It appears that my transfer case is leaking through the gasket at the bolt one or 2 up from the bottom on the passenger side.


At about 35K I changed out the transfer case lube for Mobil 1 ATF. I have 63K on it now.


On friday I noticed the back glass on the topper getting cloudy. The back glass and the tailgate have oil spots all over.


I got underneath, the only place with "wet" oil is right on that bolt head. The underside of the truck from that cross member back is pretty well coated. Thin film coated, not dripping anywhere except at that bolt head. I took a wrench and tried the bolt, it turned about 1/10 turn, wiped it down, and drove some more. It still seems to be leaking. It was wet again after 120 miles. I checked the fluid level, it does not seem to be very low, even though the underside of the truck seems to be coated. Just to be sure, I checked the transmission as well, it is not low, and I don't think that this leak is from the transmission.


Is this common, hard or expensive to fix, something cause by the synthetic ATF?


Thanks,


Bert

No one seemed to have any suggestions, so I took it to a stealer.


At first glance they think it is the "inner pump wearing a hole" described elsewhere on this forum. They could tell me exactly where the leak appeared without first looking underneath.


Now my question is this, will this just happen again, or have they fixed the parts in question (pump, wear cover, case half, etc.).


I'm at 63K, this could happen again at 120K.


Bert

Is it in the T case to tranny joint? If so are the bolts tight?

if the pump wear point is fixed corrrectly, it should not happen again. Some of the pumps were assembled into the transfer case with out the anti rattle clip. If it is missing, I would push hard for some assistance, as it was assembled wrong from the factory.

Thanks,


ockgator,


The leak appears to be right on the gasket or bolt that holds the two halves of the transfer case together. It is nowhere near the transfer case to tranny coupler/adapter.


dmaxalliTech,


I'm sure I will never know if it was assembled correctly from the factory or not. Just as I'm sure that I will never know if they put the missing clip in (if it was missing in the first place) unless it happens again. I will make it a point to ask.


This appears to be the "best" stealer in the area for these trucks, but, last time I had it in I asked them to check the injector balance rates and tell me what they were. It cost me $80 to learn that "they are within specs". While they had it in, and it had 63K on it, I asked them to check the front suspension. I've heard several stories about these things eating pitman arms and the like, and the steering seems to be getting sloppy. They said that those problems went away with the new body style. This is a 2002, it does not have the "horse eye" headlights, isn't that the old body style?

dmaxalliTech,


I get it back tomorrow. They replaced the back half of the transfer case. I asked about the anti rattle clip. Service guy said that he did not know about an anti rattle clip, but that the new case has been adapted so that it would not happen again.


Bert

It only gets better http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley19.gif.


I'm driving back home after picking up the truck. It keeps making these strange "chunk-chunk" noises mixed in with a sound like lightly grinding gears or heavy tin vibrating.


I stop along the interstate, crawl under and look, the bolts holding the driveshaft to the rearend are loose and sticking out about 1/4" http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley3.gif, nice job stealer I was just running 75 mph with a loose driveshaft. I call the wife, wait 45 minutes until she shows up with my toolbox (mean time I have a little discussion on the cell phone with the Service Rep http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley26.gif) and I tighten the bolts and try to get on home. The "chunk-chunk" is gone, but, the intermittent grinding or vibrating sound is still there.


The shifter cable is hanging out in space (the end is connected, this connector is in the middle of the cable), rubbing the cross member, and has an obvious connector that is supposed to mount the cable to something. There is nothing in sight to attach that connector to. It is a plastic push in or snap in connector.


It is going back tomorrow, they get one final chance. Since they forgot the driveshaft bolts and whatever that cable is supposed to attach to, I have to wonder what else is forgotten http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley11.gif.


Any one want to venture a guess as to what this grinding or vibrating sound could be?


This plain sucks http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley35.gif.


Thanks,


Bert

I think I found the source of the intermittent grinding problem. The center carrier bearing (two piece driveshaft in a CCLB) is cocked sideways about a half inch. As I apply power of slow down the natural movement of the driveshaft (as the rearend rolls up and down) makes the shoulder of the driveshaft come in contact with the housing of the carrier bearing. The thing is now leaking oil out the end of the tailshaft. It was bone dry when it first when in there.


The service manager is profusely sorry, says it is some of the shoddiest work he has ever seen, they are "giving it" to a different tech to re-do.


Problem is, I doubt that they will remove and go through the transfer case again. They will only re-do the outside stuff that was forgotten. I wonder what else was forgotten.


Can anyone recommend a good service point in the eastern Metro Denver area?


Bert

Bert,

Can't help you with east metro Denver but I've been going to Century Chevy on 120th in Broomfield. Have had good luck so far.

I have the same transfer case issues. I was lazy getting it in and it eventually lost all its fluid. Now I am looking at over 2k to have a new t-case installed. Funny thing is it never leaked until a certain chevy dealer in Sand Springs, OK serviced it. I mention this cause there is only one chevy dealer in sand springs. They never could fix my SES light it always stays on. There solution was to pop the hood and stare at the engine with a mag light. I guess they were hoping the engine would talk back! If you need a GOOD chevy diesel shop in NE Oklahoma go to Jim Glover Chevrolet. They have some very great diesel techs, that actually fix problems!