Fixing the leaks....

[2500avalanche]

So, I was under my truck buttoning up the new tranny pan, and i looked around.
I see that my transfer case is leaking (where it was before - between the halfs) and now at teh front where the prop shaft goes in. Like the flange area.
So, I figure I will take the transfer case out, and replace the gaskets. While out I will do the DaveP coupler test, but I think that it is fine.
I was looking up old posts, and I have the gasket # from GM but for all the gaskets on teh transfer case, would this kit cover it?
http://cobratransmission.com/bw4472-gasket-and-seal-kit-55005040-1
http://www.syty.net/forums/showthread.php?t=67306&highlight=transfer+case+gasket

Any hints would be great. Also, to remove the transfer case, I need to remove the transmission crossmember it rests on, or not? Also since I removed all the transmission fluid from the tranny (didnt fill it up yet). Will there be any fluid leaking from the tranny when I remove the transfer case?


I need to fix these leaks as they are Driving me crazy. ANy and all hints are greatly appreciated!

 

[Priceless]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

I just did this last night when i rebuilt my Transfer case.

I used this one:
http://cobratransmission.com/bw-1372-bw-4472-gasket-and-seal-kit-55005003-1

Worked fine. Came with an extra seal which i think is for different front output shafts.

Removing the TC is easy. You will have to remove the transmission mount to get the bottom bolt. Total of 5. Dont forget the brace bolts above the front prop shaft. You do not need to remove any cross members.

Also drain the transmission. Or hopefully you havent filled it up yet.

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

I just did this last night when i rebuilt my Transfer case.

I used this one:
http://cobratransmission.com/bw-1372-bw-4472-gasket-and-seal-kit-55005003-1

Worked fine. Came with an extra seal which i think is for different front output shafts.

Removing the TC is easy. You will have to remove the transmission mount to get the bottom bolt. Total of 5. Dont forget the brace bolts above the front prop shaft. You do not need to remove any cross members.

Also drain the transmission. Or hopefully you havent filled it up yet.

Great!Thank you. Did you have to remove the tranny crossmember?

 

[Priceless]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

No i didnt have to remove the transmission crossmember. The TC will come out, you will have to rotate it a little. It weighs a little over 70 lbs so a jack will help.

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

No i didnt have to remove the transmission crossmember. The TC will come out, you will have to rotate it a little. It weighs a little over 70 lbs so a jack will help.

thank you. For the tranny mount that you have to remove, just brace teh tranny up while you unbolt it? Thanks, and sorry for the questions!

 

[Priceless]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

What i did was jack up/ support the Transfer case since its attached to the trans. Remove the trans mount and remove the bottom bolt first off the Transfer case. Once its removed put the trans mount back in. Not bolted all the way of course so the transmission is supported when you get the rest of the transfer case bolts out.

It took me about an 1 1/2 hours to get the transfer case out. And it was the first time ive done so on the truck.

Dont forget to take the front prop shaft out!

 

[Jimmy]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Bear with me because I'm half lit.

The front diff leak is critical.Its a crush bearing and if it leaks and you don't keep up on the fluid level in the front diff,it will blow. (The diff)

Hopefully somebody with the correct fix will chime in.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Bear with me because I'm half lit.

The front diff leak is critical.Its a crush bearing and if it leaks and you don't keep up on the fluid level in the front diff,it will blow. (The diff)

Hopefully somebody with the correct fix will chime in.

HAHA,

I think he's talking about the front of the transfer case, not the front diff.

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Thanks Jimmy for looking out for me.
It is leaking on the front of the transfer case, not the front diff.

HAHA,

I think he's talking about the front of the transfer case, not the front diff.

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Update on this. I just received the gasket/seal kit for my transfer case from cobra transmissions.
I also am replacing the rear pinion seal as well as that leaky oil return line from turbo.... Stay tuned!

 

[wildphil]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

If you jack the trans up as high as you can. The trans mount can be removed while the x-member is still in place. I have done it several times. But it is easier to get to everything when working on the tranny stuff with the x-member out of the way. But I do install it before I reinstall the trans mount.

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Update:
So last week I took the case out, and lets say it was covered by about 1/8 inch of grease (not kidding).
Thank you to Dave P for helping me through some key questions...
Notice the RTV instead of the gasket... should have been a sign of things to come.


So, I noticed this black stuff in the case, pulled the viscous clutch pack, and found the planetary to look like this. Yes, that washer is sticking out. It looks like the studs that hold the little gears, 2 of them worked themselves out causing the washers to sit like that.



And notice the needle bearings? they came out in pieces, not as needles, but as pieces of needles.

How do you get this gear out to get the needle bearing out?
Ugh, the can of worms this opens...

 

[Don W.]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Having not done one but looking at the manual you remove the "extension housing" (where the spedo sender was) and there should be a snap-ring retaining the bearing that's behind this.

HTH

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

Remove the extension housing.
Remove the plastic oil scoop.
Remove the outer snap ring.
Push the assembly into the case, it comes out the front.
If it's "stuck", hold the case with two hands, output shaft down. Bang the output shaft on the bench or a block of wood on the ground. It will pop right out.

Start looking for a replacement T-case. All those parts are expensive. A replacement case will be cheaper.

Yeah, the clutch pck is 300, and the planetary is 200, I see it getting very expensive quickly

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

I am guessing that you can not buy those studs that look like they are pressed into the planetary? The gears look fine, just 2 of the studs worked themselves out.
in the inside partof the planetary was a bunch of sludge (like grease). To clean it I used a razor

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

You can't service the planetary set. Often, if the planetary gear 'axles' are loose in the housing, they are loose in the bores of the gears too. There are no needle bearings in the planatarys, they run on the bare axle. Under normal design conditions, the planatarys never "spin" on their shafts; they barely turn at all. Ideally, the sun and outer gears turn at the same speed, so there is little or no motion of the planetary gears on their shafts.

Mismatched front/rear tire sizes changes this dramatically. I took apart one case after 500 miles where everything in it was black, blue, and burned-up. The tires were 2" different front/rear. I'm sure the kid still thinks I did something wrong when I built his case for him for N/C. I suspect your truck was run with mismatched tires in its past. Hence the significant damage you found.

I suspect the "sludge" you found in the ring gear was silicon fluid sediment from the V-clutch. We talked about this in one of the phone calls.

I am glad that I found this when I did. Rather than on the road and figuring it out.

 

[2500avalanche]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

SO I figure I would give an update...
After I took my transfer case out, it had grease all over the under carraige


I decided to clean the entire under body when I put in the new transfercase


Truck has no rust, and is amazing under side (as well as above since the re do)

But I wasnt done there...
I needed to put all new front suspension. All bushings tie rods (inner/Outer), idler arm, and ball joints.
Before




So, I started to clean starting with the shocks, and then re painted the torsion bars

and when then painted all the tie rods and front stabilizer bar to match



Then I added a F body brake kit...


(pic front front on the rack)


Also painted the rear end ( will do the fuel pump and leaf springs next off season)


All done!



I painted the frame as well as had all bolts off, painted , and put them back on.
Thank you to Dave P for helping to talk me through several sticking points along the way.

 

[Don W.]

Re: Fixing the leaks....

You've got a lot of work pictured there. I've re-bushed my a-arms at (my now gone) shop and swapped a t-case in my driveway so I know whereof I speak Nothin' purdy like yours though. Nice work!