Does this mean my t-case is going bad?

[84FLH]

Good afternoon everyone. 2000 Mountaineer. 396,x.. miles. Orig t-case, trans, engine.

T-CASE TROUBLE?

Ride To Work

Last August my local shop replaced my front driveshaft's CV joint (at the t-case). Before that I'd been getting a heckuva rotating clacking noise so loud I thought something in the front end would explode. Vehicle drove nice 'n quiet after the repair. Until this morning's ride to work.

While stopping for a red light I all of a sudden heard the same rotational clacking I'd heard before the CV joint repair last summer. Medium loud this time. Noise was gone when I started moving again. Drove 2 miles to work parking lot. Driving 5-10 mph in the lot with driver window full open I heard a slight "tick, tick, tick" rotational noise.


Ride Home From Work

I drove 40-50 mph the entire 25 mile ride home. First 12 miles I could hear the soft "tick, tick, tick" rotational noise when I slowed to about 10-20 mph. Then while doing 45 mph the soft "tick, tick, tick" turned into a very loud metallic "clack, clack, clack" for about 5 seconds. As I slowed down the clacking suddenly stopped, as if something had fixed itself. I slowed down to 5-10 mph intermittently the remaining 12 miles home and each time heard the soft "tick, tick, tick" noise. It was very, very soft. Had to really listen with my head out the window to hear it.


Inspection At Home: Questions

(1) At home with vehicle in park, I could rotate the front driveshaft (by hand) about 3/4" inch either direction. IS THAT NORMAL and if not, what t-case condition does it indicate?

(2) If I rotated the driveshaft back and forth in both directions (clockwise, CCW) quickly and with a little force, I could hear the t-case gears slap fairly loud against each other. Could this looseness (backlash?) have caused the loud metallic clacking I heard today, and the soft-ish "tick, tick, tick" I heard? Remember, the vehicle has 396xxx miles on orig t-case.

(3) How much rotational movement by hand (inches, not degrees) should front driveshaft have?

(4) Will vehicle roll in Park if I remove front driveshaft?


Would Video Help?

If so I will take and post (try to) one tomorrow.


OR IS IT FRONT WHEEL BEARING?

The loud "clack, clack, clack" noise is also what I heard when passenger side wheel bearing went bad about 5 years ago. Replaced with SKF from Rock Auto. Been good ever since. Maybe 80,000 miles on it.
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Hate spending money on this ride but want to nurse it along just two more years.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE.

 

[410Fortune]

Some rotation back and forth about an inch or more is normal

Slapping gear sounds in front diff and t case sounds normal

Consider your cv joint is bad again because they used cheap parts
Or
You have a cv axle going out in front end

Now your mountaineer if it is a v6 it will not roll in park w no front shaft that is only the v8s

Your 2000 mounty is control trac or torque on demand tmcase…. They do fail. The first thing to fail is a nylon guide inside the case, when this happens it will make nasty noises. The fluid will be dark if not black and you will find little white bits of nylon in the fluid at the bottom near drain plug. If that is the case, then you need a new case. Junkyard good for this any 08-01 control trac explorer will work. Also a good time to consider a control trac delete and convert to a 1354e case which is just 2wd 4hi and 4
Low no t.o.d.

Before you go dripping t cases do a front end shake down test look for any looseness or binding in the cv axles

Wheel bearing roughness or looseness can also click but not usually, typically they make a grinding noise that changes with a side
Load (driving straight then pull left and right see if noise changes)

With those
Miles and the noises you declscrive I would suspect:
Cv axles
Front d shaft
Control trac t case

In that order

 

[84FLH]

Some rotation back and forth about an inch or more is normal

Thank you, 410Fortune. You always have good, to the point, advice.

Slapping gear sounds in front diff and t case sounds normal

Thank you again.

Consider your cv joint is bad again because they used cheap parts

I never asked what brand they used but they almost always use cheapest possible, with 2x or 2.5x markup. I've no garage any more so I'm stuck bringing it there. It's the only shop where someone from work can swing by and bring me to/from work.

Or
You have a cv axle going out in front end

Both axle CV's have blue/white Ford stickers on 'em. I think previous owner had those CV's put on by dealer. Previous owner no longer around to ask.

Now your mountaineer if it is a v6 it will not roll in park w no front shaft that is only the v8s

Thank you. If t-case is bad, and I drive vehicle without front driveshaft, will doing so further ruin t-case? Damage transmission?

Your 2000 mounty is control trac or torque on demand tmcase…. They do fail. The first thing to fail is a nylon guide inside the case, when this happens it will make nasty noises. The fluid will be dark if not black and you will find little white bits of nylon in the fluid at the bottom near drain plug. If that is the case, then you need a new case. Junkyard good for this any 08-01 control trac explorer will work. Also a good time to consider a control trac delete and convert to a 1354e case which is just 2wd 4hi and 4
Low no t.o.d.

'98 or '08? Is the 98-01 control trac t-case direct bolt-in?

Before you go dripping t cases do a front end shake down test look for any looseness or binding in the cv axles

What's a "front end shake down test"?

Wheel bearing roughness or looseness can also click but not usually, typically they make a grinding noise that changes with a side
Load (driving straight then pull left and right see if noise changes)

With those
Miles and the noises you declscrive I would suspect:
Cv axles
Front d shaft
Control trac t case

In that order

Thank you. Have better understanding now. Appreciate your time, expertise.

 

[410Fortune]

1998-2001 explorer or mountaineer 4.0 v6 4wd are all control trac

Rangers are non control trac

The gem iii, explorer 02+ is different t case all together

Not sure if you will do damage, not
Likely if it is just a noise

Really sounds like a cv axle especially if it’s Happening when turning

 

[84FLH]

1998-2001 explorer or mountaineer 4.0 v6 4wd are all control trac

Rangers are non control trac

The gem iii, explorer 02+ is different t case all together

Thanks.

Not sure if you will do damage, not
Likely if it is just a noise

It was scary loud last summer before repair.

Really sounds like a cv axle especially if it’s Happening when turning

Both noises happen going straight. "Tick, tick, tick" (soft noise). "Clack, clack, clack" (pretty loud noise).

Gonna bring to another shop with better reputation. 10 miles farther away but guy at work will get me/bring me back. Would replace DS CV or right/left steering CV joints if I had a garage. I hate working in driveway of my apartment building like I was 20 again (past 60 now).

Few weeks ago I started installing four Rancho RS9000 shocks in driveway. I know, RS9000 is big money on a 396,x.. vehicle. Hoping the shock's adjustability will compensate for tired t-bars and rear leafs. Normally I remove front tires to get easy access to lower shock mounting bolts. Not this time. I put on new tires last month and the alignment is dead nuts on. I could've indexed the studs to wheels but didn't want to take any chance in messing up the alignment. Then I got disgusted lying on my side trying to squirm both hands and two ratchets to reach lower shock bolts/nuts on LCA, while straining my neck to look under the LCA's for the nuts. By then too late in day to remove front tires. New shocks still in boxes in my apartment.

Worst case scenario if front driveshaft binds up while driving? Blow up t-case?

 

[410Fortune]

It is quite possibly your control trac case

What you describe sounds a lot like a bad control trac case and with those miles… well I have seen them in go out with half those
Miles

Can you get under there enough to drain the t case fluid? If there is small pieces of white nylon in the fluid t case is junk
I Would have the mechanic simply drain the
Fluid into a clean container and take a look… go from there

FYI I sell these t cases for $150-300
Depending on miles and I charge $200 to install it takes about 2 hours working really slowly to change a v 6 t case

 

[84FLH]

Thanks, 410. Raining out now. Will check t-case fluid for nylon pieces when rain stops, ground dries.

(1) What fluid to refill t-case?
(2) How much of it?

 

[84FLH]

Rained all day yesterday. Today should be clear and I can check t-case fluid for nylon pieces.

This vid from another post on this forum is the noise I have when driving straight ahead at all speeds.

Sometimes the noise gets super loud. Sounds like a rotating piece of metal clanking against another piece of metal. Lasts 3 seconds to a few minutes then returns to noise heard in this vid.

 

[84FLH]

Exactly what I have. A lot of clockwise/counter clockwise play in front driveshaft with metalic clanging/banging heard inside t-case. The harder I rotate front driveshaft by hand, holding driveshaft just like this guy, close to CV joint, the louder the clanging/banging gets.

 

[410Fortune]

Dex / Mercon iii in your t case

I bet your case is kablooey with those
Miles you should be proud! Not many tod cases make it past 250k

 

[84FLH]

410;

Still has orig transmission but lost reverse last spring (2023). Local trans shop couldn't say if driving without reverse would further harm transmission. So far it hasn't that I know of. Not worth the $3500 to rebuild. So lucked out there.

32 degrees here. Too cold to drain t-case fluid in parking lot today. Local garage going to flatbed truck to his shop for Thursday inspection.

I like the Omega Machine cases with the bushed shaft holes but not sure the mechanic wants to rebuild t-case. Any idea if reman t-case by Zumbrota is any good?

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[410Fortune]

What about a
Lower mile used case?

Reverse is still out yuck
What about a lower mile used transmission?

Do them both at same time!

 

[84FLH]

Well, 410;

A lower mile t-case at good price would work. Do you have one? I'm hoping the mechanic, after 50 years in business, knows what bone yards are trustworthy.

Lower mile transmission would work, but two shops weren't interested in the job. Maybe this guy will be. He's 10 miles farther away and hard to get rides/to from work in that location. But he's a few steps above the two shops around the corner from me.

 

[coyotebrown]

It is quite possibly your control trac case

What you describe sounds a lot like a bad control trac case and with those miles… well I have seen them in go out with half those
Miles

Can you get under there enough to drain the t case fluid? If there is small pieces of white nylon in the fluid t case is junk
I Would have the mechanic simply drain the
Fluid into a clean container and take a look… go from there

FYI I sell these t cases for $150-300
Depending on miles and I charge $200 to install it takes about 2 hours working really slowly to change a v 6 t case

Where do I place the order ahaha

 

[84FLH]

Dex / Mercon iii in your t case

I bet your case is kablooey with those
Miles you should be proud! Not many tod cases make it past 250k

"Kablooey". Mel Gibson to Danny Glover about SF bomb type, in Lethal Weapon.

If I lived close in ID you'd have the job. Hope to visit Craters of Moon and River No Return in two years.

 

[84FLH]

Update

Local bone yard has YL24-7A194-AA t-case with 88,000 miles for $125. It's on hold for me, pending the mechanic's exam of my current 396,000 mile t-case. Mechanic will flatbed the Mounty tomorrow to his shop for Thursday inspection.

Tonight I rotated by hand the front driveshaft with vehicle in park, motor off. I got about 1/8" to 1/4" movement in either direction (clockwise, counter clockwise). The rotational movement was very stiff, not at all like last Friday when driveshaft rotated very easily by hand.

Today's rotation distance of 1/8"-1/4" is much less than the approx 1.5" total movement I had last Friday. I either wasn't paying close attention last Friday or past 4 days of 25-30F temps have thickened fluid, causing resistance to rotation.

I'm hoping the smaller rotation distance of today means t-case is okay and noise is from failed aftermarket CV joint replaced by another local shop last August.

Any guesses as to leak source? (Edit: working to resize pics now)