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Rear Differential Replacement


JoeKWV

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On 6/15/2024 at 5:52 PM, piter68 said:

for anyone who had the same problem as me, I solved it like this: PCM module initialization relearn from central configuration and ABS modulr configuration relearn from central configuration. PCM module configuration reappeared and I was able to write the RDU ID as indicated by omar302  thanks omar302, thank you all for the excellent information.

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I have a 2016 ford edge 3.5L engine RDU was bad, bought a new one from ebay China version, however after driving about 1000 miles the new one goes bad am trying to find out if a 2.0, 2.7 or a 3.0 differential is compatible with the 3.5, could that be the problem why it went bad. Can someone explain, do I have to buy the 3.5, how does it work and no I didn't change it myself.

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12 hours ago, Junior Morgan said:

I have a 2016 ford edge 3.5L engine RDU was bad, bought a new one from ebay China version, however after driving about 1000 miles the new one goes bad am trying to find out if a 2.0, 2.7 or a 3.0 differential is compatible with the 3.5, could that be the problem why it went bad. Can someone explain, do I have to buy the 3.5, how does it work and no I didn't change it myself.

What version was the Chinese supplied one?

 

I wouldn't consider using a diff from anything other than a 3.5L - maybe @Haz can confirm compatibility.

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I am going through this on my MKX. I was going to get the Chinese one but I was told they do not code out. There is a seller on Ebay that sells the factory rear ends for around $985 "
judgementdeytrading"  That is the best deal I have found. My guess is your Rear end is the same as mine but send him a message and ask if it will work. 

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it's a 2.0/3.5 that's what it says in the full description when I read upon it. I put the full description of my vehicle on eBay for them to match it.

On 6/19/2024 at 8:29 AM, 1004ron said:

What version was the Chinese supplied one?

 

I wouldn't consider using a diff from anything other than a 3.5L - maybe @Haz can confirm compatibility.

 

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On 6/19/2024 at 8:36 AM, jspec said:

I am going through this on my MKX. I was going to get the Chinese one but I was told they do not code out. There is a seller on Ebay that sells the factory rear ends for around $985 "
judgementdeytrading"  That is the best deal I have found. My guess is your Rear end is the same as mine but send him a message and ask if it will work. 

Thank you!

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  • 2 weeks later...

hello everyone - brand new on this forum - i have a 2014 edge sel awd - never got on any forums for it because the car has been so dependable i never needed any advice - well now suddenly it's got a noise in the rear - sort of sounded like a bearing - will disappear for a second between gears - so i replaced the wheel bearings and shafts - seemed like the easiest, cheapest route - noise is still there - so it's the RDU...? - i can replace it but it needs that coding - i have a launch 919E - it has a code feature for ATC#1 on it - is that what i need? - anyone used the launch on these cars? - noise is gradually getting louder and i want to fix it before it becomes a major issue - right now it's just a noise - thanks in advance for any insight into this

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  • 4 weeks later...

i answered my own question - hooked my launch coder up and it does have a way to enter the barcode for the ATC - my existing code is shown and it asks if i want to change it - so now i'm only wondering if it is actually the RDU that's making this noise - since i changed both wheel bearings and half shafts it seems like it's the only thing left - unless there is a bearing on the main drive shaft from the front that is separate from the RDU - is there one?

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20 minutes ago, honerboys said:

i answered my own question - hooked my launch coder up and it does have a way to enter the barcode for the ATC - my existing code is shown and it asks if i want to change it - so now i'm only wondering if it is actually the RDU that's making this noise - since i changed both wheel bearings and half shafts it seems like it's the only thing left - unless there is a bearing on the main drive shaft from the front that is separate from the RDU - is there one?

 

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1004ron...i looked at the center shaft bearing - shook it - didn't feel any side to side play except for a little in the rubber - normal..? - jspec...i did not drain the differential - it seems there is no drain plug - i did add about 5-6 ounces - i could siphon it out and replace it - but to be honest this noise sounds like more than an oil change could fix - but i will give it a try - i don't have access to a lift so putting it up on jack stands and spinning all four wheels doesn't sound like something i want to try - i also disconnected the RDU electrical connection and drove it around the block - wrench light came on saying check AWD - noise was much less noticeable with RDU disconnected - reconnected it and noise was back to previous level - so are all symptoms and tests pointing to RDU? - in my mind it seems to be - thanks for your responses

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1 hour ago, honerboys said:

1004ron...i looked at the center shaft bearing - shook it - didn't feel any side to side play except for a little in the rubber - normal..? - jspec...i did not drain the differential - it seems there is no drain plug - i did add about 5-6 ounces - i could siphon it out and replace it - but to be honest this noise sounds like more than an oil change could fix - but i will give it a try - i don't have access to a lift so putting it up on jack stands and spinning all four wheels doesn't sound like something i want to try - i also disconnected the RDU electrical connection and drove it around the block - wrench light came on saying check AWD - noise was much less noticeable with RDU disconnected - reconnected it and noise was back to previous level - so are all symptoms and tests pointing to RDU? - in my mind it seems to be - thanks for your responses

definite RDU is in self destruct mode.

leave it unplugged to preserve it as long as possible.

I just finally unplugged mine today and its amazing how much quieter it is.

In hind sight, i wish i wrapped the loose electrical connector in silicone grease inside a bag to protect it.

Next weekend perhaps.

 

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You have to siphon out the oil. There is no drain plug. If you see metal you can verify That is it is the rear diff going bad. It may just be the front clutch pack which is much easier to replace vs the Whole RDU unit. On a side note If you do get into replacing the RDU it was easier to just pull the rear knuckles then trying to get the wheel bearings out. 

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sorry it took so long to get back here - this is my wife's car and i needed a day when she wouldn't need it - i siphoned out about a pint of oil - i guess i would need a thinner siphon hose to get to the bottom of the case - i had cleaned the fill plug magnet about 3 weeks ago - you can see that in that time it has completely filled up again with metal - also, a picture of a little bit of the oil in the drain pan - lots of specks in there (and that was just the drips as i actually drained the differential into an old oil bottle) - and finally a pic of the magnet sludge smeared out on a rag - no big pieces of metal but those could be down in the bottom of the case - so it seems i've found the culprit for the growling noise - going to get a rebuilt one and see how that goes - anyone recommend any sellers of those - some come from china - are those actual ford diffs that have been rebuilt or from some other manufacturer?

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  • 2 weeks later...

so no one on here has replaced their RDU? - if so what did you use and where did you get it? - i can't find a rebuilt S 154D anywhere - S 150A and S 164A (different gear ratios?) are widely available but it seems the ones i've found are not real Ford units (although they show pictures of actual Ford units) that have been rebuilt - they are chinese manufactured units and when i ask about the code to put in the car's computer they are vague in their answers as to whether the codes are good and if the final gear ratio is compatible with the s 154D - if i look up the RDU on Ford's parts site it cross-references to MU7Z4000J  and says that replaces the S154D ...$1900 - so ..not sure where to go with this - are there any other forums for these cars that might have more members who have dealt with this?

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I just replaced mine. I got mine on Ebay for around $960 from a seller in UTAH. I replaced it with a S-150-A it works fine. I do not notice a difference. I am not sure What the difference is but the S154a was only sold for 2 years in the MKX and Edge. 

 

judgementdeytrading was the ebay seller I got it from.

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I have not replaced mine yet, but I got the one I have for the job off of ebay, it is a used unit harvested from a wreck or something, sticker numbers all match the unit in my ride. It took a while to find it on ebay, but it was cheap. Like less than 200.

And when I pulled the fill plug, it had only the slightest film of magnetic dust sludge on it, so I'm optimistic about it's condition. 

Just waiting for the weather to cool off a bit before I do the job.

Edited by Cerberus
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  • 2 weeks later...

still shopping for one of these RDU units - jspec...i found your ebay guy ...price is now about $1450 - but they are new ford units - all the others (far less $$) seem to be chinese ...which i'd get except, so far, none of them come with a coding number  - i've asked and some of the sellers say it's not needed - one told me they can't send it with numbers because of customs...? - thoughts? - can you retrieve code numbers from the unit itself - maybe with my programming tool?

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The Chinese ones cannot be coded and from what I read they only last a year. There are no differential parts available as far a gears and such so they are not rebuildable units. I put a s-150 in and it seems to be working fine. You can fine those cheap on eBay. I saw a YouTube video where they put a S162 in. I believe either are fine as long as it has the Code to put in. I would just fine the lowest mileage S-150 unit and go with that. They suck to put in. If you are in the rust area forget your rear bearings and just pull the whole rear knuckle. 

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6 hours ago, honerboys said:

still shopping for one of these RDU units - jspec...i found your ebay guy ...price is now about $1450 - but they are new ford units - all the others (far less $$) seem to be chinese ...which i'd get except, so far, none of them come with a coding number  - i've asked and some of the sellers say it's not needed - one told me they can't send it with numbers because of customs...? - thoughts? - can you retrieve code numbers from the unit itself - maybe with my programming tool?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/295569947003?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=MCXcvv1xTaG&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=Qivotis6TWO&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

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yea..i've been shying away from a used one - simply because from what i'm reading these RDU's go out fairly regularly - i don't want to put a used one in and just have it go in a year - but..i guess if the chinese ones are crap and can't be coded, and a new ford one is a quarter of what the car is worth, i'll start looking at used ones - there are a couple of pull-and-pay scrap yards here in denver - i'll give them a look first - at those i can see what the mileage on the car is (maybe) - also they charge a flat rate for parts no matter what car it's from - thanks for all the input - will let you know what i find

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  • 2 weeks later...

been looking locally - no later (than mine) ones available - i thought i read that ford did start putting a drain plug in these - if so..what year did that happen? - also i've been looking for one from 2011 - 2019 (athough really looking for one newer than my 2014) - all those years should fit the 14...correct?

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@honerboys

 

It think your mixing between PTU and RDU. If I am not mistaken, RDU failures are quite rare considering the number of produced vehicles. The concern was with the PTU that fails much more commonly. Also, the PTU is the one that now has a drain plug. The RDU still does not. 

 

As for compatibility, I believe you have to stick to your generation. 2011-2014 (+2015 MKX) or 2015-2018 or 2019+.

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30 minutes ago, omar302 said:

@honerboys

 

It think your mixing between PTU and RDU. If I am not mistaken, RDU failures are quite rare considering the number of produced vehicles. The concern was with the PTU that fails much more commonly. Also, the PTU is the one that now has a drain plug. The RDU still does not. 

 

Exactly

PTU suffers massive heat soak in 2.7L applications from the rear catalytic converter and turbo.

Currently driving with my RDU torque coupling clutch unplugged which should equate to zero load on the PTU, but fluid temp is still well above trans fluid temp when driving around town.

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i mis-typed - i meant 2013-2019 - that's what most of the ones i see online say will fit mine - now the actual S designation (mines an S-154D) changes to something like S-150A or S-164A or something similar, but they say they will work in mine - i have done a cursory search and it seems i can get a new one from ford for about $1800 - i see some on ebay with 100K miles and they are asking for $1500 - since i partially swapped out some of the gear oil in it, it has gotten quieter - so for now i'm going to change out all the oil and see if that further quiets it - i know it needs replacing and i'll keep looking for a replacement - hopefully it will stumble through winter and i'll find one in the mean time - car doesn't get driven much (5-6K a year) - and you are correct about me mixing up the RDU and PTU for the drain plug - although i don't see why ford would not put one in the RDU - thank you for your input on this 

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