Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Decided to check diffs and T/case oil today as I am off to City View over the weekend.

The Transfer Case was dry! I had he seals replaced in April by a Gearbox Shop, looks like they left the oil out! I've done 8,000km since then, but only one 4WD outing.

I'm only guessing, but I think in 2WD, the drive is straight though, so the lack of oil is probably not that much of an issue, but could it explain why a few weeks ago at Levuka (a week after 5 inches of rain), my 4 speed auto could not put enough power to the ground up a slippery, muddy hill to turn or spin the swampers?

Hmm. I wonder what damage that did to the auto which was reconditioned by the same mob in March?

Any thoughts/feedback appreciated. What appraoch should I take when I front the repairer?

Answered on Zookers site

The auto's lubrication/fluid system is completely separate from the transfer so I can't see there being any possible auto damage.

However I wouldn't take your transfer case even for free.

IMO your going to have a fight on your hands, proving they left the oil out.

But good luck anyway..

Thanks for the feedback guys.

You'd think if you dropped a litre of oil, there would be a few stains in the driveway...

MightyMouse, I'm sure its a perfectly good t'case , but once rebuilt, I wont' be giving it away, I was thinking that if the tranny was spinning and the t/case was not, the tranny might be a bit stressed... anyway, that scenario explains why I was making no headway...

Fight is OK, I have plenty of witnesses, 10 cars in the convoy, and I was holding most of them up...

You can get some cheap second hand tcases if you have a look around.

have you considered just doing a swap? A rebuild might be perfect, but if theres wear on the shafts etc could end up $$$

Without knowing you exact situation - its just a suggestion.

As per Mightymouses comment - lots of Vitara transfers get discarded when people do Vitara conversions into sierras etc.

They are effectively worthless- I've seen them for $80 - and the last vitara gearbox bought commercially I am aware of came with a "free" transfer case - the wrecker didn't want the case back.

You could spend big $$$ on your case, or swap in a fresh 2nd hand case for next to nothing and know it was good.

I would be worried about accelerated gear wear if you have worn into the case hardening on the gears, the shafts will be toast..... a rebuild will be many times dearer than a replacement case.

Steve.

rodw wrote:Decided to check diffs and T/case oil today as I am off to City View over the weekend.

but could it explain why a few weeks ago at Levuka (a week after 5 inches of rain), my 4 speed auto could not put enough power to the ground up a slippery, muddy hill to turn or spin the swampers?

Hmm. I wonder what damage that did to the auto which was reconditioned by the same mob in March?

What appraoch should I take when I front the repairer?

I am asuming they put the proper oil in your auto then because if the same mob didnt put oil in your transfer who knows what they put in your auto for it to lose power like that
as for the repairer- have you put oil in the T/C since. If so--- your probably sh^t out of luck with them giving you some sort of compensation for there dogy work

Danzo wrote:

rodw wrote:Decided to check diffs and T/case oil today as I am off to City View over the weekend.

but could it explain why a few weeks ago at Levuka (a week after 5 inches of rain), my 4 speed auto could not put enough power to the ground up a slippery, muddy hill to turn or spin the swampers?

Hmm. I wonder what damage that did to the auto which was reconditioned by the same mob in March?

What appraoch should I take when I front the repairer?

I am asuming they put the proper oil in your auto then because if the same mob didnt put oil in your transfer who knows what they put in your auto for it to lose power like that
as for the repairer- have you put oil in the T/C since. If so--- your probably sh^t out of luck with them giving you some sort of compensation for there dogy work

Some joined transfer/gearboxs i think run a common oil lubrication so maybe thats where they mucked up.

Would be VERY surprised is any auto shared its fluid with a transfer case.

Certainly not an AW4.

Got any examples ?

not totally sure but think some cruiser ones do or this may be due to the internal seals dieing and allowing it to leak through.

Not zook ones thou that i have heard.

This is common with manuals but not with autos. ATF makes terrible gear (and even worse synchro) lubricant.

Steve.

Gwagensteve wrote:This is common with manuals but not with autos. ATF makes terrible gear (and even worse synchro) lubricant.

Steve.

ahhh thx for that. does make sense.

MightyMouse wrote:Would be VERY surprised is any auto shared its fluid with a transfer case.

Certainly not an AW4.

Got any examples ?

I dont know of many that actually "share" Auto Trans fluid but I know of at least 3 or 4 T\cases that use ATF as their lubricant.
And with the number of dumb things I have seen mechanics do I dont doubt that they may have thought it would share fluid.

Only chain drive transfers. NP 231/241 series spring to mind- I think the full time versions specify Dexron. I'm not aware of any gear drive transfers that take ATF, or any that share fluid with the auto- autos are very finicky about fluid quality and level.

Steve.