Lexus once offered me a job, part-time, on-call, teaching the shop techies how all these systems work so maybe I should see if Ford might be interested.

Could learn a LOT.

 

Yeah, you could come back here and explain how the FEH really works.

 

For a guy that recommends using gear oil in a unit calling for ATF, I can’t imagine he would have lasted very long at all in whatever job he might have been offered.

The amount of bum dope coming from his posts implies a guy that may have known something awhile ago but that has been totally bypassed in the computer era.

 

Me..?

"Recommended" gear oil...?

ATF is basically hydraulic fluid and since there are no clutches, valve body, nor any "hydraulic" functionality within the CVT I admit I don't understand why ATF would be recommended rather than a good lubricating oil.

But if Ford recommends ATF then I'm sure I would not knowingly recommend otherwise.

"...Bypassed by the computer era...."

More like riding it successfully, HIGHLY successfully, from the very beginning....

 

Strange...

Just searched "gear oil" and wwest and if I found the correct thread it's pretty clear I did not, NEVER, recommended gear oil be used instead of the manufacturer's recommendation. On the other hand while the manufacturer makes very clear that only ATF specific (MERCON XT-2-QDX) to this application be used you state that you substituted Mobil 1 ATF.

A chance I would NOT take. Those windings within the two MGs are likely covered with vanish, or some "like" substance, as insulation and I would want to be sure I wasn't putting the wrong chemical additive in the CVT.

 

Being a retired machine repairman from Ford, I've seen many electically operated clutches. Some have used ATF and others just lube oil. Everything is tagged as to what Ford coded number lube to use.

The FE/FEH 4WD rearend has a solenoid/coil or whatever. Ford specs call for SAE 80W-90 Premium rear axle lube. If exposed to prolonged periods of less than -40F then SAE 75W-140 synthetic rear axle lube is suggested.

 

I believe that TC is limited to below certain speeds, unlike AWD. And TC actually activates the ABS to stop a wheel from spinning, perhaps that is what you meant, I myself don't think of it as controlling torque. AWD applies traction to the rear wheels when the front tires lose traction - the exact opposite of TC, which applies brakes.

But in any case I've not seen anything that indicates that the TC must be off in order to activate AWD, or is that what you meant? I find the post confusing...

 

To my meager knowledge of same gear oil is not as likely to contain corrosive chemicals as would/might ATF, PS fluid, or even engine oils.

 

The question was, and this is where I might have confused the matter, "with TC off will the rear driveline still be coupled in upon the detection of front wheelspin/slip...??"

The only Ford documentation, F/awd theory of operation, indicates that upon front wheelspin/slip detection three functions of TC occur simultaneously, braking of the front slipping wheel(s), ATC, rear drive, coupling "stiffens", and the engine is dethrottled. Personally I would have expected that rear driveline coupling would have been first, maybe along with moderate TC braking of the front wheels, alone, in order to spread the torque to all four. And then if, only if, wheelspin/slip persisted would engine dethrottling follow.

The actual workings, as described by Ford, took me somewhat by surprise until I came to the realization that with FWD and F/awd vehicles extraordinary measures must be taken, QUICKLY and INSTANTLY taken, in order to alleviate/lower the potential for loss of direction control as expeditiously as humanly possible. Basically that means FE/FEH owners do NOT have AWD EXCEPT under acceleration, tight turn at low speed(???) or in the aforementioned situation with the engine FULLY dethrottled.

Personally were I to ever own one, CX-7 being the most probable possibility, I would add a switch in order to have a PART-TIME 4WD system, only to be used when I KNOW the roadbed conitions to be marginal. Basically like the early form of Escape F/4WD.

 

Yes, I believe that TC using the ABS is only below 62MPH. ABS pulses all the wheels, TC pulses selective wheels.

That's a form of full time 4WD not AWD that applies traction to the rear wheels when the front tires lose traction.

AWD can send torque to one single wheel by using TC which uses the ABS system to pulse the brakes on three wheels.

The FEH didn't have TC till '09 therefore, it couldn't be labled as AWD. TC is a modified ABS program. There is also a trailer ant-sway program built into the TC system which can be turned OFF.