Brian K

I don't think adding magnets to the shield would work. It feels like it's a dual layer aluminum to me and that is not magnetic. I saw a post where someone added an extension to the shield to keep/deflect keep from radiating to the PTU and that looks reasonable to me. Wrapping the exhaust with anything will probably promote rust faster than it rusts now. Maybe adding more heat shield like what is near the muffler might work too but there isn't much room to get anything in there.

Thanks for the link to the photo Kansascity. I assume the vent is on the top of the PTU. That photo was of the PTU on the bench and just a little jiggly thingy. Do you know if you can feel it if you reach up around to the top? There is no black sludge that I can see on the PTU anywhere so I assume my vent is not puking. I did my second drain and fill of the PTU tonight. The fluid was still pretty black coming out but it flowed much better now. I suspect this will be an ongoing process to have it stay somewhat golden in color. Any idea how long this might take. (it sure feels good to have that drain plug in now).

When I flush the brake fluid, I suck out the brake reservoir as empty as I can get it, then fill with new fluid. Then I bleed the brakes from the furthest to the closest using the one man type bottle -RR, LR, RF, LF in this order. After each brake is bled, I refill the brake reservoir so I don't bleed air into the system. It takes about a liter of fluid - of course depending on how much you bleed at brake cylinder. WRT transmission, I read in a Ford service manual to "drain, refill and drive a bit", and repeat 2 more times about every 25,000 miles. It is not a complete flush but IMO is safer than doing a true flush which could dislodge crap in the transmissions - lots of opinions on a flush versus a drain and fill. The only thing I'd like to do is change the filter, but removing the vertical pan to do this seems to involve disconnecting some electrical connectors and not worth it to me as a DIY'er.

I installed a 1/4" NPT drain plug today and refilled. When I drilled a 1/8" pilot hole, not much oil came out. Then I took out the fill plug and it started flowing nicely. I did previously suck some oil/sludge out and refilled so was glad to see the black crap would actually flow now. My question is - does it sound like my vent is plugged? - because of the no flow of oil when I finished the pilot hole? Can I access the vent from the bottom of the vehicle or is the top better? I looked all over for it and didn't see it - not looking hard enough I guess. I gather it pulls out and does not have threads - is that correct? Thanks to everyone who posted the extremely helpful pictures and their experiences in doing this. It is great to have this done and the upcoming regular PTU oil changes.

I bit the bullet today and drilled and tapped a 1/4" NPT drain hole in the PTU. I started by using a small drill bit to get a pilot hole. I was careful not to allow the drill bit to go too far into the PTU after it broke through. Then I waited for it to drain. The oil coming out was really black and thick. At first not much oil drained so I removed the fill plug which allowed the oil to drain much better. Almost like the vent was plugged - next I should investigate that. Once draining stopped (about 1/2 an hour) I drilled a 7/16" hole and again was very careful not to allow the drill bit to go too far into the PTU. Once through, I used a bunch of Q-tips with one tip bent to a 90 degree angle and tried to sweep the inside for any remnants of aluminum shavings from the drilling process. Then I used a 1/4" NPT tap to put some threads in the hole. I went in and out/back and forth numerous times and cleaned the cutting edges on the tap regularly so I wouldn't get too many shavings pushed into the PTU. It helped that some oil was still draining a bit from the PTU to lube the cutting edges. Again I used Q tips to clean out the inside edge of the tapped hole once I was finished tapping the threads. Then I wrapped Teflon tape around the plug and installed it. Refilled the PTU with clean oil and took it out for a test drive. I'll change the oil again tomorrow to flush the old dirty stuff out then I should be good for a while hopefully. Thanks so much to this forum and the work of others to pick a hole location and for the idea to put a drain in. It always bothered me that I couldn't change the oil in the PTU - now I can.

Sorry - kind of a double post. I thought I posted but didn't see it until after the latest post for some reason.

My 2008 Ford service manual says to fill it to the bottom of the fill plug. (this is a true Ford manual - not Haynes or others). I filled mine to the fill plug about a month ago and nothing getting spit up onto the floor or around the unit. It was good to get it filled up before any damage (90K miles) and no leaks and the vehicle seems to be smoother.

My 2008 MKX Ford service manual says to fill the PTU to the bottom of the fill hole. That is what I have been doing as I try to dilute the crap inside with fresh oil by sucking out some old stuff and refilling. Seems to be smoother since I started doing that or maybe it's my imagination. I'm planning to drill a drain hole shortly and tap it for a plug -just building up the intestinal fortitude to drill the hole. I have the 1/4" 18 thread NPT tap and plug sitting on the table beside me.....watching me LOL.

I change my oil more often than recommended because I believe that it is cheaper to change oil than parts - (same with tranny, rear diff, PTU, brakes and PS fluid). Also I believe that the Manufacturer has no interest in making the vehicle last longer than the warranty period plus a buffer. I keep my vehicles a long time and for years have changed the oil and filter every 5000 miles, and have had no problems with oil related problems. I change the oil /filter myself and buy whatever name brand synthetic oil I can get plus a decent filter (AKA anything but Fram) - usually WIX. Many say that is wasting oil - but the oil get recycled anyway so not wasted - just reprocessed for another use. Some use Oil Analysis services but I like the 'change on the 5's' approach. Easy to remember and not dependent on how I drive or what the temperature is.

You're right Ntrain - my mistake in posting in the wrong section. Thanks for point it out. But it does seem that turning off these features isn't possible anyway. I'll be more careful where I post in the future.

Yes Omar - I forgot the name of that process of electric heating and cooling. It's the same system that the RV Koolatron portable fridges use. In my vehicle, neither the heating and cooling functions worked - and that module is mucho $$ so I decided to just put in a heating pad rather than replace it. In Canada, heated seats are used much more than the cooling function anyway. I see your vehicle is a 2011 - perhaps they took that annoying feature or auto-cut off out after complaints.

I don't have a photo - but it is easily found. Run the vehicle up on rams and crawl under the passenger side. On the back side of the engine, up under an exhaust pipe you will find the PTU. Follow the passenger side drive axle back into the PTU. The fill plug is a 3/8 square ratchet drive type of plug and if you look up behind and up above the exhaust pipe you will see it. There is enough room to put a ratchet on the plug from the rear of the PTU. It is kind of tough to suck the old oil out. You will need a vacuum pump and some ability to insert a 3/8 plastic tube into the fill hole. Apparently the PTU takes about 1/2 a liter - my Service Manual says to fill it to the bottom of the fill plug so you can't overfill and the add quantity will depend on how successful you are at sucking out the oil sludge. I'm contemplating a drain and plug but have to build up some confidence before I drill a hole in the PTU and tap it. Good luck.

Thanks to those that also find that also find the extra wipe annoying. The salt spray is EXACTLY the reason. (And NO akirby - I don't over react much thank-you very much for your useless comment.) I did take my seat out and the seat leather cover off to look for a heating element and see what I could find was wrong. I didn't find any heater pad or element - only a module and fan assembly that seems to provide both heat and cooling via a thermo electric system. There is a fan/venting system to allow the air to flow but for the life of me I couldn't see a pad or any type of element. So I got an after market heated seat kit and installed that. Works fine now and doesn't shut off. I did the same in a Mustang that had the annoying time off timer on the heated seats too.

I have an 08 MKX. Two of the things I absolutely HATE about this vehicle are: 1) Courtesy wipe of the wipers. After I shut them off I get 1 more wipe about 2-3 seconds later and I would love to turn this off. Took it to the dealer but I get that 'deer in the headlights' look and they tell me they can't. Has anyone been able to turn this F$%#%^'ing thing off. 2) Heated seats turn off after 10 minutes of being on. When my butt is warm I will turn it off thank-you not some a$$hole program. Again has anyone been able to disable this auto-off 'feature. PS. The heated/cooled seat module on the drivers side has failed so I installed an aftermarket heated seat pad with a 2 position switch but I would like to keep the passenger side on till I decide to turn it off. Cost to replace the module was some god awful price so the $30 kit did the trick - but no cooled seats anymore.

I have a 2008 MKX and the Ford Shop Manual I have says to fill it to the bottom of the fill hole. Specifically it says "With the vehicle on a flat level surface, fill the PTU with lubricant. The fluid must be even with the bottom of the fill opening. Fluid capacity is 0.53L (18oz). They also say not to reuse the filler plug - but I ignore that.

I'd do the fluid R&R before considering a PTU replacement. Much cheaper and new oil can go a long way to keeping the device happy.

The Forscan guys recommended a ODBII / USB link rather than a BT one. They also suggest getting them from Scantool as others are garbage.

Wow - no replies. After reading lots of posts about the crappy, poorly designed PTU, if I was in your situation, I would definitely get underneath the vehicle and add more 75W140 to the PTU. I tried sucking out old fluid and didn't get much out but what I did get was think and gooey. Then I refilled it with oil. The level was way down. Like others, I had black sludge on the fill plug. My service manual says to fill the unit to the bottom of the fill hole and that is what I am doing. Adding oil should extend the life of your PTU although your seals are leaking apparently. However, based on what I have read, it could also be that the fluid (or goo) is getting pushed out the upper vent - a precursor to failure because of loss of even more fluid. I don't know if there is a common seal between the transmission and the PTU but since it is a separate device, I think they are separated so don't think the PTU fluid will contaminate the transmission fluid. I am going to install a drain plug in my PTU and drain and fill it a lot until the fluid looks like what I put in. Hopefully, as others have found, new oil will extend the life.

I contacted Forscan with my request and go a confusing answer back neither saying yes or no. So I interpret this as a maybe and that they don't know. I hope that others may have used this software to see/modify the configuration of their NAV unit via the MSCAN bus. I'll give it a try but now have to order a BT ODBII dongle. Does anyone have a recommendation on which one to get? There are many available on Aliexpress and I wonder if there is one that might be better or more reliable than another. Thanks

I can't comment on the new MKX but I find our 08 MKX seats very uncomfortable. Something not right (to me) about the head rest angle. Akirby is right - seat comfort is an individual thing

With this software, will I be able to program my Pioneer Brick NAV unit? I installed an MKX nav unit in a Mustang and a few things on the unit that don't work - Day/night switching of the display, Speed pulse, and USB aux input. I'd also like to add the rear camera input to the unit too but that may not be possible. Thanks for any comments.

It is interesting to read about about the various comments about fill levels - including the zip tie level probes. I have an actual 2008 Ford Workshop Manual that I bought when we got the vehicle. I looked up the PTU Draining and Filling Section. In Volume 2 Section 308-07B-2, item 4 says " with the vehicle on a flat level surface, fill the PTU with lubricant. The fluid must be even with the bottom of the fill opening. (Fluid Capacity is 0.53L (18 oz).". It also says "The PTU is not to be drained unless a leak or contamination is suspected. To drain the PTU fluid, the PTU must be removed from the vehicle. The fluid that is drained away may appear black and have a pungent odor. Do not mistake this for contaminated fluid.". Interesting they think the black sludge is considered normal although they don't define 'contaminated' fluid. I guess that is open to interpretation so they are off the hook. Changing oil is cheaper than changing parts. A DIY drain plug is a great idea and something I will do to help clean out the PTU as others have done. Hopefully the vent is not too plugged up either. Nothing venting from mine so hopefully it is still OK.

I had a Toyota with the same problem except the extra hole was threaded. Its purpose was to allow a bolt to be threaded into to push it off the hub. I also use never sieze when re-installing so they won't stick again.

Has anyone changed the oil in their PTU. I have removed the fill plug and sucked out what I could twice. The oil is black and thick. The Workshop Manual says this is normal - but it really does not look like the new 75W140 that I put back in so it is not that normal and clean oil is of course much better than sludge. Also the sludge on the fill plug looks thick. I have considered drilling a hole in the bottom of the PTU and tapping it and installing a plug so the I can properly drain all the oil as shown on Youtube. As it is I don't think I am getting much of the crappy oil out with my sucker hose. Has anyone done this? It really makes sense to do this and I'd like others comments. Thanks

The battery in our MKX was covered under the B2B warranty - thankfully just before the basic (MKX) 4 year/80k km warranty expired. I guess sometimes it is worth taking back to the dealer when you suspect a problem. Not sure what I will do now that the warranty is over.