The cure to the leak problem is simple and right to the point. I would start by draining the transmission fluid out of the transmission and the lube out of the Transfer case, Then I would remove the transfer case in a careful and methodical manner to see why the transfer case seal was leaking.
Once I had the transfer case out and on the bench I would disassemble it in a clean and orderly manner and inspect every piece of it with a magnifying glass if needed. I expect to find that all it needs is a bearing kit and seals, all of which I will buy in new parts bearing supply company or from the dealer itself, or in a brand of bearing and seals that are made in America.
This is a great time to accentuate cleanliness. Automatic and manual transmissions, and transfer cases have to be rebuilt or repaired in a clean environment, Clean is the name of the game in transmission work. When you don’t get the parts 100% clean, and I mean literally, you are setting yourself up for problems.
So, I expect to find bearings and seals only, but I’ll wait until I do my inspection before I order parts, in case it need other stuff. Once I get my parts and my transfer case is laid out in a clean and orderly manner for assembly, I’ll get at it. To shorten the story, I will assemble the transfer case in the proper manner and re seal it with Black Hi-Temperature Silicone sealer, all while being super clean.
When you get ready to apply the Silicone sealer to the case half’s, clean the surfaces with acetone or something that evaporates any grease on the 2 surfaces. Do that before assembly, I guarantee you that the silicone will outlast a gasket. Give the silicone at least 2 hours or more to dry before you add lube.
That’s it, let it dry and then install the transfer case. Since you drained the transmission fluid, it’s a great time to change the filter. Get about 9 or 10 quarts of Synthetic transmission fluid that meets the manufacturers specs. In this case the Transfer case uses the same automatic transmission fluid a the transmission.
BTW: Don’t forget to recheck your work and even have someone else take a look to make sure you did not miss anything. We had a buddy system at my shop, two guys checked the vehicle before a road test and after a road test. Accountability is the term.
Take a test drive and enjoy your well done job. Courtesy of GotTransmissions.com @ 866-320-1182.
