1500 Mile break in service

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JTRATX

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I’ve had the opinion that when breaking in a new vehicle that the fluids should be changed at 1500 miles, as I believe after the first 1500 miles the lubricated parts have had enough time to break in.

I have always been one to like Redline products and this truck will be no different.

So my 1500 mile break in service went as follows:

Rear diff
Front diff
Transfer case
Oil change

P/S system: drain/refill the P/S system 3X, spacing out the drain/refill intervals about 200-300 miles so the old/new fluids have enough time to mix together.

Transmission, since the transmission doesn't have a traditional "dip stick" you must go under the truck on the passenger side and remove the "fill/check" plug to refill. It's a pain! The trans will receive the same drain/refill procedure, but I haven’t done this yet as I’m going to buy a new transmission pan that has a drain plug so I don’t have to remove the 20-25 bolts every time I want to drop the pan. A full flush requires special equipment from an auto shop and I don’t want to go that route, so the drain/refill procedure will suffice at this time.

Rear diff:

Remove all the bolts EXCEPT for 2 bolts, then pry the diff cover off and let it drain, see how gray and metal covered the oil is, nasty..

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Clean the diff and cover completely before applying your silicone, I use the black

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Apply the silicone like this and let it sit for 10 minutes or so to get tacky, then put on the diff cover and tighten the bolts, just tighten them very loosly until you see the silicone start to squish out the side then I waited another 5 minutes and tightened another round, you don’t want to crank down on the bolts the first time or you will squish out all the silicone and have zero seal.

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Time to refill, there is a fill plug, take it out and pump in the Redline:

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Front Diff:

Remove the skid plates to gain access to the front diff:

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Now you will see the front diff, it’s located very closely to the steering rack, but when the bolts are removed it will slide out.

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Clean the diff and cover completely before applying your silicone, I use the black

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Application is exactly like the rear diff, bolt on the cover and now time to refill:

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Transfer case:


Remove the skid plate:

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See the drain and fill plugs, drain the fluid and then refill with this:

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Oil change:

Pretty self explanatory, drain the pan, remove the oil filter. For the oil filter there is a trap door on the skid plate to gain access to the oil filter, remove the 4 bolts to gain access then remove the oil filter.

I must say the Ford engineers are pretty brilliant to make a nice little drain so you don’t get oil all over the place when you remove the oil filter. Take a close look at the picture:

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PropDr

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Wholeheartedly agreeing with changing all the fluids on a new vehicle after initial break-in.
But the picture of the rear diff appears to be showing a conventional open deferential?
I understood that It is to be an electronic/electric locking diff…?
 

Vash

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Probably just Ford/Motorcraft BS, but there is an actual transfer case fluid specified for the transfer case and it's a different part number and bottle than the specified ATF. Doing research suggested that the transfer case fluid uses slightly different friction modifiers. I thought of upgrading the transfer case fluid but stuck with the Ford specified t-case fluid out of warranty concerns. Just putting that info out for those who would be concerned. A Ford tech might want to chime in on this.
 

Boss Hoss

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Yes the the trans case uses different fluid than the Tranny. I have replaced all fluids in the truck (drivetrain) with Amsoil. Had to use the tranny machine at the Ford house to take out the Ford oil and replace with Amsoil. Also went with a bigger by 3qt finned tranny pan and the larger finned rear diff cover.

My tranny oil had about 20k and was darker than stock --- it needed to come out imho but I always say that about factory fill lol...
 
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