Transfer case swap on '02 Explorer...advice please!!

[buckeyegirl]

OK, long story short, the transfer case on my Explorer is bad. I found a good deal (at least I think) on one and had it shipped here; it arrived today. Tomorrow morning he is going to swap them out. My question is, any advice? Is there anything he needs to know before doing this? It looks simple enough- the new one is sitting on my kitchen floor...I just want to make sure there isn't anything he needs to know about before attempting this- I want my Explorer to run tomorrow!

Thanks in advance!

BTW, this is the 4411 TCase

 

[gijoecam]

Two things: First, chock the tires. Second, what was wrong with it that it merited replacement?

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

What is wrong with your current transfer case?

When replacing transfer cases be sure that the seal you are using between the transfercase and transmission has a piece of mettle on it that grounds the transfer case and transmission together.

The transfer case is grounded through the transmission casing. If you were to just put on any seal that will not let any of the mettle touch between the two cases your transfercase will not function correctly! electronically that is.

 

[gijoecam]

Umm, don't the two units bolt together? Wouldn't one think that one or more of the bolts might provide that ground path? Also, there's nothing I know of in the 2002 t-case that grounds through the case itself... Everything in the control system grounds through its own wiring...

 

[buckeyegirl]

What is wrong with your current transfer case?

When replacing transfer cases be sure that the seal you are using between the transfercase and transmission has a piece of mettle on it that grounds the transfer case and transmission together.

The transfer case is grounded through the transmission casing. If you were to just put on any seal that will not let any of the mettle touch between the two cases your transfercase will not function correctly! electronically that is.

The transmission shop said something is broke inside. I have no clue what since I don't know what they told my Uncle- he picked it up for me. All I know is for awhile it wouldn't move at all, but when it is jacked up on the front, something would "drop" into place and then it would be in 4X4 low range for a few days and then not run at all again. Something else interesting...when it is not shifting into gear, if you put it in drive, it actually clocks miles. Weird I think.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

Umm, don't the two units bolt together? Wouldn't one think that one or more of the bolts might provide that ground path? Also, there's nothing I know of in the 2002 t-case that grounds through the case itself... Everything in the control system grounds through its own wiring...

No, one or more bolts do not provide enough of a ground path. And not everything in the control system grounds though its own wiring.

I quote Transmission Digest Volume NO. 9 of May 2008:

"
With the introduction of the 4411, a factory-installed gasket between the transmission and the front case of the transfer case is used. Various suppliers have distributed aftermarket kits, and problems soon began. Our tech-line phone traffic went wild, with complaints of “flashing mode-switch indicator lights” after a rebuild of the transmission or transfercase.

During our research to find a fix for this condition it became apparent that the after market gaskets did not provide a proper ground path between the transmission and the transfercase. Early on we solved the problems by having the shops install a ground strap between the transfer case the the chassis, which cured the problem. Further examination revealed that the factory gasket has two metal washers molded into it to complete the ground path, but the aftermarket gaskets did not have this.
"

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

The transmission shop said something is broke inside. I have no clue what since I don't know what they told my Uncle- he picked it up for me. All I know is for awhile it wouldn't move at all, but when it is jacked up on the front, something would "drop" into place and then it would be in 4X4 low range for a few days and then not run at all again. Something else interesting...when it is not shifting into gear, if you put it in drive, it actually clocks miles. Weird I think.

Your transmission is in drive and your truck does not move but your odometer is clocking miles??

Yeah the insides of your transfer case is in bits and pieces. Most likely the chain broke, although this is extremely rare. How many miles do you have on your transfercase?

 

[gijoecam]

The transmission shop said something is broke inside. I have no clue what since I don't know what they told my Uncle- he picked it up for me. All I know is for awhile it wouldn't move at all, but when it is jacked up on the front, something would "drop" into place and then it would be in 4X4 low range for a few days and then not run at all again. Something else interesting...when it is not shifting into gear, if you put it in drive, it actually clocks miles. Weird I think.

Sounds like a shift fork issue of some sort.

No, one or more bolts do not provide enough of a ground path. And not everything in the control system grounds though its own wiring.

I quote Transmission Digest Volume NO. 9 of May 2008:

"
With the introduction of the 4411, a factory-installed gasket between the transmission and the front case of the transfer case is used. Various suppliers have distributed aftermarket kits, and problems soon began. Our tech-line phone traffic went wild, with complaints of “flashing mode-switch indicator lights” after a rebuild of the transmission or transfercase.

During our research to find a fix for this condition it became apparent that the after market gaskets did not provide a proper ground path between the transmission and the transfercase. Early on we solved the problems by having the shops install a ground strap between the transfer case the the chassis, which cured the problem. Further examination revealed that the factory gasket has two metal washers molded into it to complete the ground path, but the aftermarket gaskets did not have this.
"

Interesting.... Hadn't heard of that one. Still not sure what grounds through the case though...

 

[gijoecam]

Your transmission is in drive and your truck does not move but your odometer is clocking miles??

Yeah the insides of your transfer case is in bits and pieces. Most likely the chain broke, although this is extremely rare. How many miles do you have on your transfercase?

The chain being broke wouldn't cause it to not drive. A broken chain wouldn't let the front wheels drive, but the rear is still a direct drive.

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

The chain being broke wouldn't cause it to not drive. A broken chain wouldn't let the front wheels drive, but the rear is still a direct drive.

Okay yes your right, and a broken shifter fork sounds more plausible too.

 

[buckeyegirl]

So they are still working on it now...here is something else weird. This morning, before he started taking the old TCase off, he was able to shift it properly to 4X4 low and 4X4 high and back out to auto mode. I think this Explorer just hates me!

I will definitely make sure they ground the transfer case somehow; he has a friend who is a mechanic helping him now so hopefully all will be smooth from here. Right now they are just trying to break the last bolt free on the top of the old transfer case...

 

[buckeyegirl]

What is wrong with your current transfer case?

When replacing transfer cases be sure that the seal you are using between the transfercase and transmission has a piece of mettle on it that grounds the transfer case and transmission together.

The transfer case is grounded through the transmission casing. If you were to just put on any seal that will not let any of the mettle touch between the two cases your transfercase will not function correctly! electronically that is.

Your transmission is in drive and your truck does not move but your odometer is clocking miles??

Yeah the insides of your transfer case is in bits and pieces. Most likely the chain broke, although this is extremely rare. How many miles do you have on your transfercase?

It had about 80,000 miles...seems to be the doomsday number for this model year...

 

[corkey]

it helps to drop the transmission crossmember a bit to get that top bolt,, i just did this on an older aerostar , dropped the cross member a bit and the bolt was easier to get ,,

 

[buckeyegirl]

it helps to drop the transmission crossmember a bit to get that top bolt,, i just did this on an older aerostar , dropped the cross member a bit and the bolt was easier to get ,,

I think they took that off a long time ago...

 

[Todd~Rod]

You mean METAL...not mettel