Trans Fluid/PTU Fluid ?

[Pete K]

My 07 Ford Edge, owners manual, and shop manual are 2000 miles away, as I am on a business trip.

I have to ask what is probably a simple question.

The auto trans and PTU share the same ATF fluid correct?

In other words, if I have the famous PTU leak, (and I do have a slight leak), keeping tabs on it (fluid level) via the trans dipstick is all I need to do? Not pull pipe plugs on the side of the ptu like an old transfer case?

Thanks,

PK

[druck52]

My 07 Ford Edge, owners manual, and shop manual are 2000 miles away, as I am on a business trip.

I have to ask what is probably a simple question.

The auto trans and PTU share the same ATF fluid correct?

In other words, if I have the famous PTU leak, (and I do have a slight leak), keeping tabs on it (fluid level) via the trans dipstick is all I need to do? Not pull pipe plugs on the side of the ptu like an old transfer case?

Thanks,

PK

 

 

No they are not the same fluid. The PTU has its own fluid. However a PTU leak could be either trans fluiid or gear oil. If its trans fluid then you can keep an eye on it. Best thing to do would be look under the vehicle and see if there is a leak.

[Pete K]

No they are not the same fluid. The PTU has its own fluid. However a PTU leak could be either trans fluiid or gear oil. If its trans fluid then you can keep an eye on it. Best thing to do would be look under the vehicle and see if there is a leak.

 

Thanks for the info When I return, I am going to put the Edge up in the air, and figure out whats involved to check fluid, replace it if needed, and take a close look at how involved the seal replacement is.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Pete K

[Pete K]

Thanks for the info When I return, I am going to put the Edge up in the air, and figure out whats involved to check fluid, replace it if needed, and take a close look at how involved the seal replacement is.

 

Momma always said "god helps those who help themselves", so I dove under it with the shop manual.

 

For those that are curious:

 

There is a pipe plug in the PTU directly above the "Y" in the exhaust.

Removing this plug with a typical 3/8 drive ratchet allows checking the fluid level.

Ford suggests taking a Zip-Tie, and bending it at a right angle, and trimming the short leg of the zip tie (after bending) to 1 3/4 inch.With vehicle level (I put it up on 4 ramps for convenience), insert the short leg of the zip tie down the fill hole.

Fluid level should be between the bottom of the dipstick (1 3/4" below fill hole) and 1 1/2" below fill hole.

 

On my car, it is overfilled by more than 1/2 inch, and I suspect this can be contributing to seal leakage.

Because there is no drain plug, I have to pick up a suction gun to draw the level down.

 

For those that are low on fluid, Ford recommends their synthetic 75w-140 gear lube (for topping it off, or replacing fluid).

[Pete K]

After all of the horror stories I have heard amount multiple problems replacing this seal, I intend to replace mine myself, if lowering fluid level does not stop the seepage.

If I do it, I will do a photo documentation, including using a bore gauge to size the bushing, and using the mic to measure the axle shaft (where it rides on the bushing).

As I understand it there are zero internal PTU parts available from Ford, except for the leak prone seal. If that is true, I will try to find an aftermarket bushing to work, should bushing failure or poor bushing tolerance be an issue.

[Primetime]

After all of the horror stories I have heard amount multiple problems replacing this seal, I intend to replace mine myself, if lowering fluid level does not stop the seepage.

If I do it, I will do a photo documentation, including using a bore gauge to size the bushing, and using the mic to measure the axle shaft (where it rides on the bushing).

As I understand it there are zero internal PTU parts available from Ford, except for the leak prone seal. If that is true, I will try to find an aftermarket bushing to work, should bushing failure or poor bushing tolerance be an issue.

 

 

Kudos to you! Finally a good do it yourselfer to help the rest of us out. I can't afford to dump the car after the warranty runs out, so I'll most likely be stuck with my leaker for a really long time. I look forward to your progress. Heck you'll probably be the guy that finally finds a permanent solution for this.

[Pete K]

Kudos to you! Finally a good do it yourselfer to help the rest of us out. I can't afford to dump the car after the warranty runs out, so I'll most likely be stuck with my leaker for a really long time. I look forward to your progress. Heck you'll probably be the guy that finally finds a permanent solution for this.

 

I appreciate the vote of confidence!

 

After all of the online research, there still does not appear to be a definite, known cause for this problem. Some feel it may be a tolerance stacking problem. I sure hope that in this day and age, some computer program would not have caught that possibility during R&D.

Although I have never built a transfer case, I have done 500 plus race auto transmissions, so I am confident I can figure it out, once I get inside, assuming the PTU case casting is sound, and machined properly.

Once I figure out the inner diameter of the bore the seal rides in, and the outer diameter of the axle (where it rides in the seal), there is no real reason we cannot try to find a viton seal that will work. Ford or other.

I am assuming a bushing supports the axle shaft, but it could very well be a bearing. If it is a bearing of good quality, there may not be a whole lot we could do with it to improve.

[Sparky]

I appreciate the vote of confidence!

 

After all of the online research, there still does not appear to be a definite, known cause for this problem. Some feel it may be a tolerance stacking problem. I sure hope that in this day and age, some computer program would not have caught that possibility during R&D.

Although I have never built a transfer case, I have done 500 plus race auto transmissions, so I am confident I can figure it out, once I get inside, assuming the PTU case casting is sound, and machined properly.

Once I figure out the inner diameter of the bore the seal rides in, and the outer diameter of the axle (where it rides in the seal), there is no real reason we cannot try to find a viton seal that will work. Ford or other.

I am assuming a bushing supports the axle shaft, but it could very well be a bearing. If it is a bearing of good quality, there may not be a whole lot we could do with it to improve.

I just got my done last Thursday on my 09 LTD and the mechanic told me it has something the do with temperature. There is no problem with them in the summer. The new seals are out for 3 weeks and there has been no returns so far. We will see when it gets really cold, it's been worm lately.