Hybrid Transmission Drain and Fill @ 61K Miles

[Barracuda340]

I follow the advice from the manufacturer and their engineers who know their product so I will follow the manual and not do any unnecessary or unneeded maintenance prematurely.

I remember when my wife purchased her 2009 Honda CR-V and during a Service Meeting for new owners (got 2 free oil changes) the head of the service department recommended changing the initial oil at 1000 miles. I pointed out that the manual specifically stated "NOT TO DO AN OIL CHANGE before the maintenance minder said so" as it is special oil put in the vehicle to help in maintaining the long life of the engine. The service manager didn't back off and I wonder how many who followed his incorrect advice are now wondering why they have engine problems.

Car manufacturers stretch those intervals out so it looks better for them showing the consumer that their vehicles have lower maintenance costs than competitors do. Anybody who thinks doing an oil change every 10,000 miles on a turbocharged engine is normal needs their head examined. I do my oil and filter changes with ford factory filters @ $7 each, and quaker state full synthetic @ $24 at walmart. And put the truck up on ramps in my driveway to do it. Every 3K to 4K, it gets an oil change. One time I let it go to $5k and changed it. But 10K absolutely not. I will be changing the PTU and RDU gear box fluids in the next few weeks. Will schedule it for a trans fluid flush n fill with my pass points. This will change out the rest of the OEM fluids which may have break in debris in the oils.

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[EchoPear]

Would love to be a fly on the wall when automakers are writing their manuals, and debating on service intervals. I’ve never seen people so against manufacturer suggested service intervals some of these statements seem borderline conspiracy!

I've worked as a mechanic my entire adult life. Please don't listen to this guy if you plan on having this vehicle for a long time.

Do you have any examples you can think of where a customer followed the recommendation from the manufacturer, but it ended up being insufficient and causing issues?

I want to take care of my truck but also don’t want to be overzealous wasting my time and money…

 

[Barracuda340]

Would love to be a fly on the wall when automakers are writing their manuals, and debating on service intervals. I’ve never seen people so against manufacturer suggested service intervals some of these statements seem borderline conspiracy!




Do you have any examples you can think of where a customer followed the recommendation from the manufacturer, but it ended up being insufficient and causing issues?

I want to take care of my truck but also don’t want to be overzealous wasting my time and money…

Then be penny wise, and dollar foolish. When major fluid lubricated components fail hopefully you will have traded it off by then, just in time for the second owner to deal with all the headaches that you now have gifted them, or keep it and deal with them yourself.

 

[scotty]

At 61K miles I decided to do a drain and fill. I watched this video.




Guy in the video said he drained about 7 quarts out so I went and got 7 quarts of QULV at the dealer but only used 3 quarts and 24 oz before fluid started dripping out of the fill hole. So, does the eCVT have nooks and crannies like the traditional trannies where fluid hides?
Anyway, here are some pics.

Old and new fluid.

Drain and fill plugs. No particles on the drain plug.

Also it appears the fluid is cooled in the radiator.

Old fluid

Hey there bobboy. I see the fluid drain in pic. Did you use the same hole to fill the tranny fluid with once the old leaves? Or is that a bad idea? If not where did you fill the tranny fluid at?

Did you use a hand pump to fill the tranny with the new fluid?

 

[BoboysTruck]

Hey there bobboy. I see the fluid drain in pic. Did you use the same hole to fill the tranny fluid with once the old leaves? Or is that a bad idea? If not where did you fill the tranny fluid at?

Did you use a hand pump to fill the tranny with the new fluid?

Fill plug and drain plug are here.
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...-when-received-new-maverick.24064/post-464626
The fill plug is accessible in the driver's side wheel well


I used this pump.
https://a.co/d/cho0nBi

 

[skinnyboy]

Did my transmission fluid today, 52,000 km. Looked in great condition, doing it again I might wait until 80k kms. Drained and refilled almost exactly 4 quarts.

I used a long hose and funnel through the wheel well to refill the transmission. It accepted it fairly slowly, added about 1/2 litre at a time and let it settle.

Not sure about the correct torque on the drain plug being 26 ft. lb. (referred to in an earlier post). Mine was nowhere near that from the factory, I just snugged it up carefully with a 14 mm wrench, still tighter than it came. The threads are vastly different from the drain plug to fill plug. Be careful, a stripped drain plug will suck. Definitely 26 ft. lb. on the fill though.

Cheers.

 

[BlueSpec1]

Not sure about the correct torque on the drain plug being 26 ft. lb. (referred to in an earlier post). Mine was nowhere near that from the factory, I just snugged it up carefully with a 14 mm wrench, still tighter than it came. The threads are vastly different from the drain plug to fill plug. Be careful, a stripped drain plug will suck. Definitely 26 ft. lb. on the fill though.

Cheers.

They do show different torque in the FSM.

3. Remove the drain plug and drain the transmission fluid. Install the drain plug.
Torque : 106 lb.in (12 Nm)

2. Install the transmission fluid leveling plug.
Torque : 26 lb.ft (35 Nm)

 

[skinnyboy]

They do show different torque in the FSM.

3. Remove the drain plug and drain the transmission fluid. Install the drain plug.
Torque : 106 lb.in (12 Nm)

2. Install the transmission fluid leveling plug.
Torque : 26 lb.ft (35 Nm)

Thanks for providing the correct spec.'s, much appreciated!

Anyone doing their trans. fluid please ignore the torque spec. shown in post #21 of this thread and see BlueSpec1's info.

Cheers.

 

[srfdude44]

Then be penny wise, and dollar foolish. When major fluid lubricated components fail hopefully you will have traded it off by then, just in time for the second owner to deal with all the headaches that you now have gifted them, or keep it and deal with them yourself.

RIght on! IF you want to see examples of the BS service intervals from the various factories, just look at all the "lifetime" warranties on trannies. Most of them don't even have a dipstick. If you let a transmission go to 100K without service, well, you're begging trouble. Most non-factory tranny shops, will tell you to change as early as 60K miles if you live and drive in fairly hot weather.
And its not so they can make more money! They will make more if you ignore them until the tranny is toast.

 

[Crash11]

This thread should be saved and used in every college psychology class as the textbook example of self-reenforcing delusion. Anybody who claims the manufacturer recommended service is wrong is just that....wrong. Manufacturers, especially ones like Ford who have over a century of experience, know more than you.

Please go take an SAE class on wet brake/clutch design or transmission design before spouting off things like "the manufacturer inflates their numbers so their maintenance costs seem lower than the competition". Also, please stop quoting your own anecdotal experience as if it speaks for the masses.

You want anecdotal experience.....I once worked with a technician at Eaton in the hydraulics field that had access to their oil analysis department. This is the department that takes oil samples from anyone that is wiling to pay to have their fluid analyzed for breakdown. He ran his engine oil through their oil analysis consistently for several months/years until the spec on the oil had broke down enough to be changed. He said the change interval was something like 5 times that of what is recommended as "common practice". I believe he was changing his engine oil every 25,000 miles.

Transmissions like the planetary CVT in the hybrid Maverick have very little wear and tear. Even a conventional transmission with clutch packs are designed in such a way that fluid break down is rare. They really are designed to last the life of the vehicle, and it's best not to open up the system to air if you don't have to.

Lastly, this whole concept of "oil is cheap, transmissions are expensive" is completely illogical. People who say that are the same ones that say "you get what you pay for" because they have convinced themselves of this no matter what the outcome. Buying oil and changing the fluid over the life of a vehicle may in fact BE just as expensive as a new transmission when you actually compare apples to apples.

I know I'm beating a dead horse here because anyone who disagrees will convince themselves of whatever they need to in order to feel right anyway, but chalk me up as another vote for following the manufacturer's recommendation.

 

[MavMan53]

I own a 2021 BSBL and a 2024 Maverick Lariat and they both have the same 2L eco engine and transmission. After reading the back & forth on the Bronco forum about changing fluids I decided to consult with my dealers service department. At the time I had 29,000 miles on my Bronco Sport and it was due for an oil change. The biggest controversy covered changing the RDU & PTU fluids every 30,000 miles. My service department printed out a paper that had recommended fluid changes. It stated automatic transmission fluid every 30,000 miles. No comments covering RDU & PTU fluids. My advisor recommended I follow the printout. On a side note the printout recommended changing spark plugs at 60,000 miles. I will continue with oil changes every 5,000 miles and ATF every 30,000 miles. My Maverick just passed the 1,000 mark so I have awhile until I deal with service.

 

[Vols44]

I would extract/drain/manually flush the PTU and transmission every 50k miles. If you tow or use AWD a lot 30k miles is prudent. I would do both at those intervals with synthetic 75w-140 for the PTU and Motorcraft Mercon ULV for the transmission.

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