Amsoil SVG 75w85 in 2019 Edge ST PTU?

B

boostedoil

Joined
Oct 8, 2025
Messages
9
The <2017 Ford Edge Sport PTU calls for 75w140

The >2019 Ford Edge ST PTU calls for 75w85.

I've changed my fluid once at around 35k with the Ford 75w85 fluid but am looking to try the Amsoil SVG if it could help keep PTU temps down? Car is a little over 40k miles now and with the factory warranty out I'd like to do what I can, at least from a maintenance and fluid standpoint, to keep everything working as it should for as long as it can.

Should I stick with what the service manual calls for first, which is 75w85 (and not go to a 90w or higher?) And when I swap it over should I drive it a few miles and flush it again so its closer to 1 fluid type? My PTU doesn't have a drain plug so I get to suction it out or pop the PTU cooler off to drain, its much less than ideal :)
 
boostedoil said:
The <2017 Ford Edge Sport PTU calls for 75w140

The >2019 Ford Edge ST PTU calls for 75w85.

I've changed my fluid once at around 35k with the Ford 75w85 fluid but am looking to try the Amsoil SVG if it could help keep PTU temps down? Car is a little over 40k miles now and with the factory warranty out I'd like to do what I can, at least from a maintenance and fluid standpoint, to keep everything working as it should for as long as it can.

Should I stick with what the service manual calls for first, which is 75w85 (and not go to a 90w or higher?) And when I swap it over should I drive it a few miles and flush it again so its closer to 1 fluid type? My PTU doesn't have a drain plug so I get to suction it out or pop the PTU cooler off to drain, its much less than ideal :)
Click to expand...
Perhaps some of these may help:

W

Thread 'Amsoil SVG 75W-140-Ford PTU'

My wife bought a new 2017 Explorer in Feb 2017. Afterwards I started reading and seeing videos of the PTU and it's abuse of the gear oil. This appears to be because the PTU only holds ~13-18 oz of 75W-140 gear oil and is surrounded by major heat sources, especially in the 3.5 EB. Of course Ford says it's a "lifetime fluid" and not to change it
crazy2.gif
. Plus it's a real challenge to change it in the 3.5 V-6, no drain plug. Luckily our Explorer is the 2.3 EB and the PTU holds 23.7 oz and has a drain plug. In addition being a 4 cylinder...
M

Thread 'Power Transfer Unit (PTU)- 75W-140 recommendations'

I did a search on BITOG and couldn't find anything using the search feature, so I thought I'd ask.

Ford uses a Power Transfer Unit (PTU) on its AWD vehicles, like the Taurus SHO and Explorer Sport. The owner's manual specifies 75W-140 synthetic gear oil, with a severe duty change interval of 60,000 miles. Doing a Google search will show a lot of frustrated owners with busted PTU's ranging from 20k miles to 60k miles. Some tear down pics show the fluid completely sludged up.

The fill capacity is about 1 quart, and the PTU consists of some bearings and helical cut gears, kind of like a...
A

Thread 'Gear Oil Break-In Recommendations for New Ford PTU'

I'm doing a bunch of work on my 2010 Ford Flex Ecoboost. One of the new parts I'm installing is a brand new PTU. The new unit comes from the factory pre-filled with Motorcraft 75w-140 synthetic gear oil. This oil is known to break down and turn to a thick gloppy grease due to overheating when the PTU gear oil is not properly maintained even though Ford claims it's a "lifetime" fill. My old PTU was still functioning at 150k miles, but had quite a bit of output shaft play from wear despite fluid exchanges starting at about 60k miles. I have used the Motorcraft, Mobil 1 and Amsoil SG oils in...
M

Thread 'Ford PTU's and Oil choices'

I have a 2016 Ford Explorer Limited with the 3.5 NA v6. I need to change my PTU fluid. It calls for 75w140 but due to the huge heat load and small filling capacity of this unit I was wondering if you guy would advise using something different. Maybe a synthetic 80w140 or even Redline Lightweight Shock proof? The unit is known to hit 250-290F temps. I plan to change the fluid every 25k miles.
W

Thread 'Amsoil vs Motorcraft gear oil'

We have a 2017 4WD 2.3 EB Explorer. We intend to keep it 10+ years as we do all our vehicles. The PTU, Ford's new style transfer case, requires synthetic 75W-140 gear oil and the RDU, rear differential specs 80W-90 non synthetic gear oil. Both are Motorcraft gear oils and both are "Life Time" fills supposedly. From what I've seen the PTU can turn the Motorcraft synthetic 75W-140 into black cake in as little as 30,000 miles or less rendering the PTU unit useless and broken. For long term life I've always changed the rear diff in the past, at least by 30,000 miles with synthetic gear oil...
F

Thread 'Best axle fluid for Ford AWD PTU'

In summery ford withdrew its "Lifetime Fill" for their PTU's in the ford edge, taurus, explorer, and lincoln variants.

I noticed a lot of people syphon the fluid out and it is a dark burnt grey color even at 30k.

I'd like to stick with 30k intervals on my taurus, what is the best fluid to use, obvisoly not motorcraft 75w-140 if its that black coming out......
R

Thread 'Fluid for Ford Edge PTU'

My PTU's vent is plugged and the OEM oil has turned to sludge. What is the recommended replacement fluid? I was thinking of Mobil 1 75W-140.
M

Thread '2016 Ford Edge 6F35 fluid change'

A few weeks ago I did a fluid change (drain/fill) on our 2016 edge. It has 135,000 miles and I’m sure it’s never been serviced. We bought it used in 2018 with 93,000 miles.

The fluid looked terrible. Some of this I’m sure can be attributed to Mercon LV which just always looks terrible, but beyond that it still just looked terrible.



I did 3 drain/fill cycles. Drove it several miles in between Drains to circulate the new fluid.

First drain got me about 3 quarts, subsequent drains were about 3.5 as the fluid warmed up. (First drain was stone cold, video and pictures...

M

Thread 'Ford AWD PTU lubricant change - first time in 100K miles'

This may have been posted, but I thought I would take a crack and see if I had anyone out there who can give me a solid answer. I am changing the PTU fluid in my new to me 2011 Ford Edge. For those not familiar this is a huge engineering error. They shrouded the AWD PTU in heat (exhaust, Catalytic, transmission) then didn't put a drain plug in and called the minimal fluid "good for life" with the only access is an inaccessible fill plug. So from what I have researched the way to handel this is try and get the fill plug off and use a suction device to get the old 75W140 out and replace it...
FordSVTGuy

Thread 'Ford Explorer PTU - Royal Purple 75w-140'

Hi BITOGERs. Wondering if anyone knows if it is okay to use Royal Purple Synyhetic gear oil in the PTU on my 17 Ford Explorer XLT? I found an unopened bottle in my oil stash and it's the right weight for the job, but it says it has friction modifiers in it already. I couldn't find anything either way regarding whether or not friction modifiers are okay for the PTU. I'm at 35,000 miles and heard that it's best to swap the gear oil in these early.
 
The thing is, the FSM calls for 75w140 in those applications. In the 2019 ST it calls for 75w85. Should I stick with what it calls, has anyone tried a 75w90 or higher?
 
This thread was timely.

I changed the gear lube in the transfer case of my 2006 Suzuki GV today. It was very easy, 1.3 qt. Mobil 1 75W-90, drain and fill. It replaced some Amsoil I changed ~50K ago. Meanwhile my 2018 Edge with the 3.5 and its notorious PTU was loitering in the garage. It was changed @45K at the local Ford dealer with their recommended Motorcraft lube. Car now with 56K. Since I don't have a lift and the transfer case exchange is more vexing than college calculus, the dealer option is all their is. Every 30K seems excessive but a new PTU is very $$.

I've decided given this otherwise excellent vehicle is blighted with a suicidal internal chain driven water pump and a PTU baked daily like a slab of Memphis ribs, it will be traded sooner than later. There is no earthly excuse for this engineering malfeasance.

I said before, this is my final Ford.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
boostedoil said:
The thing is, the FSM calls for 75w140 in those applications. In the 2019 ST it calls for 75w85. Should I stick with what it calls, has anyone tried a 75w90 or higher?
Click to expand...
Thinner oils will transfer heat more quickly. If FSM says 75w85, I wouldn’t go thicker if you’re interested in keeping temps as low as possible. 75w140 will raise temps relative to 75w85.

SVG is an excellent fluid, as is another 3-letter moniker familiar to this board if you’re so inclined.
 
boostedoil said:
The <2017 Ford Edge Sport PTU calls for 75w140

The >2019 Ford Edge ST PTU calls for 75w85.

I've changed my fluid once at around 35k with the Ford 75w85 fluid but am looking to try the Amsoil SVG if it could help keep PTU temps down? Car is a little over 40k miles now and with the factory warranty out I'd like to do what I can, at least from a maintenance and fluid standpoint, to keep everything working as it should for as long as it can.

Should I stick with what the service manual calls for first, which is 75w85 (and not go to a 90w or higher?) And when I swap it over should I drive it a few miles and flush it again so its closer to 1 fluid type? My PTU doesn't have a drain plug so I get to suction it out or pop the PTU cooler off to drain, its much less than ideal :)
Click to expand...
What did the oil look like when you changed it at 35k? Some owners have complained that since the PTU is so close to the exhaust system, the oil gets burnt and oxidized quickly.

A 75W85 offers little advantage over a 75W90 except for fleet mpg figures. It may run a fraction cooler, but most likely the difference cannot be measured without an accurate sensor.

If they changed the internal PTU design and repositioned the PTU to cope with the exhaust heat, then stay with the 75W85 if it was not burnt.
 
MolaKule said:
What did the oil look like when you changed it at 35k? Some owners have complained that since the PTU is so close to the exhaust system, the oil gets burnt and oxidized quickly.

A 75W85 offers little advantage over a 75W90 except for fleet mpg figures. It may run a fraction cooler, but most likely the difference cannot be measured without an accurate sensor.

If they changed the internal PTU design and repositioned the PTU to cope with the exhaust heat, then stay with the 75W85 if it was not burnt.
Click to expand...
Had a 2015 - wrapped header tape around the exhaust pipe …
 
MolaKule said:
What did the oil look like when you changed it at 35k? Some owners have complained that since the PTU is so close to the exhaust system, the oil gets burnt and oxidized quickly.
Click to expand...
I don't think it looked terrible, but I don't pretend to know much. I attached some pics from when I changed it. It still looked a little amber I thought and was definitely not caked, gummy, tar-goo, etc. This PTU is coolant cooled (if 200* cooling is a thing idk), with no drain plug of course.

PXL_20250410_192305765.webp


PXL_20250410_192239964.webp


PXL_20250410_192117856.webp
 
boostedoil said:
I don't think it looked terrible, but I don't pretend to know much. I attached some pics from when I changed it. It still looked a little amber I thought and was definitely not caked, gummy, tar-goo, etc. This PTU is coolant cooled (if 200* cooling is a thing idk), with no drain plug of course.

View attachment 304114

View attachment 304115

View attachment 304116
Click to expand...
Since its coolant cooled, I'd stay with the 75W85 and change it every 35k since you have a system for changing it.
 
Sucks Ford has been saving a few beans with no drain plug. I was not aware that Ford was using coolant to moderate PTU temps.

That PTU fluid looks pretty good with the extra auxiliary cooler.
 
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