1999 4405 transfer case question | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1999 4405 transfer case question

Bhain

New Member
Joined
January 20, 2022
Messages
5
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1
City, State
Newport, Wa
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 Explorer XLT 4WD
Hello,

I am neck deep in replacing the transfer case (4405) in my 1999 explorer and ran into something I hope I can get some help with. I was at the point where I was splitting the transfer case from the transmission and once I got the seam open, about a quart of transmission fluid drained from the cavity between the both cases. I could be wrong, but I thought this was supposed to be a dry area???? There is a gasket between the two surfaces but my first thought was a bad transmission output shaft seal or is this normal? Again, I was not even close to the point where the transmission output shaft itself was free of the transfer case, just a small crack between the two and pow, transmission fluid shower. It made me wonder if it was possible that AFT had contaminated the transfer case and caused the failure. The Explorer has 175k miles with no transmission work ever done to it so a bad output shaft seal would not be much of a surprise.

Any insight would be much appreciated.

Thanks!!!!
 



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Probably nothing to worry about. I’ve seen this a few times. After 175k some fluid made it past one of the seals. I’ve seen this with, and without the paper gasket.
 






Probably nothing to worry about. I’ve seen this a few times. After 175k some fluid made it past one of the seals. I’ve seen this with, and without the paper gasket
Thanks for the quick reply! That is a big relief. I was not expecting that much fluid between the cases, it really caught me off guard. Good news is that the transmission fluid did not taste burnt. LOL. Is it worth putting in a new output shaft seal while I am this deep in or should I leave it be?
Thanks!!!!
 






It's not a dry area. In the transmission valve body there is a tiny puck, it is known as the extension housing lube orifice. Also there is a small return drain hole in the bottom of the transmission case, allowing the small amount of fluid in the extension housing to return to the sump.
If this is a problem those are the two things to check.
Honestly I would have to check if there is even a tail shaft seal in a 4x4 5R55E...
 






It's not a dry area. In the transmission valve body there is a tiny puck, it is known as the extension housing lube orifice. Also there is a small return drain hole in the bottom of the transmission case, allowing the small amount of fluid in the extension housing to return to the sump.
If this is a problem those are the two things to check.
Honestly I would have to check if there is even a tail shaft seal in a 4x4 5R
I was running late yesterday and once I got the transfer case dropped I had to run. On closer inspection this morning, you are correct, there is no output shaft seal on a 5R55E 4x4. I will take a picture but you can clearly see the weep hole the transmission fluid is coming from.
Thanks!
 






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