Lower grille cutout?

[BaseFan]

I think I see a trend here but after reading the entire thread I still can't confirm...

It seems that
If you have no turbo and no towing pkg... no cutout.
If you have towing but no turbo you have the cutout but no ductwork.
If you have turbo,(with or without towing) you have the cutout with ductwork.

I think the turbo needs the ductwork and the ductwork needs the cutout.
While towing oil cooler just needs the cutout.

My base has towing and no turbo and I have the cutout and no ductwork.

Does this match your vehicles? Does this explain it?

 

[blwnsmoke]

3.5, non turbo, cutout with duct work.

 

[peterk9]

Basically, if you have that cutout, you should have the cooling ductwork. Some times after oil changes there have been times that the tech forgot to reinstall it. There are also cases where it has not been fastened properly and has fallen off. If you have one, you need the other. If you don't have one, you don't need the other.

Peter

 

[RhinoQuartz]

I think I see a trend here but after reading the entire thread I still can't confirm...

It seems that
If you have no turbo and no towing pkg... no cutout.
If you have towing but no turbo you have the cutout but no ductwork.
If you have turbo,(with or without towing) you have the cutout with ductwork.

I think the turbo needs the ductwork and the ductwork needs the cutout.
While towing oil cooler just needs the cutout.

My base has towing and no turbo and I have the cutout and no ductwork.

Does this match your vehicles? Does this explain it?

3.5 NA, no tow package, no cutout.

 

[blwnsmoke]

Basically, if you have that cutout, you should have the cooling ductwork. Some times after oil changes there have been times that the tech forgot to reinstall it. There are also cases where it has not been fastened properly and has fallen off. If you have one, you need the other. If you don't have one, you don't need the other.

Peter

Well said and exactly correct.

 

[gtxjoe]

Just picked up a used 2017 platinum. When I was inspecting the suv, I noticed there was no underbody panel covering the oil filter and pan. From checking online, it looks like there is no panel on the explorer but some do come with an metal air deflector.

Can someone confirm if the ecoboost with towing package config should have the air deflector? If so I will order one. Also part number if anyone has it handy.

Thanks

 

[Odrapnew]

Just picked up a used 2017 platinum. When I was inspecting the suv, I noticed there was no underbody panel covering the oil filter and pan. From checking online, it looks like there is no panel on the explorer but some do come with an metal air deflector.

Can someone confirm if the ecoboost with towing package config should have the air deflector? If so I will order one. Also part number if anyone has it handy.

Thanks

Yes, it should have one.
Check under the front and see if you have the cutout(you should).
If you do, you should have the deflector.

 

[peterk9]

Just picked up a used 2017 platinum. When I was inspecting the suv, I noticed there was no underbody panel covering the oil filter and pan. From checking online, it looks like there is no panel on the explorer but some do come with an metal air deflector.

Can someone confirm if the ecoboost with towing package config should have the air deflector? If so I will order one. Also part number if anyone has it handy.

Thanks

Welcome to the Forum.

Just went out and took this picture. It is what you should have as well.

Peter

 

[metroplex]

The duct and slot in the lower air dam is present if you have the towing package (standard on Explorer Sport). It's Ford's band-aid way of cooling off the PTU for the AWD system. Overheating and failed PTUs are a common thing, even among the Police Interceptors that use coolant to cool the PTU case along with the air duct.

Bottom line is if you have that duct underneath the oil pan and the towing package, you need to have that slot/cut-out on the lower air dam.

 

[RhinoQuartz]

The duct and slot in the lower air dam is present if you have the towing package (standard on Explorer Sport). It's Ford's band-aid way of cooling off the PTU for the AWD system. Overheating and failed PTUs are a common thing, even among the Police Interceptors that use coolant to cool the PTU case along with the air duct.

Bottom line is if you have that duct underneath the oil pan and the towing package, you need to have that slot/cut-out on the lower air dam.

Also standard on the Platinum because of the 3.5 Ecoboost.

 

[metroplex]

Also standard on the Platinum because of the 3.5 Ecoboost.

Yes, Platinum is the Sport with extra luxury. But it gets the duct because of the towing package being standard.

 

[peterk9]

Yes, Platinum is the Sport with extra luxury. .

Close but not quite. The Sport has a different suspension and other items such as differently tuned EPAS.

Peter

 

[metroplex]

Close but not quite. The Sport has a different suspension and other items such as differently tuned EPAS.

Peter

The order guide generally says for the Platinum something like, "Includes all Sport content, plus:"

 

[Odrapnew]

Yes, Platinum is the Sport with extra luxury. But it gets the duct because of the towing package being standard.

Sport didn't get standard tow package until I think MY2015.
I know with my '14 Sport, the tow package was optional.

I wonder if anyone on here has a 13-14 Sport without factory tow package and does it have the cutout and deflector?

 

[peterk9]

Sport didn't get standard tow package until I think MY2015.
I know with my '14 Sport, the tow package was optional.

I wonder if anyone on here has a 13-14 Sport without factory tow package and does it have the cutout and deflector?

Tow package became standard on the Sport and Platinum with the 2016 refresh.

Peter

 

[blwnsmoke]

The order guide generally says for the Platinum something like, "Includes all Sport content, plus:"

Peter is correct, the Platinum is not the Sport with extra luxury. There are improved performance features of the Sport that the Platinum does not get. A better description would be a Limited with extra luxury and standard eco boost 3.5.

 

[metroplex]

Peter is correct, the Platinum is not the Sport with extra luxury. There are improved performance features of the Sport that the Platinum does not get. A better description would be a Limited with extra luxury and standard eco boost 3.5.

So it's like the Ford Fusion Platinum (2.0 EcoBoost), where it isn't as good as the Sport (2.7 EcoBoost)

 

[blwnsmoke]

So it's like the Ford Fusion Platinum (2.0 EcoBoost), where it isn't as good as the Sport (2.7 EcoBoost)

Here is a quote right before the Platinum came out that shows the differences between the Limited and Sport. The Platinum does not have any of the Sport options listed. Also, I believe the Platinum has the water cooled PTU since it is essentially the same engine as in the Sport. So as I had said, it is a done up Limited with nicer materials inside (and eco boost), not a Sport.

- Sport has quicker ratio steering (17-1 ratio ) = 2.7 turns - lock to lock
- Sport has modified EPAS programming
- Sport has a 4-point transmission tunnel brace + the front shock towers are tied together (front strut brace) = increased lateral stiffness = less body flex, better steering response and less tendency for structure born noise.
- Sport’s terrain management system is calibrated to allow 50 percent of the torque to flow to the rear axle in the conventional dry-road setting. XLT / Limited AWD in contrast passes a max of 35 percent to the rear.
- To handle the additional heat generated by the more aggressive torque distribution, the Sport power takeoff unit is water-cooled (pulls water from the main radiator cooling loop).
- The Sport suspension is optimized for handling with different springs, shocks, sway bars and bushings.
- The Sport suspension is lowered 20mm and the rear uses new "cross-axis" ball joints to improve cornering response.

 

[metroplex]

Here's the order guide that shows how Ford typically lists their Platinum content. Includes All Sport 401A content. I didn't make this up.

As for the water cooled PTU, it doesn't seem to really help. Because PTUs are still failing left and right. Even with the 3rd change in June 2016 (revised idler gears) they are failing on 2017 models. The water cooling apparently only cools down the case, and not by a whole lot.

 

[metroplex]

- Sport has a 4-point transmission tunnel brace + the front shock towers are tied together (front strut brace) = increased lateral stiffness = less body flex, better steering response

Every Taurus and Explorer I've seen has a strut tower brace regardless of trim package. Does the Sport have a different type of strut tower brace? Because my SHO and XLT Explorer seem to share the same stamped steel design strut tower brace.

As an aside, the Fusion doesn't need a strut tower brace because the strut towers are integrated into the firewall as essentially a single structure.