imp
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- November 12, 2009
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- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 59 Ranchero F250 D'Line
@CDW6212RThe front of the 2nd gen transfer cases does have a good seal, and the short trans tail housing will let excess fluid into that space. But an overfill from the trans would have to fill that short housing quite a bit to produce fluid at the TC front seal. I think the seal will stop virtually all fluid come getting in. The trans would have to be very overfilled to put enough at the TC to get any in. The trans overflow vent would be well used before anything got into the TC. It's pretty bad to overfill a trans that much, I doubt that happened but didn't hurt the trans enough that it all got taken apart.
I'll bet trans hasn't been hurt, and the AWD TC is like all others, bad fluid suggests it had bad tires on it. The question is how long was the truck run with mismatched tires. I got my 98 with 158k on it, and black TC fluid. I changed it then, and about five months later, still black, and about nine months later, still black.
At around 198k last year, I began to feel a binding in the front while turning. I didn't immediately conclude it was a bad TC. I had new front control arms to put on, and saw a barely torn CV axle a week before. So I replaced the axle and inspected, nothing to see. I got two days off and did the four CA's, driving to the alignment it had major popping backing out and driving straight. Then I decided it was the front diff, I was right, came home from the alignment and swapped a used one in. That "fixed" the bad popping, the old diff/pinion could move a bunch side to side. The binding also was not gone, so after a bit of driving to test, I removed the front driveshaft. Bingo, symptoms gone, the AWD TC had basically locked up and took out the front diff. I've driven it that way since then, gladly the TC is still transferring power. I've read that sometimes when the AWD fails, there's no movement.
So the front diff could not take the rigors of getting 4WD action all the time on pavement! And the TC kept showing up black, like clutch overheat. By "no movement", you mean the vehicle won't move? Did you once again change the TC fluid? Amazing story, thanks for it! imp