$21 electric sunction extractor/transfer pump for transfer case oil changes

hey guys,
just a quick update and improvement to our how-to procedure for transfer case oil change
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123847373-Changing-CX-9-transfer-case-gear-oil-%28photos%29

decided to swap my transfer case oil again after 7500 miles,I swear it's so easy I'm a pro at it now,

honestly, the hardest and most tedious part was pumping in the new fluid, takes almost like 10 minutes of manual pumping until I saw the new oil flow out of the drain hole.

basically if you can change your own engine oil, you can do this very easily.
actually the real reason was so I can play with my new $21 electric sunction extractor/transfer pump

https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)

the thing worked liked a champ!! much faster and cleaner than the sunction gun, with the sunction gun, I had to suction three times and dump three times, very messy, with the electric pump just had to hit the switch and let it run, see video


the amount of old oil sucked out was also about 30% more using the electric pump than the sunction gun,
it almost filled up the whole Poland Spring bottle, I was never able to get that much out both times using the sunction gun.




I hooked up the pump to my emergency jump starter and just ran it off that to power the pump as shown here:





also since this was the third time I did this, I had to add new VC-3 sealant:

Excellent. Great to see the commitment to the process avidien and for posting up all these updates!!

How do you clean the pump? Or do you just leave it as is for the next time?

just_phil said:

How do you clean the pump? Or do you just leave it as is for the next time?

Click to expand...

I just ran the pump a minute by itself after disengaging the suction tube from the transfer case to flush out any residual oil in the pump line, then left it as is for next time, I didn't see any harm just leaving lubricant as is, since it won't rust or clog up the pump.

Great write-up. Very much appreciate the detail, pictures and links to the various tools you used. I just replaced my fluid this morning with the electric pump and it looked just like yours did in your original post. What surprised me is how hot the transfer case itself was even after the exhaust had cooled down completely. I'll definitely be replacing the fluid again before the end of the year.

Lee MD said:

Great write-up. Very much appreciate the detail, pictures and links to the various tools you used. I just replaced my fluid this morning with the electric pump and it looked just like yours did in your original post. What surprised me is how hot the transfer case itself was even after the exhaust had cooled down completely. I'll definitely be replacing the fluid again before the end of the year.

Click to expand...

No problem, glad I can help,
yep the electric pump is a much easier method than the suction gun.
I'm with you, I plan to swap out the oil twice a year.

Just bought a 2015 Touring CX-9. The transfer case still an issue? I've no problem changing the oil, just want to be sure that it's worth the mess and investment.

Thanks!

HawkEye19 said:

Just bought a 2015 Touring CX-9. The transfer case still an issue? I've no problem changing the oil, just want to be sure that it's worth the mess and investment.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

We haven't heard any issues so far with 2014/2015 AWD CX-9s, but it might just be too soon and not enough mileage yet to know,

supposedly there's a newer transfer case p/n AW21-27-500K-9U based on TSB TSB 03-001/12

View attachment 4WD - FRONT TIRES SPINNING.pdf

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123846967-Is-the-Transfer-Case-issue-resolved-or-not

might want to check underneath your vehicle and see how the exterior compares to the old transfer cases and also check your owners manual for the quantity required for the transfer case oil, my 2013 called out for 1/2 a quart which is ridiculously small for this size vehicle. From all the info everyone has gathered it's not a mechanical issue;
the transfer case is mechanically sound, and always the first symptom is burning oil smell followed by little black oil leaks

it's more of a low oil capacity (1/2 quart) issue, not enough oil to make it a lifetime oil,
maybe up to 60,000 miles tops ?? (it's a luck of the draw, some members are lucky and lasted more than that ; some reported leaks before that) if you don't want to depend on luck, it's just better to swap out the oil to be safe,

eventually the oil breaks down due to the low capacity and turns to sludge and the case starts to overheat and oil starts to come out of the vent on top.

a quart of oil costs about only $18, I rather spend that than a whole new transfer case or worse a whole new transmission. so far I have 49,000 miles with no issues, I swapped oil at 38,000 miles.

avidien said:

We haven't heard any issues so far with 2014/2015 AWD CX-9s, but it might just be too soon and not enough mileage yet to know,

supposedly there's a newer transfer case p/n AW21-27-500K-9U based on TSB TSB 03-001/12

View attachment 211207

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123846967-Is-the-Transfer-Case-issue-resolved-or-not

might want to check underneath your vehicle and see how the exterior compares to the old transfer cases and also check your owners manual for the quantity required for the transfer case oil, my 2013 called out for 1/2 a quart which is ridiculously small for this size vehicle. From all the info everyone has gathered it's not a mechanical issue;
the transfer case is mechanically sound, and always the first symptom is burning oil smell followed by little black oil leaks

it's more of a low oil capacity (1/2 quart) issue, not enough oil to make it a lifetime oil,
maybe up to 60,000 miles tops ?? (it's a luck of the draw, some members are lucky and lasted more than that some reported leaks before that) if you don't want to depend on luck, it's just better to swap out the oil to be safe,

eventually the oil breaks down due to the low capacity and turns to sludge and the case starts to overheat and oil starts to come out of the vent on top.

a quart of oil costs about only $18, I rather spend that than a whole new transfer case or worse a whole new transmission. so far I have 49,000 miles with no issues, I swapped oil at 38,000 miles.

Click to expand...

Roger. Sounds like something to keep an eye on for a while. Small enough investment (or paying the local service station) in case it does crop up.

Thanks!

Do you happen to know if the transfer case on a AWD 2008 GT CX 9 is similar to the Ford Edge? I am wondering because after a lot of research on the internet I found a ford edge forum where a guy takes apart the transfer case and explains what he thinks is causing the fluid coming out of the overflow vent. Here is the link. http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/10914-ptu-leak-failures/ I am going to have my transer case drained and refilled first, because i know if i go to the local dealership they will just want to replace the transfer case. I have had no noises or problems with shifting of gears, only the oil coming out of the vent. After I have seen all of the posts about bad transfer cases I am going to give mazda a call and sit on the phone for a while to see if I can get some answers. I have a lot of free time so I will post anything I can find out.

Ford Edge, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX all have the same transfer case as CX-9.

A member here on this forum did some detective work and actually located the letters "FoMoCo" (acronym for Ford Motor Company) on the transfer case casting with BOTH FORD AND MAZDA part numbers:

FORD P/N: 7E53-7251-BP WITH THE MAZDA P/N: AW21-27-500-H9U ETCHED INTO THE HOUSING OF THE TRANSFER-CASE:

see link here: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123831170-Transfer-case-SB-03-005-11



Doing some detective work myself, I'm finding this seems like a common issue among Ford sedans also including Ford Fusion, Taurus X, Lincoln MKS....really can't understand why there's no recall yet???

Google "Ford Fusion, Taurus X, Edge, Flex or Lincoln MKX, MKS transfer case problem", you'll find it's all the same problem: leaking oil.

Just suction out and replace the CX-9 transfer case oil per the procedure in our how to section in this forum and you'll be fine.

I haven't had any issues since swapping out the inferior OEM oil with Royal Purple 75W140 (I swapped oil at around 38,000 miles, now almost 50,000 miles, I'm going to swap again when I reach 55,000 miles)

The transfer case oil should be replaced at 20,000 miles intervals or less.

The heart of the transfer case problem is that the transfer case oil capacity is way undersized for this large size vehicle (about only half a quart !! ridiculously small) and the performance of the OEM oil is subpar.

Eventually the OEM Ford Motorcraft 75W140 oil breaks down and becomes a thick gray sludge, this is well documented online:

http://www.fordflex.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9334

http://www.myfordfreestyle.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5659

The sludge causes the transfer case to overheat and the oil to vent out thru the vent valve on top of the case which makes it look like the transfer case is leaking but really not, it's the drippings coming from the vent valve. You'll only see the black spots on the ground and notice a burning oil smell after a long drive.

The color of the oil is a blackish gray oil leaking upfront underneath between the driver and passenger seat as shown in this thread : http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123825528-HELP-with-LEAK!

Also the oil smells really really bad. If you notice blackish gray oil dripping under your car or burning oil smell after driving, don't ignore it, it's a sign the transfer case is about to go, can either take it to dealer to fix it under warranty or try changing the oil yourself.

Thanks. That is what it looks like underneath the vehicle. My warranty is up so I will not be taking to dealer. From all the stories I have read on this I feel lucky it has not happened to me until after 100,000 miles. I am actually going to file a complaint here https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ because I believe with this many issues it should be addressed by mazda. Thank you for responding. I think the problem has to do with oil being used and a failed component inside of the Transfer case. Maybe the vent or something. I would love to take one apart to further look into it.

bump ..... thanks Avidien for the tip , electric pump worked liked a charm, although only got 1/4 cup of black oil out of the transfer case, I refilled with new Royal Purple, I've driven 400 miles so far, no problems at all, in fact car feels smoother than before and I see an increase in mpg (not much but definitely 1-2 mpg better), I'm going the flush and fill again this weekend, hopefully the sludge will be diluted and I can flush out the sludge this weekend.

Wish the previous owner of my CX9 had taken care of the PTU. My CX9 went into the shop three days after driving it off the lot and so far Mazda has bought a new PTU and transmission.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

W1gfd said:

Wish the previous owner of my CX9 had taken care of the PTU. My CX9 went into the shop three days after driving it off the lot and so far Mazda has bought a new PTU and transmission.

Click to expand...

whoa, good thing Mazda is taking care of you, new PTU and transmission: you're looking at close to $4000 out of pocket, glad Mazda is picking up the tab.

just a friendly recommendation, be attentive with PTU maintenance (change oil every 10K or less miles) once you get your car back
otherwise you'll be in the same boat again and Mazda may not pick up the tab next time.

what were the symptons ? leaking transfer case oil, jumpy transmission ?

my PTU was full of sludge (I only got 1/4 cup of old nasty OEM Motorcraft oil out)
but after I did Avidien's procedure two more times flushing out the old oil with new oil, my car is silky smooth.

Not sure what's going thru Mazda's thought process, they know there's a definite problem with the PTU and the oil needs to have maintenance yet no recall only a warranty extension to 90,000 miles, I guess they're hedging their bet that the oil will last to 90,000 miles then after that it's our problem.

Definitely going to invest in that pump and some Amsoil.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

batmancx said:

Not sure what's going thru Mazda's thought process, they know there's a definite problem with the PTU and the oil needs to have maintenance yet no recall only a warranty extension to 90,000 miles, I guess they're hedging their bet that the oil will last to 90,000 miles then after that it's our problem.

Click to expand...

couldn't agree more,

also, there is no such thing as lifetime oil !! I don't care what Mazda says,

here's my maintenance schedule that's gotten me to ~80,000 miles with no problems:

engine oil: every 6,000 miles
transfer case: every 10,000 mile or less
transmission fluid: every 30,000 miles or less
rear differential oil: every 30,000 miles or less
coolant flush: every 30,000 miles or less

Thanks for the write-up!
Now that I had the evaporator issue taken care of......I hope!....I'm thinking of doing this next. I now have the pump and thread sealant, I just need to purchase the 75W140 lube.

I had all of the transmission related service done 4 1/2 years ago when the 9 had almost 85K miles on it; transmission flush & refill, Transfer Case and Rear Differential Service. But now that I'm looking at the paperwork from that service (performed at a Mazda dealership) it's interesting, and perhaps a bit concerning that they list 2 quarts of 75W90 Synthetic Lube.....and no 75W140. I'll assume 75W90 in place of 80W90 is probably not a big deal, but instead of 75W140?!?!?!? I (or my Pop) have had no issues with it, and there haven't been any leaks, but I wonder if the tech really used the wrong lube and what potentially could have happened over the past 49K miles.....yikes! I assume after 4 1/2 years, I wouldn't have much of a case if it crapped-out now. It will be interesting to see what I pull out of the unit.

4wardmotion said:

......... I'm looking at the paperwork from that service (performed at a Mazda dealership) it's interesting, and perhaps a bit concerning that they list 2 quarts of 75W90 Synthetic Lube.....and no 75W140

Click to expand...

4wardmotion,

are you sure they serviced the transfer case ? how much did they charge ?
I'm just asking because it's not a standard service and I must have asked at least 5 local dealerships
and every one of them said the transfer case is sealed and couldn't be done.

see pictures below from 2015 owner's manual : rear differential is 80W90, so 75W90 is still ok for the rear differential,
notice the owner's manual lists 1.1 quart for the rear differential.

so you're reading the invoice that they did BOTH the transfer case AND rear differential using the same 75W90 fluid ?
it will definitely be interesting to see what you pump out of the transfer case, post some pictures if you can.

transfer case is 75W140 which is different from the rear differential 80W90,

Mazda still lists only 1/2 liter of transfer case oil capacity (way too little for this size vehicle) that's no way enough for lifetime oil.
It doesn't look like they updated the transfer case with bigger oil capacity from previous years, still the same.

link to 2015 CX-9 owner's manual : https://carmanuals2.com/d/30321

To be honest, it's been too long for me to remember what I specifically asked them to service, but I know I wanted them to take care of both the transmission fluid and the rear differential. I really don't know if I also asked for the transfer case fluid to be changed or not, but....

The Service invoice specifically states:
"Customer requests Transfer Case and Drive Axle Service".
"Memo - Tech drained and filled transfer case and front and rear diff assemblies."
2 quarts of 75W90SYN G/Lube are listed @ $11.20 each for a total of $22.40
Labor charges were $123.55
Is there also a 'front differential' or is this another term used for the transfer case? If so, maybe that explains why 2 quarts are listed instead of 1.

The Transmission service portion, entered on a separate entry was $179.00 - total, for fluid, transmission kit, and labor. I do remember that this dealership was one of the more reasonably priced for this service.

I'll definitely take pics of what I find when I change it.

Regarding the stubby wrench you used. Do you think the right size Allen wrench would work just as well?