PTU fluid change issues..

[wade001]

hi everyone!

 

i recently purchased a used 2015 ford edge SEL 3.5L-v6 AWD with 49k miles on it. im the 3rd owner, the 2nd owner bought it as a certified preowned and still has a bit of the certified warranty mileage left on it. it also has a hitch, which looks like it was very lightly used (hardly any scrapes from usage, and pin has hardly any wear).

 

the dealership i bought it from changed the oil & filter, transmission fluid, new battery, new tires and alignment. i had a visual inspection done on it (done by me, before purchase), and a local ford dealer do an inspection on it also, both of us came to the same conclusion. looks pretty clean except for some minor surface rust here and there. this vehicle is a canadian model, i live in central florida.

 

after the purchase i took it to a local ford dealer, to have them do a visual inspection, transmission flush, ptu flush, and a brake line recall that is still active on this particular vehicle. the brake line is of course, out of stock so i'll keep checking back i guess. i drop the vehicle off with them in the morning towards the end of the week and tell them they can have the vehicle thru the weekend if need be. i have to explain what the ptu is to the service advisor as they're not really sure what they should be writing down. so i tell them basically its the transfer case, and tell them this is an AWD vehicle. the service advisor replies, "oh the differential?" i reply, with a smile, "no, thats the differential.. in the rear of the vehicle. the ptu is up front at the drive shaft." at this point, im thinking to myself.. im bringing this to the dealer, because i assume they'll know what they're doing... then i realize, this is the service advisor, they're not the ones doing the actual work. as i try to assure myself i'll be fine.

 

the next day i get a phone call saying the vehicle is done. i ask if the ptu fluid was changed. service advisor goes and checks with and comes back with a yes, it was changed. i show up towards the end of the, pay the bill and drive home. and im looking at the service reciept. i see entry for transmission flush and inspection, but not a ptu fluid change.. after i get home, i send a text to my service advisor, and the next morning i wake up and drive up there first thing, thinking maybe i can get in before they get too busy for the ptu fluid change they were supposed to do.

 

again, i have to explain what a ptu is, then the manager comes out, i explain again what a ptu is, where it is, what its purpose is, etc... i wait a couple hours outside under a nice shade tree and watched a movie on my phone and the next thing i know they're done! i think to myself, that wasnt so bad. i pay my bill, get in and start to drive home, only to realize that.. again they didnt change the ptu fluid?!?! this time the receipt reads rear differential service. 

 

at this point, im not taking it back to this particular dealer. we do have 2 more ford dealers in the area and i'll either A.) get someone else to do it, or B.) do it myself (sucks living in a condo with no garage, with a hot dirty parking lot, at the end of summer, in florida)

 

i know here in florida we dont see a whole lot of AWD vehicles. maybe thats why the dealership didnt know what to do? i need to get underneath soon and check out whats going on. and see what exactly im working with doing the ptu fluid myself. i have watched some videos but they were not for my exact vehicle. one had a turbo pipe to remove/move (NA 3.5L v6 here), another had exhaust pipes and a cat wrapped around the damn thing (wtf was ford thinking?) but that was a different year than my 2015. so im not sure exactly what i'll be in for with mine. if its not raining when i get home, i'll attempt to get the shield off again and start looking at the ptu i just hope its not like the one with all the exhaust pipes wrapped around it...

 

thanks for reading.. 

 

 

[1004ron]

The less smart dealerships don't know because  its not listed as a service activity, because its "lubed for life".

 

If yours's doesn't have the drain plug, do a forum search and participate in one of the many existing threads on the PTU topic, and consider adding the drain.

 

Please add location and your Model/Year to your profile signature - https://www.fordedgeforum.com/settings/signature/

Edited August 2, 2021 by 1004ron

[jmr061]

Give this to them...

15 Edge 3.5 PTU_Transfer Case Drain and Fill.pdf

[wade001]

Quote

 

The less smart dealerships don't know because  its not listed as a service activity, because its "lubed for life".

 

If yours's doesn't have the drain plug, do a forum search and participate in one of the many existing threads on the PTU topic, and consider adding the drain.

 

Please add location and your Model/Year to your profile signature - https://www.fordedgeforum.com/settings/signature/

 

 

hi!

 

ive seen some of those posts, and did a bit of reading, i was surprised ford didnt put in a drain plug even if it was 'for life' . then i read some people were adding their own drain plugs and i was even more surprised. but hey, 'where there is a will, there is a way' right?

 

i thought i read that 2014 was the last year that didnt have a drain plug. so i just assumed that all 2015's would have a drain plug... the service manual im looking at (Ford site has a drain and fill procedure, but i guess you never know until you're there looking at it in real life..

Edited August 2, 2021 by wade001

[wade001]

10 minutes ago, jmr061 said:

Give this to them...

15 Edge 3.5 PTU_Transfer Case Drain and Fill.pdf

 

yep! thats the procedure im looking at.. thanks!

[jmr061]

11 hours ago, wade001 said:

 

yep! thats the procedure im looking at.. thanks!

Guess they are too lazy to look it up.

[DILLARD000]

Best thing I've done for this Edge is to make PTU GearOil changes easy (now done with routine Engine Oil+Filter changes)

by installing a PTU drain valve, fill hose, & vent hose up to an UnderHood Fill+Vent+FilterCan per these threads:

https://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/23396-ptu-drain-plug-drill-and-tap/?do=findComment&comment=219556

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1665303-2007-2011-ford-edgeawd-ptu-mod-for-easy-oilchange.html

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by DILLARD000

[my2k2zx2]

I tried to change the PTU fluid on our 2016 today but I could not get either drain plug to budge with my basic 3/8 ratchet.  I'm hoping to get it loose after I get a longer ratchet.

[todd92]

2016 does not have a drain plug.

[Cerberus]

2 hours ago, todd92 said:

2016 does not have a drain plug.

mine does..

 

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

all gen 2+ have drain plugs on the PTU. they might be well concealed by the downpipe, but they are there.

 

[dajo2012]

41 minutes ago, WWWPerfA_ZN0W said:

all gen 2+ have drain plugs on the PTU. they might be well concealed by the downpipe, but they are there.

 

Not true when you say gen 2+.  My 2020 St does not have a drain plug.

[my2k2zx2]

I was using this guide and ours had the exact setup.  Just could not get the drain plugs to budge.

 

[enigma-2]

For those in locations where the dealers don't/won't change the PTU fluid, try a location transmission shop. Just tell them you want Motorcraft fluid and you'll buy and bring as most don't stock. At least they have to equipment to get it up on hoist and pump it out.

[14AWD3.5]

Lucky youse’ guys have drainplugs… the 2014 and older dont. So it’s to a shop with a lift or a pit for me. 
I was visiting a relative near Denver and found a lube shop that actually knew where and what a PTU was. Guess the awd Edges are more common in Colorado. Anyway, they used my quart of Supertech 75-140 synthetic and only charged $45 labor, plus returning the unused portion of the fluid.  
 

So that makes 1 out of 3 Ford dealers that knew about it, 1 out of 2 Firestone’s and now this quick lube shop. Appx a 50% success rate.

At least its done for another 30K.

[Lakeside]

I have a 2016 Edge Sport that I bought new that now has 62K on it.

I've never changed the PTU oil so I thought it was time.

I'm fortunate bc the drain plug and fill plug are very accessible and I didn't need to remove anything to change the oil.

I drained 22 ounces out so I added 22 ounces of Amsoil 75W-140 Severe Gear oil. 

I'm a little confused bc my owners manual says to add 12.8 ounces. 

So whats up with that?

Has anyone experienced this?

 

Now I decided to change the PTU oil on my daughters 2019 Edge Titanium 2.0L

Her Edge was purchased new and I'm changing her PTU for the first time also.

I drained about 12 ounces out. so I put 14 ounces back in. Ford calls for 12.7  +/- 1.7 ounces in her Edge

 

[1004ron]

6 hours ago, Lakeside said:

Has anyone experienced this?

 

Yes.

 

Fill the PTU's until the oil trickles out the fill hole.

[DILLARD000]

Yep, better to overfill PTU, than underfill; that gearoil gets cooked so the more you can fit into that gearbox the better.

After drilling\tapping & installing a Fumoto DrainValve in the PTU bottom & a fill hose on the PTU top vent barb with a fill can under the hood,

now change the 75w140 AmsOil  every 6mths along with routine engine oil changes. Hopefully makes it last as long as the rest of the car.

 

[omar302]

16 hours ago, Lakeside said:

I drained 22 ounces out so I added 22 ounces of Amsoil 75W-140 Severe Gear oil. 

I'm a little confused bc my owners manual says to add 12.8 ounces. 

So whats up with that?

Has anyone experienced this?

 

The owners manual states 23.7 fluid ounces for the Sport (2.7 EcoBoost). Where did you get the 12.8 ounce capacity?

 

2019+models have a different PTU , it can disconnect the rear drive shaft to save fuel when AWD is not required. 

[onyxbfly]

8 hours ago, omar302 said:

2019+models have a different PTU , it can disconnect the rear drive shaft to save fuel when AWD is not required.  

 

That's a pretty slick design. I wasn't aware of this for the 2019+MY. Thanks for the info!

[omar302]

4 hours ago, onyxbfly said:

 

That's a pretty slick design. I wasn't aware of this for the 2019+MY. Thanks for the info!

 

More info:

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/09/12/2019-ford-edge-awd-or-100-percent-front-wheel-drive-665932/

[1004ron]

17 hours ago, DILLARD000 said:

Yep, better to overfill PTU, than underfill; that gearoil gets cooked so the more you can fit into that gearbox the better.

After drilling\tapping & installing a Fumoto DrainValve in the PTU bottom & a fill hose on the PTU top vent barb with a fill can under the hood,

now change the 75w140 AmsOil  every 6mths along with routine engine oil changes. Hopefully makes it last as long as the rest of the car.

 

Not easy to overfill if the if the fill hole is open.

[Perblue]

7 hours ago, 1004ron said:

Not easy to overfill if the if the fill hole is open.

 

Sure it is, jack it up so the fill hole points up some and fill until it pours out the hole. 

[handfiler]

In my experience with differentials, transmissions, transfer cases et cetera; quite often overfilling results in the excess amount exiting the unit via the breather. I follow the factory fill procedure and save myself unnecessary headaches.

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by handfiler

[Lakeside]

On 11/3/2022 at 3:07 PM, omar302 said:

 

The owners manual states 23.7 fluid ounces for the Sport (2.7 EcoBoost). Where did you get the 12.8 ounce capacity?

 

2019+models have a different PTU , it can disconnect the rear drive shaft to save fuel when AWD is not required. 

 

I got the 12.8ounces off the Amsoil website. My owners manual says 11.8 fl. oz. (2016 Edge Sport 2.7L)

I put in the same amount that came out.