Brodden01

I started to change mine today. I plan on changing all of my fluids as soon as FedEx decides to deliver my packages. They are scheduled to be delivered today but they are sitting at a facility on Ohio. I live in Oklahoma.

Today I decided to go and get some gear oil and change it once. I only got about a quart out because it was very cold and wasn't pumping very well. I will have to try it on a warm day. Maybe even drive it in 4x4 so it will warm up. But I think I will keep changing it and refilling it a few times until it looks better

2013_XLT

how many miles on that fluid?

Brodden01

I don't know. I changed the rear diff fluid yesterday and it was definitely not original so I do not know if it has been changed or not. I have only used 4x4 a handful of times. I plan on changing the front diff a few times to try and get as much of that out as possible. I need to wait until it gets warmer so it will be easier to get the fluid out.

2013_XLT

how many miles on the truck? how did you know that the rear fluid was not original?

Augster

Been watching this thread out of concern with having condensation in my front axle but when researching getting the cover off, I came across this video and at the 5:30 minute mark he mentions that front axles that have never had the oil changed out come out yellowish, seen on many YouTube videos, due to the dye used at the factory when setting the wear pattern:


If this is indeed the cause, then It appears that many stealership service centers are not aware of this and start reaching for conclusions, the easiest of which is that it's due to condensation.

2013_XLT

i don't doubt for a second that most dealers have no clue what they are doing or talking about on this subject and most grasp for anything they can come up with. the one that did mine actually told me that someone must have changed the gear oil out on their own, which seems kinda stupid when you think about it. my truck was leased for the first 3 years and covered by the factory warranty for just about any repair, front diff included. i highly doubt anyone who had leased a brand new vehicle would be taking it to an independent shop for a front diff fluid change when they could drop it off at the dealer and have any problems fixed for free, and get a free loaner. the actual ford rep (not the dealer rep) researched my vin and there was no record of any dealer-performed work on my front diff, axle or anything else in that area.

fwiw mine was white, not yellow. looked like, and had the consistency or, a melted milk shake.

nethole

Adding to the. I was just told there was water in my front diff. Club

never submerged. , single owner... not at a ford dealership from ani dependent shop

[F2C]MaDMaXX

I'll put my experience in here too - 86k miles, i'm the second owner, i do not believe the diff oils were changed, though the tcase was done around 60k.

Front diff bearing was causing a lot of noise, i had vacuum extracted fairly extraneously and refilled with new Motorcraft fluid about two weeks and less than 50 miles before they pulled the diff and rebuilt it.
Fluid came out with the yellow marker per other posts and the various videos of this, but was mostly grey - Mechanic i had do the diff work is experienced with 4x4 and do their own builds etc. he said the diff oil looked bad, grey and old looking, so despite the new oil after my best attempts at extracting the old stuff, what was left still turned the near 2qts looking grey and worn again.

Final FYI here, mine has 4a, so the front diff is always turning under "fluid wash" affect from the clutch in the tcase, so it apparently doesn't help this problem to run the front diff.


Initial run, presumably the marker

What i assume is the water/containment mix

Final mix after drain

Brodden01

I used a pneumatic brake bleeder to pump it out s couple of times. Looks a lot better now.

Also my truck has 115k miles and I know the rear diff fluid was changed because it didn't look like 115k mile fluid, it looked about 30k or less. Front might have been changed because there was RTV on the fill plug for the front and rear differentials.

[F2C]MaDMaXX

That looks like the same extractor i used.
Did you drain it, fill it, drain it again?

As mine diff was pulled out and the service kit installed, i know it's clean in there right now (not the case the first time i drained it apparently) however i missed the opportunity to have the mechanic install a drain plug - i'll have him do that maybe 20k miles if the truck is still alive
It does make me wonder about just the extraction method, seems like you'd need to drain, fill, drive, drain fill again at least, that thing is filthy and really holds onto the crap.