2017 Sport PTU Leak - Repair, Replace, DIY?

[Thomas Reminga]

I noticed over the last month or so a small amount of what looked like pretty clean oil under my 2017 Explorer Sport. I was also due for my regular oil change so took it into a new mechanic - highly recommended in the area. They called and stated they couldn't confirm where the leak was 100% coming from since the underside was pretty gross. They offered to degrease the underside and suggested bringing it back in a month to see if they could pin point the leak. A couple hours later they called back and stated that the leak was coming from the PTU and stated it is a very common issue they see either Explorers and Edge vehicles. They were going to work up a quote for a replacement and stated they recommended going a 3rd party route since they had seen 3rd party alternatives that did not have the same fundamental flaws as the OEM one. The stated the leak was where the two halves a joined with RTV sealant, and that is a common place for failure since it sits over the cat and the heat and cool cycles will eventually dry that out and leak.

I haven't gotten a quote yet, and the vehicle is driveable- so far. They did state that the amount of fluid in that unit is not much, so depending on how much has leaked it may be a sooner rather than later failure. There was no suggestion to repair/refill/etc. For what it's worth I'm in the Midwest so the heat and cool cycles yearly are significant, along with lots of snow and salt under body. Explorer has about 128K miles and has never had anything done to the PTU- dealership wouldn't do the oil change on it when I asked a few year ago and I had been planning to start that cycle upcoming but hadn't gotten around to it. So now here were are .

Wondering if I could get some suggestions and thoughts on the following items...
1.) What would a reasonable price range be for a 3rd party shop to do this replacement?
2.) Is anyone aware of 3rd party options that do resolve this issue more permanently?
3.) Is this a repair that is DIY reasonable?
4.) If repair is not recommended here how DIY replaceable is the unit? I don't have a lift any longer, but no stranger to doing repairs myself.
5.) If i choose to replace myself what are the recommended places to obtain that replacement assembly that people have seen as good sources (Rock Auto shows a replacement unit without oil cooler, for some reason I thought the 3.6T Sport has an oil cooler on it)

I'll update once I see the quote and provide additional details as soon as I get the vehicle back.
Thanks!!

 

[Thomas Reminga]

Picked up the car and was quoted $2,969 labor and parts. They did confirm that I can bring in my own part- no penalty on the labor value. Rock Auto has the Dorman unit that states is enhanced with a heatshield, already has a drain plug, etc. Shop estimated $1,300 for the part, Rock has this 3rd party unit for $700 shipped. They stated it calls for approx. 6 hours of labor, but to be safe if it's a real issue it could be 2 days. They thought $1,200 in labor was the right number as a safe bet knowing our climate.

I do want to pop the truck up on stands just to look underneath but that'll have to wait a few days. Figured I'd call around on the labor front just to confirm ranges and if other shops would accept and use the Dorman unit. If bringing my own part in is allowed at a few places I may just order it to have it and available.

Any thoughts on the Dorman brand and/or labor numbers? Also how DIY is this job without a life and coming from a 4 season/salt roadway area?

 

[J_C]

The environment your PTU has faced, hasn't been all that bad because you're getting clean looking oil dripping out which is very surprising after 128K miles without any fluid changes. It suggests that it is mechanically in good shape and a good candidate to have the seal(s) fixed.

HOWEVER based on the fluid being that clean looking (not even dark colored?) after 128K miles, I have my doubts that it's the PTU leaking and would try to get a sample of fluid out of it to confirm that it's really that clean and not something else leaking instead.

Also how DIY is this job without a life...

Without a life, you have all the time in the world so very DIY-able.

PTU and Rear Diff Fluid Change - 2011 Explorer XLT

Just an update on my PTU fluid analysis. I sent a sample off to Blackstone and got my report back today. The summary is that the analysis is more representative of a 30k mile fluid instead of the 61k miles it has on it. From the report, the Aluminum and Iron levels are well below the averages...

www.explorerforum.com

There's lots of good info in the topic linked above. If you're happy working on your back and had tall enough jack stands, it seems do-able without a lift, but certainly harder, including on your back/neck/etc. That linked topic has pictures of someone doing it without a lift. Personally I'd want at least 6 ton stands - higher lift height potential and more stable at height, if your floor jack can get it up higher and then you have more working room.

If you decide to service the existing PTU and it doesn't have a drain plug, I'd consider tapping the hole and putting one in while it's down. If your present shop won't service the PTU for fluid changes, find a different shop that will.

If you continue to drive it in the mean time, I would top off the fluid. Running low will potentially damage it, then the fluid won't look clean at all.

 

[Thomas Reminga]

I took a couple pictures of the fluid. I haven't yet been under the car- but I will try to do that this week. The small amount of fluid appears to be slightly right of center line (passenger side), roughly along the line of the front wheel axel.


Here you can see the slight sheen of oil on the plastic mat that I leave under the car. Nothing really pooling. The dark spots are actually trapped water under the plastic mat.

Here is the oil I touched with a white paper towel. Again minimal amounts, and the color is very light. The stuff stinks for sure, feels oily, but I have never had the PTU serviced ever- at around 128K miles. So I would expect a leak to be black and gross after all that time.

 

[J_C]

I could be wrong but think that looks too clean to be PTU fluid with 128K mi. on it, and would get under the vehicle for a better look, wondering if it is brake fluid. Then again, you'd HOPE that a competent shop could tell it's the PTU and they claimed it was, but then a competent shop, should have advised to do a drain and fill, not to continue driving it if it might be low or nearly ran out of fluid.

You could also put UV dye in the brake fluid or PTU fluid then use a UV flashlight to detect where it's coming out, or stick a piece of thin rope into the PTU breather (tube?) to absorb some fluid to see the condition and color of it. However if you have a cooler on yours then you may have a drain plug - I don't know more specifics about which trim levels and model years of PTU have the drain plug, but if you have it, then can just use it to get some fluid out to check it, or better still, do a drain and fill so you know you have the correct amount in, not running low, at least until it's determined if it's what is leaking and so it's still driveable with the low leak rate currently present, unless the leak rate is so low because it's now empty! If it were to get nearly empty, I would not drive it.

 

[jwolfe]

That is not 128k mile PTU fluid. That looks like fresh oil.

The proper way to diagnose the issue is to degrease the engine and then dye the oil. You shoud also smell it to see if it smells burnt.

That quote is also insane. You can literally buy a used PTU with 30k miles for $150.00 at a yard. Change the fluid and go. And at that mileage you may as well drop the whole thing out the bottom and do the water pump, tensioners, check the chain, spark plugs and check the seals on the trans and the torque converter and the rear main seal.

I plan to do a major service at 120k and do it all at once.

But I would find a new mechanic.

 

[1sicbronconut]

Another vote for not having clean PTU fluid at 128k although it will reek and can smell like propane at times. I've been a Ford technician since the 80's and have replaced a lot of PTU's! but have never seen one leak at the case seem it's usually the right side seal or it pukes fluid out of the vent on top of the PTU and that usually means the PTU is bad.