Topic: Water in transfer case ...

[justa98tj]

 

Can someone help me? Posted in jeepforum.com. No intelligent responses. Have a '98 TJ with a 2.5 5 speed. Anyway, this past weekend replaced the front differential seal and checked all fluids (front & rear differential, tranny & transfer case).

All were good w/ the exception of the transfer case. A pint of pinkish water came out. No cracks, drain plugs in place & vent tube o.k.

Any thoughts? No water crossings done.

[neale_rs]

The TC uses automatic transmission fluid (ATF) which is usually pink.  Was the level high when you checked?  Did water drain out first and then ATF? Had an emulsion formed?

[sharpxmen]

Can someone help me? Posted in jeepforum.com. No intelligent responses. Have a '98 TJ with a 2.5 5 speed. Anyway, this past weekend replaced the front differential seal and checked all fluids (front & rear differential, tranny & transfer case).

All were good w/ the exception of the transfer case. A pint of pinkish water came out. No cracks, drain plugs in place & vent tube o.k.

Any thoughts? No water crossings done.

pissed off ex-girlfriend poured water in your transfer case - props to her for being mechanically inclined and shame on you for letting her go.

joking aside, what neale_rs said - it's atf fluid, not sure about pink - i'd say it's red-ish but nothing like water though. if everything else is in place like you mentioned can't see a pint of water making it's way in so could be that it's a case of mistaken identity and it's the transmission fluid that you were looking at (i didn't understand if you actually had water and then oil/fluid coming out thru the drain hole).

[justa98tj]

 

No, it was water. What should have been red ATF was a very light pink in color fluid and flowed out like, well, water.

Anyway, drained it, flushed it w/ ATf, filled it, drained it, filled it, drained it & finally filled it. The vent tube was in place. Am wondering if it had ever been changed. (?)

[Jeffy]

No, it was water. What should have been red ATF was a very light pink in color fluid and flowed out like, well, water.

Anyway, drained it, flushed it w/ ATf, filled it, drained it, filled it, drained it & finally filled it. The vent tube was in place. Am wondering if it had ever been changed. (?)

I doubt it's been changed.  If you filled and flushed it once and it's not making any strange noises and works ok then I think you'll be OK.

[sharpxmen]

No, it was water. What should have been red ATF was a very light pink in color fluid and flowed out like, well, water.

Anyway, drained it, flushed it w/ ATf, filled it, drained it, filled it, drained it & finally filled it. The vent tube was in place. Am wondering if it had ever been changed. (?)

THAT IS STRANGE - so there was no oil (atf) at all? did water came out and no oil after that? weird...

[justa98tj]

Well, water flowed out first. Then came the light pink colored fluid. Still engages in 4 wheel high & 4 wheel low. I'm told the transfer case has an impeller that slings the ATF over a fork and chain assembly so fortunately there are no valves or pumps to ruin.

Am now wondering whether hosing out the interior after my kids brought the beach into it after building sand castles may have caused this.

[sharpxmen]

Am now wondering whether hosing out the interior after my kids brought the beach into it after building sand castles may have caused this.

don't see how - the end of the vent tube is in the engine bay and that's the only place it can actually make it in.

[Bounty Hunter]

I'm told the transfer case has an impeller that slings the ATF over a fork and chain assembly so fortunately there are no valves or pumps to ruin.

You were told wrong, there is no 'impeller' (not sure what one actually is) but there is a fluid pump spun by the mainshaft.  The pump is not the first thing to go bad, it's usually the plastic pads on the tips of the two shift forks.  If it shifts ok, you may have caught it in time.

It may be a good idea to have somebody pull the back cover off the transfer case and check the condition of the pads.  If they're worn, they will continue to wear until the shift collars begin to grind into the forks.  This would be harder and costlier to repair than simply replacing the plastic pads.

[justa98tj]

 

O.K., am feeling better. Much better response than that "other" Jeep forum. Thanks for the comments & tips !

[Jeffy]

Keep in mind that with a TJ, the chain is always turning as it is being spun by the front axle so oiling shouldn't be a problem.