How to: - PTU Oil Change (Tons of Pics) 2016 Explorer Sport | Page 4 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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How to: PTU Oil Change (Tons of Pics) 2016 Explorer Sport

Prefix for threads which are instructional.
Now I tried it with Firefox and it works...
So my "last" question: Is there a retainer/clamp or so that holds the vent hose in place ? Mine hasn`t such a clamp...see picture...

DCIM0015 x...jpg
 



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There is nothing on the nipple, it simply pressure fits. If you follow the vent hose upward from the bottom you'll run into a connection/retainer clip that needs to be unhooked on the vent hose. Once the clip is loose you can pull the vent hose off the nipple (takes surprisingly less effort than one might think).
 






I'll find a new photo provider and fixes the ones here. I apologize all!

Did you find a new photo hosting site?......my pics are all on PhotoBucket as well so I'm in the same boat.
 






I fixed it to look at the photos here (not at ecoboost.com): with Firefox instead of my Win IE...it works at once !
 






Did you find a new photo hosting site?......my pics are all on PhotoBucket as well so I'm in the same boat.
I don't know what your setup is at your end but I have all my pics saved in folders on my computer for easy access. Perhaps you were using it for file sharing? All pictures I ever took digitally are either on my computer, cameras and/or USB drives. Just old fashion I guess.:)

Peter
 






I fixed it to look at the photos here (not at ecoboost.com): with Firefox instead of my Win IE...it works at once !
Ecoboost.com is not the correct location. It's actually "https://www.ecoboostperformanceforum.com"

I haven't had time to find another host that allows 3rd party linking yet. Perhaps this week. I also intend to fix the 2016 Export Audio Build Thread. I had a TON of photos on that as well.

In the mean time, I'm dropping the PTU oil as we speak. I will have a few new photos, specifically of the magnet on the plug (spoiler alert: It's way less saturated this time) and a couple photos of the way the oil looks after roughly 7,000 miles after the last change.

I was mostly curious and wanted to be sure I got as much of the little fines of metal out as possible before I move to a 30K'ish change regimen. Again I maintain that those with new Explorers should drop that PTU oil at around 5,000 miles of brand-new. That will get the early wear-metals out early. Depending on the saturation, again at around 5-10K miles and you should be good to go for around a 30K change regimen.
 






Photos fixed (un-photobucketed, unlinked) and embedded in the ExplorerForum. Hope this helps! So very sorry it took so long. Next to tackle my Explorer Audio Build Log thread.. (gonna be a bigger pain) :)

@Sgt1411
@peterk9
 






If it hasn't been mentioned I would heat the container with the gear oil for an hour or 2 so its warm to the touch, makes it flow much easier. On the models with a drain you can thread in a pipe fitting into the drain and pump it upwards then quickly install the plug. If the drain feels like its going to strip when removing you can heat it with a torch (make sure you wrap tin foil etc around the axle seal dust cover so it doesn't melt), drain plug had some thread locker on it.o_O
 






What model years have a drain plug and which ones don't? I have a 2017 XLT , should it have the drain plug?
 






What model years have a drain plug and which ones don't? I have a 2017 XLT , should it have the drain plug?

Yours has exactly what is in my how-to photos at the top of the post. 2015 was the last year they were 3/8 sockets.
 






A huge issue for the Police Fleets running Interceptor Utility's as well. Ford went from saying its a lifetime fluid to recommending aftermarket kits to help frequent PTU oil changes. The big Police Fleets are changing as part of their regular Preventative Maintenance Program.

Big failures in previous years with 16/17 models getting a redesign, there is already a thread on that update.

Sgt, what do the aftermarket kits consist of? Some other or better way to do it? Who is selling them?
 






Sgt, what do the aftermarket kits consist of? Some other or better way to do it? Who is selling them?

Sorry, I haven't purchased a PTU drain kit, my info comes from US Police Department Fleet Managers.

Most make up their own kits I have not seen a pre-made kit yet.

Have a read of this thread.

PTU Problems
 






theres at least 2 different versions, if it has the water cooled unit or not. The ones without the cooler have a fill hole plug(hidden behind exhaust pipe) and no drain, so fluid has to be sucked out. The ones with a cooler have a fill plug but theres a sensor screwed into it and many other items in the way and using the method described earlier to remove the vent hose works to fill it. I would make sure the that vent hose doesn't get loose or it will splash fluid around making it look like you have an oil leak. You can also push fluid up from the drain hole with a barbed pipe plug brass fitting in these models, but the fluid should be preheated to make it flow, its better to slightly over fill than under fill.


What model years have a drain plug and which ones don't? I have a 2017 XLT , should it have the drain plug?
 






Lexingtonian, huge thank you for your guide! I have just over 50k on our '15 Sport, and had never changed the PTU fluid. I would not have attempted this without your guide to go by. Getting that hose clamp tightened on the vent tube took me a good 20 minutes, you are not kidding when you say that part is blind. It also took at least an hour for the fluid to make it's way down there, and I had to run some hard vacuum line down inside of the fuel line to allow air to come out.

I was surprised that the fluid was not as bad as others have seen. It was brown but did not smell horrible. I (stupidly) bought Valvoline instead of Motorcraft, so I will probably be doing this again in the near future, but now that I have the fill/vent tube setup, it will be much quicker. I took a few pics, but there is probably not anything in them that you have not already shown. I found that I could actually see the original vent tube from under the hood, I took a pic of it and marked it with a red arrow.

Thanks Lex.

InkedWP_20180127_14_51_33_Pro_LI.jpg


WP_20180127_16_17_16_Pro.jpg


WP_20180127_19_01_33_Pro.jpg
 






@tdnews so glad it was helpful. The second drop and fill I did, I didn’t use the funnel and just jammed the tip of the oil bottle in the hose the forced oil down the tube. I used several iterations to do so and allow it to burp. I found that to be easier than waiting on the funnel
 






Could I use Royal purple gear oil on the PTU fluid change?
How much of a difference was it with the new fluid?
 






Could I use Royal purple gear oil on the PTU fluid change?
How much of a difference was it with the new fluid?

Yes you can but actually, the Ford gear oil is fuly synthetic and quite good. I’d advise use of the motor craft and a 30,000mi change regimen. Especially while it’s under warranty or ford ESP. Remember Powertrain warranty is out to 60,000 miles. Loading it with a non Ford oil will very likely void stuff. Caveat emptor.
 






Yes you can but actually, the Ford gear oil is fuly synthetic and quite good. I’d advise use of the motor craft and a 30,000mi change regimen. Especially while it’s under warranty or ford ESP. Remember Powertrain warranty is out to 60,000 miles. Loading it with a non Ford oil will very likely void stuff. Caveat emptor.

They can not void you warranty because you used a product that didn't say "Mororcraft" on it. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prevents a company like Ford from requiring you to use their products, but the products must meet a certain quality specification.

But if there is a failure you better have your ducks in a row to prove that you used a product that met the factory specifications and that the oil was changed at the specified interval.
 






Thank you for all the great info, I'll be changing the fluid next oil change
 



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They can not void you warranty because you used a product that didn't say "Mororcraft" on it. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prevents a company like Ford from requiring you to use their products, but the products must meet a certain quality specification.

But if there is a failure you better have your ducks in a row to prove that you used a product that met the factory specifications and that the oil was changed at the specified interval.

I promise that quoting the Mag/Moss act will not result in some yokel at a dealer hearing and understanding the story in your favor if someone has a split PTU and purple oil draining out. Worth the risk and hassle? Up to the owner of course..
 






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