybe it was over filled at the last maintenance interval.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I've only had the car for about 6 months (3k miles) and it's in immaculate condition. I knew the previous owner and it wasn't driven hard by the old guy who used to own it. I guess it's possible it's beginning to outright fail due to bad design, but I don't suspect it. There's no other indication of any failure and online is riddled with PTU air/oil separator clogs, oil smells in cabin, and a TSB for a new vent to stop it from puking oil.

From looking online they seem to be problem area where the air/oil separator clogs, the gear slings oil into the vent area, and it has to go out the vent due to the clogged separator. With all the stories/issues with PTU oil sludging up I think it's more likely the separator is plugged than PTU failure. If you are familiar or look into the design of the PTU vent/separator, you'll see what I'm talking about.

But thanks for the suggestion and I'll take everything you've said into consideration. I'll try to change the fluid this weekend or next and measure how much comes out to see if it might be overfilled or somehow have tranny oil in it. Then I'll try to drive it a bunch and if it doesn't fix the leaking, I'll pull it this winter and see if it needs rebuilt.

*EDIT*
This is the TSB I'm talking about.
http://revbase.com/BBBMotor/TSb/DownloadPdf?id=171259

 

[EcoBoostSHO]

Once my PTU started leaking out the vent on my 11 it kept leaking despite multiple fluid changes. Granted I never had the vent TSB done under warranty (wasn't leaking then). I never had any failure symptoms on mine but got tired of it spewing grease all over my garage floor. Solved the problem by upgrading to a 13PP with a cooled PTU - so far so good.

 

[SHOdded]

I'll try to change the fluid this weekend or next and measure how much comes out to see if it might be overfilled or somehow have tranny oil in it. Then I'll try to drive it a bunch and if it doesn't fix the leaking, I'll pull it this winter and see if it needs rebuilt.

Some folks have run thinner fluid like trans fluid or even kerosene very temporarily through the PTU to get it really cleaned out. If you do that, you would need to really get the PTU dry afterwards before adding the gear oil. Or do 2 gear oil changes afterwards, instead of the one currently proposed, if you go this route. If you can find a mechanic who knows about this type of stuff, it would be really helpful.

 

[SilverSH0]

Once my PTU started leaking out the vent on my 11 it kept leaking despite multiple fluid changes. Granted I never had the vent TSB done under warranty (wasn't leaking then). I never had any failure symptoms on mine but got tired of it spewing grease all over my garage floor. Solved the problem by upgrading to a 13PP with a cooled PTU - so far so good.

How many times did you change the fluid and how long between changes? Mines not puking oil on my floor (it must only be leaking while driving), I can only smell it at stop lights.

 

[EcoBoostSHO]

I probably had changed it 4 times over the life of the car. Unfortunately the first one wasn't until 40k (wasn't aware of the issue back then). Got rid of the car at 70K and probably changed the PTU fluid a total of another 4 times. 2 of those were back to back about a week apart.

 

[ticoscen]

It will "leak" out the vent base and strech the tube out there because the case is getting under high pressure because it can't vent. Each time it belches, it lose oil and acts like a 1 way check valve until its EMPTY. Temperature climbs and the hot oil forces itself out the seals, drain plug or vent area. Your VENT is clogged. Jiggle vents clog with black guk as does the upgraded felt vent. So, be POSITIVE your vent can "vent" the pressure. Otherwise, you have a nice pressure cooker effect!!!! And, each time the PTU burps, you lose oil. So, get on it and clean the VENT tube, cap and or / felt cap. Then, drain and fill with Amsoil.

 

[J persons]

I had to replace mine, when I checked it the vent filter was clogged. Ford has them and you have to buy a new hose and filter as an assembly. Mine wasn't leaking or anything, I was checking it when I changed my PTU lubricant. I replaced the plastic vent filter with a small K&N that fit the vent hose. It tucks up under the engine cover. I don't get any oil smell or anything.

 

[ticoscen]

I had to replace mine, when I checked it the vent filter was clogged. Ford has them and you have to buy a new hose and filter as an assembly. Mine wasn't leaking or anything, I was checking it when I changed my PTU lubricant. I replaced the plastic vent filter with a small K&N that fit the vent hose. It tucks up under the engine cover. I don't get any oil smell or anything.

The line may be clogged up to the vent. Mine was at about the last 4" of line. Had to poke and spray it out with a pipe cleaner. Others may be clogged up ever more so!

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

By chance couldn't you just make your own vent tube out of rubber hose with a regular diff vent cap on the end of it the same way all the trucks have them?

 

[ticoscen]

By chance couldn't you just make your own vent tube out of rubber hose with a regular diff vent cap on the end of it the same way all the trucks have them?

That's what we did on both SHOs. But make sure to use new line or if you have one already, make sure the line itself
isn't clogged.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

That's what we did on both SHOs. But make sure to use new line or if you have one already, make sure the line itself
isn't clogged.

Yeah, mine just has the little jiggle cap thing on it. I was going to just put like a barb fitting on the PTU and run a rubber hose upwards somewhere and put a diff vent cap on the end of it, similar to how trucks have them.

 

[Texas Marauder]

FWIW, the vent on the OEM line is a special vent that has a membrane which only allows air through. It keeps moisture from passing thru preventing condensation in the PTU.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

FWIW, the vent on the OEM line is a special vent that has a membrane which only allows air through. It keeps moisture from passing thru preventing condensation in the PTU.

It's just a 1-way check valve.

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

Removed the rear turbo inlet piping so I could get down to the PTU vent. I had loaded the engine bay and PTU up with engine degreaser and brake cleaned the **** out of everything to get all the goo cleaned off.

I then took a screwdriver and pried the PTU vent fitting out of the PTU, then ground the jiggle cap off it so I could see inside the fitting. There's a rubber/plastic membrane inside of it that seems it's there to keep dirt out of the jiggle cap, but the fitting was 100% plugged up with goop through the whole fitting.

I took a drill bit and drilled the membrane piece and cleaned it up so it had proper flow again. I added a piece of thick silicone hose and clamped it onto the fitting, added some gasket sealant, and screwed the fitting back into the PTU. On the other end I added another clamp as well as a regular style differential vent cap. I routed the hose up to the thermostat housing, added a rubberized clamp, and mounted the vent tube to the thermostat housing.

During all that I flushed the **** out of the PTU using brake cleaner through the PTU vent hole, the fill hole, and also the drain hole until everything came out of the PTU clear. I also flushed some fresh gear oil through the PTU before filling it back up.

The vent setup turned out very nice and looks very factory as well. Here's to hoping it takes care of the puking!