Change Driveline Fluids Early!

[Aonarch]

No EPA fed here bud!

thanks a ton. Would never have thought of alcohol. I have some denatured from recent shower reseal with silicone.

Will take a week between when I change the front diff fluid and doing the T-case.

Perfect and to clarify.

Step 1: rinse out with hot water. Hot water will help break down oils and dislodge gunk.
Step 2: either straight alcohol, or mix alcohol with hot water. Play around with the ratio.
Step 3: hot water rinse
Step 4: dry dry dry, use forced air and shop towels if you can

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[malpais]

This may be a dumb Q, but is the automatic transmission sealed in the Bronco? I noticed I don’t have a transmission dipstick like some older cars.

If not, should the auto trans fluid be changed early as well?

 

[Aonarch]

This may be a dumb Q, but is the automatic transmission sealed in the Bronco? I noticed I don’t have a transmission dipstick like some older cars.

If not, should the auto trans fluid be changed early as well?

There is a dipstick, it is just only accessible right by the transmission. I forgot what side it is on.

Check owners manual for the "official OCI," but personally I like doing drain and fills every 40k.

 

[CarbonSteel]

There is a dipstick, it is just only accessible right by the transmission. I forgot what side it is on.

Check owners manual for the "official OCI," but personally I like doing drain and fills every 40k.

@malpais - Driver's side towards the rear on the upper side. It looks like a large nut.

@malpais (a quick edit):

Here is the level (should be between 4 and 3 on the stick with the transmission at temperature and the engine idling in park):

 

[redone17]

@malpais - Driver's side towards the rear on the upper side. It looks like a large nut.

@malpais (a quick edit):

Here is the level (should be between 4 and 3 on the stick with the transmission at temperature and the engine idling in park):

Which if it’s like the Ranger - it only gets to correct temp (190-200°F) for testing during ambient temps of 70°F+ and driving 10 or so miles above 70 MPH and/or hauling.

 

[Roofus]

Just wanted to chime in here. This thread scared the S out of me. I’m at 23,xxx miles and we were headed out on a 4 day overland last week. So I had tranny and both diffs flushed and filled before we left and they found no metal shavings and all was well. Peace of mind + an oil change cost me a grand. Is what it is. But just fysa your truck might just be fine. But who knows…

 

[CarbonSteel]

Which if it’s like the Ranger - it only gets to correct temp (190-200°F) for testing during ambient temps of 70°F+ and driving 10 or so miles above 70 MPH and/or hauling.

Agree--TBH, I have no idea how you would bring it up to the 206°F - 215°F temperatures the service manual lists. I have never seen my temps hit that even climbing in the mountains.

 

[Ducati1098]

Which if it’s like the Ranger - it only gets to correct temp (190-200°F) for testing during ambient temps of 70°F+ and driving 10 or so miles above 70 MPH and/or hauling.

Agree--TBH, I have no idea how you would bring it up to the 206°F - 215°F temperatures the service manual lists. I have never seen my temps hit that even climbing in the mountains.

Set it a little low, drive until it’s around 180-185, then let it sit and idle. It’ll take a little while, but it’ll get to 200-205 then make a final adjustment

Dumb that they couldn’t give a level reading at a normal/lower temperature

 

[CarbonSteel]

Set it a little low, drive until it’s around 180-185, then let it sit and idle. It’ll take a little while, but it’ll get to 200-205 then make a final adjustment

Dumb that they couldn’t give a level reading at a normal/lower temperature

I know. I have not dived into mine--pretty sure it is going tango uniform. It has repeated the "stuck in second" crap again and now it has a whine that increases with speed.

Something is going--I wish it would either go or throw code so that I can have it replaced.

 

[JediMcMuffin]

Just wanted to chime in here. This thread scared the S out of me. I’m at 23,xxx miles and we were headed out on a 4 day overland last week. So I had tranny and both diffs flushed and filled before we left and they found no metal shavings and all was well. Peace of mind + an oil change cost me a grand. Is what it is. But just fysa your truck might just be fine. But who knows…

Yeah, I've held out as a skeptic here myself. I'm sure some people will see some metal, others won't. The discrepancies between the service interval recommendations are absolutely confusing. My Bronco is a daily driver that hits the trails maybe 5-6 times a year. I'm planning to get mine all flushed between 40 and 45,000.

 

[Ducati1098]

I know. I have not dived into mine--pretty sure it is going tango uniform. It has repeated the "stuck in second" crap again and now it has a whine that increases with speed.

Something is going--I wish it would either go or throw code so that I can have it replaced.

Any abnormal whine noise should be enough to claim low time in service and have it replaced. Unfortunately that all depends on your servicing dealer though.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Any abnormal whine noise should be enough to claim low time in service and have it replaced. Unfortunately that all depends on your servicing dealer though.

I hear you. I have 9600 miles on it and there should not be any whining.

I need to find another dealer, but here in COS, there is only 1--I suppose I could drive it to Denver. I took it in today to have the trailer towing programmed and they could not find any settings in FDRS to do it. They went as far as to say the trailer brake controller module was bad because it did not light up (which it won't without a trailer being attached).

If they can't program the trailer towing package, can they replace a transmission...? Things that make you go hmmmm....

 

[redone17]

Just wanted to chime in here. This thread scared the S out of me. I’m at 23,xxx miles and we were headed out on a 4 day overland last week. So I had tranny and both diffs flushed and filled before we left and they found no metal shavings and all was well. Peace of mind + an oil change cost me a grand. Is what it is. But just fysa your truck might just be fine. But who knows…

Wait…say what…a grand?! That’s like $150 in fluids.

 

[Roofus]

Yeah, I've held out as a skeptic here myself. I'm sure some people will see some metal, others won't. The discrepancies between the service interval recommendations are absolutely confusing. My Bronco is a daily driver that hits the trails maybe 5-6 times a year. I'm planning to get mine all flushed between 40 and 45,000.

Yeah, definitely won’t do it again before 75,000 miles plus. I’m like you 5-6 off-road/camping trips a year. And we’re definitely pretty hard on the truck when we’re out. But I’m thinking this is probably affecting the rock crawling crowd out west more than folks like myself.

 

[Roofus]

Wait…say what…a grand?! That’s like $150 in fluids.

it was outrageous. I would have done it in my garage, but unfortunately, I work out of state and we were leaving for this trip from my work condo rather than our house. So no garage prior to our overland.

To be fair, I just had 8 fillings done for $3,700… So the fluid change was actually quite reasonable by comparison.

just checked my receipt:
Oil change $122
Tranny flush $313
Both diffs $570!!

Looks like labor rate was $160/hr and they certainly did it strictly by the book.

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