My dad bought our 2011 Ford Flex Ecoboost Limited AWD new in 2011, I was only 11. Now I'm turning 25. I told him for years to change these fluids but he listens to the dealer too much. After switching locations, the new dealer was surprised he never changed the Trans fluid (it was at 105k miles). We changed it and it shifted better... for another 15k miles until it required a full rebuild at 120k for $6000.
Anyways, today he let me finally maintain the PTU and rear diff.
The PTU fluid left me in shock, as there was none except thick paste. The first thing I saw after taking off the fill plug was a wall of sludge. After a long time of carefully scraping it out, I tried extracting the fluid only to get more sludge clogging my suction tube. I got no fluid out and decided to fill it up. It took a bit under half a liter before it filled up. I'm going to change it again after a week of driving. I hope that cleans some more sludge out.
The rear differential wasn't bad, however. The fluid was black but it still looked "ok", compared to the PTU fluid.
I'm fully expecting the PTU to go bad sometime soon, but hopefully it'll last a bit longer by me kinda flushing it out. Our Ford Flex had given us zero issues until the life of the fluids started catching up. Towing many trailers and never changing the trans fluid bit us in the ass, and next up is the PTU. I really believe the trans and PTU could've lasted up to 300k miles had regular maintenance been suggested by the dealer. Especially considering they lasted this long under constant use.
PHOTOS: Oil jug is the differential fluid I got out, a bit under a liter. No pics of PTU fluid, only sludge came out
Anyways, today he let me finally maintain the PTU and rear diff.
The PTU fluid left me in shock, as there was none except thick paste. The first thing I saw after taking off the fill plug was a wall of sludge. After a long time of carefully scraping it out, I tried extracting the fluid only to get more sludge clogging my suction tube. I got no fluid out and decided to fill it up. It took a bit under half a liter before it filled up. I'm going to change it again after a week of driving. I hope that cleans some more sludge out.
The rear differential wasn't bad, however. The fluid was black but it still looked "ok", compared to the PTU fluid.
I'm fully expecting the PTU to go bad sometime soon, but hopefully it'll last a bit longer by me kinda flushing it out. Our Ford Flex had given us zero issues until the life of the fluids started catching up. Towing many trailers and never changing the trans fluid bit us in the ass, and next up is the PTU. I really believe the trans and PTU could've lasted up to 300k miles had regular maintenance been suggested by the dealer. Especially considering they lasted this long under constant use.
PHOTOS: Oil jug is the differential fluid I got out, a bit under a liter. No pics of PTU fluid, only sludge came out