Good thing I didn't do this for nothing then. I changed the LH side. It was almost impossible to get the shaft off the center axle. I ended up having to pull the whole thing. Good news... my PTU is full of fluid and while black it's not thick and chewy. Unfortunately I messed up 2 things doing the job. The center shaft's mating to the CV axle was full of rusty brown grease. I bent the seal ring a bit and of course didn't replace the grease because I've never seen it like that... is it supposed to be?

Also finished off the lower ball joint boot, it was already cracking but the joint is still good. I've put a tear in it. Now for the bad news. Some of the noise went away but the wub wub is still there... bearing must be toast too. So probably next week I will have to take it apart again, rent the bearing press and get a new bearing. Supposedly I just have to take off the caliper in addition to what I did today.

ETA: I spun my tires up again on jack stands. The previous noise is gone. I can't get any noise out of the bearing. Maybe tires are cupped... they do feel funny and the newest one is from '11.

Tires replaced and the noise is gone. 2 Fluid changes and fixing the A/C remain. 24MPG, it just keeps building up.

 

You're definitely getting there and by the time you're finished you will be qualified to open your own shop fixing these cars. Which may or may not be a good thing from your perspective - but nobody will ever be able to take it away from you. Rusty brown grease may be OK but you want good stuff in there with molybdenum disulfide. Glad the tires seemed to have fixed the noise. One tough problem with a "battle on many fronts" job like this is separating and isolating the problems so you don't fix what you don't really have to. It looks and sounds like you needed new tires regardless, so you may have killed two birds with one proverbial stone. It can be a journey.

 

Think there isn't supposed to be any grease besides assembly in between the center axle and the right-hand passenger side one (this is outside the boots at the coupler). I watched a few people change the CV on YT and all they do is brush some in for assembly, not fill the entire space with grease.

My P2450 came back. I have now cleaned the fuel filler flap and replaced the purge valve at the front. There is supposed to be a blocking valve somewhere on/near the canister but the service manual says to check the PCED manual which is nowhere to be found. Maybe changed that purge valve for nothing. There goes fixing what you don't have to.

 

Yeah on the PCED manual, I don't have it either and it's as rare as boobies on a dinosaur, apparently.

 

You can purchase 72 hour access to the manuals including PC/ED from Ford/Motorcraft for $21.95, including the following. You have to create a login and pay them and then you get the whole enchilada:

All Vehicle Lines subscription includes the following information:

Workshop Manual
Wiring Diagram Manual (also referred to as EVTMs or Electrical Vacuum Troubleshooting Manuals)
Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) Manual
TSBs('94-Present)
Dealer bulletins for Field Service Actions (Recalls) ('88-Present). These bulletins may be specific to a vehicle's VIN and are targeted for U.S. Dealers and fleets having Ford in-house warranty. Some or all of the provisions specified in these bulletins may not apply to non-U.S. markets.
Access to a downloadable initialization (PATS) information.
Access to the latest calibration information for emission-related modules.
Access to Vehicle Specific Information (available for last 10 model years)
Limited Vehicle Line coverage for 1994-Present model years.

Web Browser and Viewing Requirements:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0 or Greater
SVG viewer must be installed to view Wiring Diagrams

https://www.motorcraftservice.com

 

I might as well buy the paper manual for $10 vs trying to save the relevant info from ford. 3 days they give you a bum deal. The people selling the CDs don't include this manual. With the paper manual I can also scan it and upload it. I really hate paying for information. Goes against my principles.

 

Well, let's not argue about that. I used to agree with you 100% but I'm probably a little older than you now are and I changed my mind about that - at least in part - about a decade ago. Sometimes good information, well-organized and comprehensive information is worth paying for especially in a pinch. But of course it is your choice. I've seen the manuals on eBay and $10 is also a good deal, printed manuals are often easier to use.

 

Compared to honda, all the ford documentation is terrible. The manuals I have seen have been failing those tests, neither good, nor well organized and far from comprehensive. I regret nothing paying the forscan people for instance, but I'd be unhappy with the "service manuals" and I've seen 06, 11 and 09 now. Between them all it's possible to cobble the knowledge together if I had no access to places like this... maybe. If they could I bet they would write "replace engine" as a solution.

It makes me kinda mad enough to sit through scanning 300 pages.

Finally ordered what I need for the trans fluid and some A/C gauges. Thought I saw green liquid on the condenser so I hope it's not that. At least it's only $50+ all that refrigerant to replace. At least I know my compressor works and stays on. This is the first car I actually HAVE to fix the a/c.

 

That's true and fair enough. It really bothers me when service manuals try to make themselves stupid by eliminating theory and pushing people into cul-de-sacs like: "Replace entire assembly." If you've ever worked on some models of big industrial (Japanese) ink jet printers, it's the same way. They dumb down the US versions of the service manuals so that it's almost impossible to fix some major assemblies and have to unbolt them just ship them out. Sometimes it's a weird world we live in. It's one of the reasons I don't (and neither does FTM) like the 2013-2019 Escapes. They went from bad to worse in terms of serviceability. Nice car, maybe, but extremely difficult and costly to work on for some simple things because they are Americanized versions of European cars. Why own a car where you have to remove the doors to take out the dashboard and then spend $1100 in parts alone on a big assembly to fix a $2.00 flap inside? It's a Ford, not a Ferrari.

I've always liked Hondas in general. I'm sure they have mistakes also, but it goes all the way back to my Z-50A. I remember (a long time ago, in the 80's) reading the story of the development of the original 1974 Gold Wing, wherein Soichiro Honda actually threw a big engine component at one of his engineers in a fit of anger because their design made it too difficult to service. I obviously believe strongly in the "right to repair." Sadly a lot of manufacturers around the globe are moving in the other direction fast.

 

They don't care about people. They care about what dealership service departments can do. At their rates, replacing an engine will cost less than rebuilding the old one.

Not to mention that many "assemblies" can only be opened destructively rendering them unrepairable.