Ford Freestyle Lifetime Front Diff fluid, w/Pic!

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JOD

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This is from a 2005 Ford Freestyle, AWD. The driveline is essentially same on the Volvo V/S70, XC70 (maybe 90?). 90K on fluid

2ijmdi.jpg


Ouch...

I don't actually know what fluid was in there originally. Ford now specifies a full synthetic, this one here: http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.co...ansaxle%20Fluid

Interesting, since they also have a 75W90 GL-5 gear oil?

http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.co...ansaxle%20Fluid

However, it specifies this over 75W90 GL-5 specifically for this car's PTU?

My FSM simply specifies GL-5 80W90, and doesn't say it's synthetic. Anyway, I drained out almost all of it and replaced w/M1 LS75W90. Since there was a tiny bit in there--and since I had the wrong size crush washer and had to re-use the old one, I'm going to drive for a bit to clean things up, then drain and fill with the Motorcraft PTU fluid. Unless people tell me that's a total waste of time. It holds 11 oz. and I got out around 9 oz.

The pic doesn't really do justice to how nasty this stuff looked on its way out. I have it sitting around, and it's looking pretty used. That said, there are no metal shavings, and it didn't smell burnt. This has given me new motivation to find that @$%$^#$* fill bolt for the rear differential (also filled with "lifetime fluid").

Who's lifetime are they talking about, anyway??
 
Last edited:
Lifetime meaning powertrain warranty lifetime...

Honda doesn't recommend changing the ATF on the Fit until 60k miles, right when the powertrain warranty is over. The ATF was gross at 18k when it was changed.
 
Agree with others, after 20 years as transmission tech, driveline fluids are mostly overlooked. You should be good to go now, even if there was a little left in there. I would surely do the the other differential though.
 
Yeah, I guess it does seem that "lifetime" means "warranty lifetime"...

It's funny to me that in the days of squeezing out ever MPG (not saying that's a bad thing), things like service life are seemingly over-looked. Ominously, the maintenance schedule which comes with the car abruptly stops at 150K. I guess that's when you're supposed to shoot it!

The bummer is that the manufacturer really doesn't help with information even if you WANT to service it. The instructions for changing the "front diff" (PTU or bevel gear) read like this: "The PTU is lubricated for life and is not be checked unless a leak is suspected. To drain the PTU fluid, the PTU must be removed from the vehicle"

huh??

I understand from a marketing perspective that "maintenance free" is a big selling point. I also understand that if the maintenance were required, a lot of people wouldn't do it, so trying to make it "maintenance free" has its advantages. I don't want to go back to zerk fittings, and I was just whining about doing a valve adjustment on a friend's Honda. I don't hate technology. Still, it would be nice to at least have the option to easily service this stuff...

Fortunately, there's the internet--so I was able to learn the shade-tree way to do this!
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
You don't have to remove it to drain it. You just need to suck out all the fluid from the fill hole.


Yeah, that's what I ended up doing. I actually found the tutorial on a Volvo site.

I know that Volvo America has an official procedure for drilling/trapping the bevel gear. Do you know where they recommend putting the hole (and what size). It actually seems like a better way to go. I was worried I was going to lose a piece of tubing when I pulled it out. Seems I'd gotten it jammed way in there (which you need to do in order to suck out the fluid).
 
FSM specs 80w90 and obviously with the warranty hit Ford has been taking, they finally upped it to a full synthetic 75w90.

PTU in the Escape takes 75w140. I guess that Ford expects the SUV to be worked a little more than the passenger cars.

I wouldn't waste my money on the Ford PTU fluid. Just use a full synthetic 75w90 and make an effort to change it every 2years or 30k, whichever comes 1st.

2yr/30k is the max that I'd recommend for ANY gearbox.

12 ounces of lube isn't going to protect a transfer case much. Lifetime fluid shenanigans all over again. Automakers won't learn until they lose customers.
 
Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
You don't have to remove it to drain it. You just need to suck out all the fluid from the fill hole.


Yeah, that's what I ended up doing. I actually found the tutorial on a Volvo site.

I know that Volvo America has an official procedure for drilling/trapping the bevel gear. Do you know where they recommend putting the hole (and what size). It actually seems like a better way to go. I was worried I was going to lose a piece of tubing when I pulled it out. Seems I'd gotten it jammed way in there (which you need to do in order to suck out the fluid).


I wish I knew what the procedure was. I would have done it when i had the new angle sitting on my counter for a few weeks while I looked for a tech to bribe to do it for me.

I need to do the rear diff and AOC fluid on my Volvo at some point. I bought the new heat shield for the Diff Module, hopefully a $40 shield will save the unknown expensive module from the exhaust the runs an inch away from it.
 
Originally Posted By: tom slick
Lifetime diff fluid in my F-150 was similar.
On a TRUCK?!?!? Lifetime? I'm thinking of changing the tranny, transfercase and at least the rear diff now at 12500km as a post-breakin thing on my new Ranger. I'll have to check my manual again and see if it calls for the same. Either way, I'm doing one early change and if there is no timeline for warranty I'm doing it at least once every couple years. Probably let the front diff ride quite a bit longer as it really only sees regular use in the winter, and even in winter only a quarter of the time. Trucks are heavy to start with, have torquey motors and are designed and most often used to haul and tow heavy loads. Those diff(s) get HOT! Bad idea in a light car nevermind a truck! Mind-boggling.
Originally Posted By: JOD


I understand from a marketing perspective that "maintenance free" is a big selling point. I also understand that if the maintenance were required, a lot of people wouldn't do it, so trying to make it "maintenance free" has its advantages.


Yep your right most folks don't understand their vehicles and don't want to. DIY is out of the question and is of no interest so maintenance is $$$ and like you said, even whats listed in the owners manual is all too often ignored or under-performed. Guys like most of you and me enjoy changing oil and other fluids, spending time under, over, and in our cars and trucks. And maintenance free designs, depending on what part we're talking about may last longer than a "maintenance required" part that is neglected, but nowhere near as long as one that is maintained regularly. Take batteries for example. I always replace sealed maint. free batteries with ones that can be topped up. Every one I've had has outlasted the sealed units they replaced.

Sad to see this, but as long as these "maintenance free" diffs, trannies etc. are serviceable to the DIYer I guess it doesn't matter, folks like us will determine reasonable intervals ourselves and those that treat their vehicles as appliances can have the bliss of ignorance.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal


I wish I knew what the procedure was. I would have done it when i had the new angle sitting on my counter for a few weeks while I looked for a tech to bribe to do it for me.


I talked to a Volvo tech today, after I ended up about 1oz short of AOC fluid I hopped on my bike and bought some really expensive fluid to make sure it was topped up. For the bevel gear, if you have a damper on your model, you remove one of the bolts, then remove the stud bolt and drill in. Re-inserting the stud seals things back up! Instant drain. Pretty slick! Unfortunately the Freestyle doesn't use a damper... Sucking out the fluid wasn't a huge deal though, so no biggie.

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
I need to do the rear diff and AOC fluid on my Volvo at some point. I bought the new heat shield for the Diff Module, hopefully a $40 shield will save the unknown expensive module from the exhaust the runs an inch away from it.


Fortunately, Ford mounted it a little differently, so that the gas tank is on top of it, not the exhaust. That probably cuts down on some of the problems, as does the extra ground clearance keeping things away from the boot/electronics going to the DEM.

I changed the rear diff. and Haldex AOC fluid today. The rear diff fluid was rough, worse than the front. Evidently, it's not synthetic and the bevel gear actually was synthetic. At 90K, there was a good bit of paste on the bottom half of the fill plug, and the fluid was really nasty. The AOC fluid was actually pretty dark, though mostly clear. It was darker than other pics I've seen after a change. I definitely am glad to get that stuff out.

Because of how things are oriented, it was really easy to get the vacuum tubing all the way to the bottom of each unit, so I got out just about all of the fluid in each.
 
Nice dude, very cool!! I still have my toolbox (fully stuffed MATCO double bay with all MATCO and SnapOn tools) at work (Ford dealer, but I do parts) and I need to drop the front and rear suspensions to replace control arms and bushings and dampeners one of these Saturdays, so I will probably just drop the diff housings and replace the fluid and clean everything up while I have everything down.
 
I'm about to change the fluid in my freestle I'm looking for the drain holes on the Haldex unit. Here a picture I took

thank

4619024012_45be07c9a3_b.jpg
 
It's simple there are three bolts at the lower part of the case remove the center one and drill a 6mm (1/4") hole reinstall bolt with thread sealer. You now have a drain plug.

While doing the Haldex fluid you might want to change the filter also Volvo part#30787687.
 
Volvo rear axel oil:
Mineral base SAE 80W
Viscosity 100°C mm²/s 11.3
Viscosity, 40°C mm²/s. 95.4
I use Redline 75W85

Volvo Angel gear fluid:
PAO base SAE 75W90
Viscosity 100°C mm²/s 15.7
Viscosity, 40°C mm²/s. 103.7
 
I just change the differential on mine, the fluid that came out look really clean compare to the picture posted. At 104,000 miles the fluid almost look brand new.
 
Originally Posted By: tangojetta
I just change the differential on mine, the fluid that came out look really clean compare to the picture posted. At 104,000 miles the fluid almost look brand new.


Good to hear. It's entirely possible that mine used dino in the front differential, since it was an early '05 build. I think they changed the spec to a PAO-based synthetic fairly early on, but I have one of the first ones made.

I'll be curious to see how your rear fluids look, along with the filter if you decide to change it.
 
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