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Explorer PTU - Oil Analysis

Lexingtonian

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City, State
Lexington, KY
Year, Model & Trim Level
2016 Exp Sport w/401a
I was certain the metals would come back really high. Very surprised of the results here. If Blackstone is saying to take the change out to 25,000 miles, it still flies in the face of Ford saying this is a lifetime fluid. Someone one cleverer than I surmised that Lifetime meant 36,001 miles. I suppose that seems true here.

My next steps with the PTU are to flush it. This last change I drained it and refilled it. Next time, I'm going to leave the drain plug open and run a quart of oil down the vent tube to get the rest of the black stuff out of the bottom. I suppose then I'll make it a 15,000/20,000 mile change regimen.

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

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Blackstone PTU Oil analysis

So, I have changed the PTU fluid in my 2014 Sport at 45k, 75k, 95k and 113k, roughly. Every time, but one (as well as the factory fill) has been with Royal Purple fluid. The attached results are disturbing, to say the least. I tested it at 95k and all was fine. Obviously, this has me concerned.

Shumax

C2B9721E-E6BE-40D0-B4B1-A7529F21837F.jpeg
 






If you are going to merge my thread, merge it with my original one, please. I wish I had done that in the first place. Thanks.

PTU Change Experience
 






Blackstone PTU Oil analysis

So, I have changed the PTU fluid in my 2014 Sport at 45k, 75k, 95k and 113k, roughly. Every time, but one (as well as the factory fill) has been with Royal Purple fluid. The attached results are disturbing, to say the least. I tested it at 95k and all was fine. Obviously, this has me concerned.

Shumax

View attachment 165558


It's amazing to see the difference in the report from 90k to 113k. 113k is in this thread. 90K is in this link. PTU Change Experience

I am shocked to see that much difference in 23k...
 






Maybe at has had the failure where the gear walks and now it or bearing is rubbing against aluminum case creating all the aluminum in the oil?? Do you hear anything different? Any more gear whine then before??
 






That's a good thought. I will have to pay more attention to it, but I don't recall hearing anything different. Good thought!
 






I copied the text below from another thread here if you haven’t seen it. I assume the same improvements have been done to retail explorers as the PI Utilities.

The power takeoff unit (PTU) has been a service concern on some PI Utilities. There may be an excessive oil smell when driving, the AWD may not work properly, or the PTU housing may be cracked, leaking or noisy. The cause of the PTU damage is the excessive torque loading of the idler gear, which causes the bearing to walk (move) into the housing.
In January 2014, a Full Face Thrust Washer, FFTW, was introduced. This new washer was designed to prevent the idler bearing from walking into the aluminum case.
In October 2015, a second change was made, in this case a loose-fit idler bearing. In dynamometer tests, this bearing design change showed a twice life improvement over the FFTW design.
In June 2016, a third change was made. In this case, a new bearing design, one without drawn cups, was installed. This eliminated the walk mode of damage. Dyno testing shows a three to four times improvement over the FFTW design. For both the PI Utility and PI Sedan, the PTU is covered under the limited powertrain warranty. All Ford Police Interceptors come standard with a five-year/100,000-mile Extended Service Plan for the powertrain.
 






All Ford Police Interceptors come standard with a five-year/100,000-mile Extended Service Plan for the powertrain.

They do? This is the first I hear of that. Any reference?
 






They do? This is the first I hear of that. Any reference?

Page 25

Adobe Document Cloud

"Engine and transmission components are backed by the assurance of the earlier of 5 years or 100,000 miles with Ford Protect PowertrainCARE.4 This coverage is further proof of the faith in dependability – backed by Ford Motor Company, honored at all Ford Dealerships, and fixed with Ford authorized parts installed by factory-trained and -certified technicians."
 






Page 25

Adobe Document Cloud

"Engine and transmission components are backed by the assurance of the earlier of 5 years or 100,000 miles with Ford Protect PowertrainCARE.4 This coverage is further proof of the faith in dependability – backed by Ford Motor Company, honored at all Ford Dealerships, and fixed with Ford authorized parts installed by factory-trained and -certified technicians."

Well, I'll be a monkey's grandnephew! My 2017 brochure says the same thing, I just never noticed. I suppose that's good news.
 






They do? This is the first I hear of that. Any reference?
They have since 2014 or 2015 model year. It's a 5/100 powertrain esp for the original fleet purchaser.

One small problem is that they have to be transferred to the new owner. I have found out on mine that one was assigned to DC metro police and one to fomoco. I have been unable to find the right contact for DC metro police to transfer one and fomoco would not authorize the transfer of the other.

Have your dealer check Oasis to see who yours is assigned to. If it helps, the cost of esp is a less than a retail awd explorer.
 






They have since 2014 or 2015 model year. It's a 5/100 powertrain esp for the original fleet purchaser.

One small problem is that they have to be transferred to the new owner. I have found out on mine that one was assigned to DC metro police and one to fomoco. I have been unable to find the right contact for DC metro police to transfer one and fomoco would not authorize the transfer of the other.

Have your dealer check Oasis to see who yours is assigned to. If it helps, the cost of esp is a less than a retail awd explorer.

Original purchaser in my case was Griffin Ford, at least they were the ones to whom the truck was originally titled. Or would that be the agency who originally ordered the truck?
 






Have your dealer check Oasis. OEMs have some odd rules when punching warranty cards on fleet vehicles. Griffin Ford is not a fleet purchaser of PIUs. They punched the cards so the units could be sold as used to anyone, rather than just LE/fleet customers. Ford probably had them assign all the powertrain esp's to fomoco in the process. No way to know for sure until you check though.
 






I had my original factory PTU fluid analyzed at 60k miles. They said it was more representative of a 30k mile fluid(or something like that). My next change will probably be around 90-100k. Shorten the interval a little bit just to see how it's doing.
 






Just following up on this. This is my result (attached PDF - Register for access) with a 38,000 mile change interval including my previous change report. I'd say it still looks incredibly important to change the PTU at least every 45,000 miles. I stand by the importance to do a change very early to get all of the metals out of the oil. Motorcraft PTU fluid appears to be working very well and I see no reason to change to another fluid whatsoever. Thread on what metals look like in the fluid after just 16,000 miles here..

Screenshot 2023-11-02 at 10.49.06 AM.png
 






Blackstone results are attached. I have a 2011, and just changed the oil at 100k The results represent the motorcraft gear oil 75w/140 from 60k to 100k. I changed the oil a few years ago with 60k on it and just did it now with 100k on it. Its just another data point for those curious on how long they can run the oil in their ptu. I had just change tires also and heard some whining noise. Thought it was ptu. The noise has subsided as tires wear in.

ptu 100k.jpg
 






Blackstone results are attached. I have a 2011, and just changed the oil at 100k The results represent the motorcraft gear oil 75w/140 from 60k to 100k. I changed the oil a few years ago with 60k on it and just did it now with 100k on it. Its just another data point for those curious on how long they can run the oil in their ptu. I had just change tires also and heard some whining noise. Thought it was ptu. The noise has subsided as tires wear in.

View attachment 165843

Thanks a bunch for sharing it’s great to have real data points. Wishing you the best this holiday season.
 






Hmm, you're all doing better on insolubles than I did-- 0.6% @ 50k.
 






Just for reference, my 60k mile original fluid had:
Aluminum: 4
Iron: 262
Insoluble: 0.2

Lexingtonian's report showed higher levels @ 16k miles than mine did at 60K miles.

Seems like fluid results are all over the place.
 



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Just for reference, my 60k mile original fluid had:
Aluminum: 4
Iron: 262
Insoluble: 0.2

Lexingtonian's report showed higher levels @ 16k miles than mine did at 60K miles.

Seems like fluid results are all over the place.
Fluid analysis should be all over the place. Each vehicle/situation is unique - different driving styles/drive cycles/etc...
 






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