Transfer Case Question

mrb91gsx · May 7, 2004

Ok, many of you know i was having clutch issues. Well i tightened everything up, adjusted the clutch pedal, car ran great for 2 days. Yesterday it started chattering in first gear viloently. Well i just let it into gear easily, and on my way i went drove fine. Today im leaving work, all the sudden the car feels like the clutch is slipping (reving high, going hardly anywhere.) Well i look underneath and see oil coming from the back area of the tranny housing. I dont mean a little oil, i mean a lot of oil. I havent even got the car towed home yet, but from what im hearing, the only thing i know it might be off hand is the transfer case recall issue (if im lucky) or a center diff. Anyone else have any other clues for me while im searching through millions of post?

PhoenixRPR · May 7, 2004

Doesn't sound like the t-case issue to me. I've gone through that myself. Tht-case would lock up on you and make very loud clanking sounds when the car moves. The leak wouldn't be severe, and it would be located where the u-joint of the driveshaft hooks up to the t-case yoke sleeve. But, regarding your problem, I don't know where that oil is coming from. Have you checked under the timing covers?

mrb91gsx · May 7, 2004

Its hard to say. Its no where near the timing belt. Its actaually coming from the tranny housing/transfer case area.

The car rolls fine, but the clutch is slipping. It was just chattering violently and this is a substantial amount of oil.

BUCK · May 7, 2004

Oil there could = Rear Main Bearing Seal.

mrb91gsx · May 7, 2004

If thats the case, would it drain into the bell housing causing the clutch to slip?

Ive been looking at exploded diagrams of the tranny, and im just tyring to put this puzzle together in my mind. Ive climbed under the car, but its so substantial that its hard to tell exactly where its coming from.

Also. THIS IS PERFECTLY CLEAN OIL.

mrb91gsx · May 7, 2004

Anyone else have any ideas or similar situations?

The car has been towed to the house. i'll start playing with it tomorrow, but until then, any suggestions are happily welcomed. :thumb:

1fast97gsx · May 7, 2004

it's prolly the rear main seal. It's leaking and oil is getting into the clutch and causing it to slip.

mrb91gsx · May 7, 2004

I thought the same thing at first but this oil is perfectly clean. A rear main seal would leave a darkened oil. I do appreciate the answer though.

BUCK · May 8, 2004

Clear Oil sounds like GEAR OIL> Tranny Seal.

mrb91gsx · May 8, 2004

Im kind of hoping thats what it is. I'll start working on it about 4 today when i get home. Any tips on pulling it? Thanks. Mike

fivestardsm · May 8, 2004

Hope that it is a seal. There is apossibility that since you felt a violent shake that it could be the center diff pin exploded. I just changed a tranny because of that. It came through the housing and made the tranny shake. so inspect it good.

Steve. :talon:

mrb91gsx · May 8, 2004

Thats exactly what im afraid of. I just printed out the VFAQ for the awd clutch install. Might pull it out this weekend. When your center diff broke, did it chatter bad before it happened? I know in a lot of fwd's with open diff's when it breaks, it will chatter hard right before. Thanks for the input.

fivestardsm · May 8, 2004

The one that I just replaced was another kids, Just from what he told me, yes. I did have one go out of a front wheel drive, and it didn't. it just popped out of 5th while going 95mph passing a line of traffic. I would do a very thurough inspection. Look for exactly where the leak may be. It could have broke on the inside of the bellhousing, or on the out side of the case. Look for the outside first, it could be like was said, an axle seal. If you dont see it on the out side, pull your x-case and go from there. And also, pull the drain plug on the transfer and check to see if there is any fluid. also look for shavings. It should be refilled with synchromesh or equvilent any ways.

Steve. :talon:

mrb91gsx · May 8, 2004

Im actually going to pull the transfer case, the tranny anyhow. If its got to the point where the clutch was slipping, its either fried or saturated with gear oil, so i'll be replacing the clutch, pp, tob, and flywheel anyhow. It may be down for a while, in fact im also considering just going ahead and pulling it off the street anyhow. We'll see. Just depends really on what i find by pulling the tranny out.

mrb91gsx · May 8, 2004

UPDATE:

ok so heres where im at. I drained the transfer case. It was full. (right at 1/2 qt.)
Drained the tranny oil. It was down to 1qt.

(Its hard to see the axle seal, so i cant tell if thats where the oil is coming from. Without the inspection plate i can feel the bottom of the bellhousing, and it doesnt feel wet, although there is sut in there. Im thinking it might be the rear axle seal.

ALSO, it always seemed to leak way more when i went around a corner by looking at the 4 corners around my shop OMG

so im thinking it has to be that seal or something, but can that seal leak and make the clutch slip? It just doesnt seem realistic to me.

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