How to: - PTU Oil Change (Tons of Pics) 2016 Explorer Sport | Page 8 | 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.
car is already at 58k or so. so I guess should be no issue adding a plug then.
I think I can safely drill and tap it. although I would love to get pointers from someone who knows where is the safest place to put it to avoid hitting one of the gears in there as the clearances in the ptu are so small unlike the rear diff.
That's why I said before - you really need to do your research. When I say research, I don't mean making a post asking others to give you pointers or provide the information to you. There are more than a few images and lengthy posts on the internetz about adding a drain plug to the PTU (they even contain images of a disassembled case with the exact measurements for locating the best spot to drill).

What would you do if someone gave you a bunch of bad information? How would you even know if it was bad information? I would suggest googling the topic and reviewing the data others have posted about adding a drain plug.
 



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Somebody gave the exact best spot to do this, but you will have to do the research to find it. It feels like we are doing all the research for you. Spend a few hours on the forum and you will find it.
 






That's why I said before - you really need to do your research. When I say research, I don't mean making a post asking others to give you pointers or provide the information to you. There are more than a few images and lengthy posts on the internetz about adding a drain plug to the PTU (they even contain images of a disassembled case with the exact measurements for locating the best spot to drill).

What would you do if someone gave you a bunch of bad information? How would you even know if it was bad information? I would suggest googling the topic and reviewing the data others have posted about adding a drain plug.

You're right. And I am researching extensively before going through with anything. But it's a good place to pick up threads and know what to search for. Definitely not taking my drill to the PTU immediately just from word of mouth. I'm sure you could imagine this is not the only one thing I'm researching right now. So some answers from knowledgeable people and people who have done it before is an invaluable addition to the research. I bought the car about 8k miles ago only and I'm optimizing it as well as I can. There's more than a few things I'm researching at the same time. I appreciate your concern and good advice. But I really am researching from as many sourses as I can find.
 






I have noticed on items with a drain plug the hole is reinforced with ribs running away from the hole. I think if you just drill a hole in the case and tap a plug into it the case will crack from the forces of tightening the plug.
 






I have noticed on items with a drain plug the hole is reinforced with ribs running away from the hole. I think if you just drill a hole in the case and tap a plug into it the case will crack from the forces of tightening the plug.
Yeah I can see this happening
 








guidelines for the safest location to drill, relatively good clearance from the gears.




helpfull followup from the same guy. I was hoping to find more helpful people around here. after all forums are made for sharing knowledge, not withholding it and taunting with it.
 






It may seem like people are taunting, but I don’t believe that’s their intent...many times people come on the Forum and ask a question that would be easily answered if the search function was used. Don’t take it as taunting, it’s just some get a little frustrated with the Groundhog Day repeat/questions.
 






I go in well aware of this. I searched the forum as well as I could the forum before asking to avoid creating this experience for older member. Call it taunting call it hazing the new guy but saving someone a few hours of frustrating wandering is an act of kindness in my book.
 






It may seem like people are taunting, but I don’t believe that’s their intent...many times people come on the Forum and ask a question that would be easily answered if the search function was used. Don’t take it as taunting, it’s just some get a little frustrated with the Groundhog Day repeat/questions.
I even read the excruciatingly long thread "ptu problem" before asking directly.
 






I go in well aware of this. I searched the forum as well as I could the forum before asking to avoid creating this experience for older member. Call it taunting call it hazing the new guy but saving someone a few hours of frustrating wandering is an act of kindness in my book.
The times we are currently living in have made searching for, finding, and reviewing info to separate the wheat from the chaff so easy compared to the days of yore when one had to go to a local or university library to look in actual books or search microfiche or film. I can't recall a time in the last 10+ years where I have sat down to the computer to research something and not been able to find what I needed in literally seconds or minutes. With that said, I have spent hours wandering down rabbit holes, but that was typically by choice because there's a lot of stuff on the internetz and some of it is interesting.

Anyway, the PTU on the explorer is the "same" as used on other Ford vehicles. There is a lot of information that you may never discover about it if you limit yourself to a single source (ex: one thread or one forum) or the generosity of others in that single thread or forum.

Here's a different riff on the old Bible saying - A man who is given a fish is fed for the day. A man who learns to fish will be able to feed himself for a lifetime...
 






The times we are currently living in have made searching for, finding, and reviewing info to separate the wheat from the chaff so easy compared to the days of yore when one had to go to a local or university library to look in actual books or search microfiche or film. I can't recall a time in the last 10+ years where I have sat down to the computer to research something and not been able to find what I needed in literally seconds or minutes. With that said, I have spent hours wandering down rabbit holes, but that was typically by choice because there's a lot of stuff on the internetz and some of it is interesting.

Anyway, the PTU on the explorer is the "same" as used on other Ford vehicles. There is a lot of information that you may never discover about it if you limit yourself to a single source (ex: one thread or one forum) or the generosity of others in that single thread or forum.

Here's a different riff on the old Bible saying - A man who is given a fish is fed for the day. A man who learns to fish will be able to feed himself for a lifetime...
Thanks Kay, I do understand and agree with what you're saying. Just my issue is that you are assuming I want to get a two word answer and act on in. I am someone who loves researching for sometimes tens for hours for a single project. Whatever you, or someone like yourself give me, will lead to more research.
I do appreciate what you're saying. I would never just try to find "the solution" on a thread on a forum and form an opinion based, or proceed with a substantial project with high risk based on just that.
Didn't mean to take up space on the thread outside the subject. hopefully we can pick this up where we left it.
 






Currently at the dealer getting oil change etc done. I figured I would ask them if they ever have anyone request they change the gear oil in the PTU. He went to go talk to the technician. Now this is in the oil change section, not the section where they do the more extensive work. Well I look over through the window and they’re pointing at the rear differential with deer in the headlights look. I tried to explain what it was and where, but I gave up and said I’d do it myself since I already had the tools and equipment. But damn!
 






Currently at the dealer getting oil change etc done. I figured I would ask them if they ever have anyone request they change the gear oil in the PTU. He went to go talk to the technician. Now this is in the oil change section, not the section where they do the more extensive work. Well I look over through the window and they’re pointing at the rear differential with deer in the headlights look. I tried to explain what it was and where, but I gave up and said I’d do it myself since I already had the tools and equipment. But damn!
None of the dealerships here in my region are aware of this either.
 






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Invaluable write-up! Helped me quite abit performing my PTU fluid drain & fill. One thing I would add is to pickup a suction tool to help “forcing” the new fluid into the PTU.

My Explorer has 11,181 miles on it when I performed the PTU fluid drain & fill. Here’s what my plug looked like when I removed it.
 






Usually the grease monkeys in the oil bay only know how to change the engine oil and not much more.

If anything talk to the service advisor, he should be more informed but don't count on it since he mostly just checks vehicles in and out.
 






View attachment 168618
Invaluable write-up! Helped me quite abit performing my PTU fluid drain & fill. One thing I would add is to pickup a suction tool to help “forcing” the new fluid into the PTU.

My Explorer has 11,181 miles on it when I performed the PTU fluid drain & fill. Here’s what my plug looked like when I removed it.

Do you have a drain plug as well as a fill plug? Or do you have to try to suck out the fluid through the fill plug. For just over 11,000 miles the magnet looks nasty. How did the removed gear oil look? Is it safe to assume you have the 3.5 V-6? That engine seems to heat the PTU fluid much more than the 2.3 EB, which I have. Plus I'm lucky because I have a drain plug on my PTU as well as a fill plug. I had the dealer change it at 9,000 miles then I had my mechanic change it 13,000 miles later. It came out golden then, not nasty black.

Whimsey
 






My Explorer is the 3.5 V6 Ecoboost. Fluid and plug looked very similar to what the original poster experienced in his write up. I did not suck any of the fluid out, just let what could drain out on its own. My plan is to perform 2 additional drain-n-fills at the 5k miles mark. That should replace most of the original fluid by ~20k miles on the vehicle. From there, I figure I’ll continue to do PTU drain-n-fills every other oil change. It’s not hard to do once you know where everything is and have the fill hose setup. And using a suction gun helps speed the process up immensely.
 






My Explorer is the 3.5 V6 Ecoboost. Fluid and plug looked very similar to what the original poster experienced in his write up. I did not suck any of the fluid out, just let what could drain out on its own. My plan is to perform 2 additional drain-n-fills at the 5k miles mark. That should replace most of the original fluid by ~20k miles on the vehicle. From there, I figure I’ll continue to do PTU drain-n-fills every other oil change. It’s not hard to do once you know where everything is and have the fill hose setup. And using a suction gun helps speed the process up immensely.

So I'm assuming you do have a drain plug. If so that makes the job much easier and more thorough than having to suck the old fluid out of the fill port. That way leaves a fair amount of old oil still in the PTU.

Whimsey
 









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Late 2015 build PIU with almost 50k miles. Talked to my Ford Dealer about PTU fluid and got the "good for life" story, so armed with all the great info in this thread, decided to tackle it myself. Gear lube itself was pretty silver and magnet was cover with metal, but lube did not seem burnt. Sad part was about 8 ounces came out and twice that went back in. Hope that save me future major repair, but maybe already damaged.
 






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