VR4 Transfer case leak

[brettu26]

As much as I hate starting a new topic on a familiar subject; id really like you guys to all take a look at my little issue.

Scenario: I finally got around to changing my driveshaft bearings a few weeks ago with no trouble at all, did new uni's as well, and slipped it all back together carefully and successfully.
I decided to top up teh gearbox & trans oils while it was up on the hoist since i've never checked them in my 2yrs ownership h34r: anyway, we pumped a fair amount into both till it came out the filler hole(s).

Did this on a Saturday, drove it home 60kms no prob, took it to the shop Sunday arvo, and after coming home noticed a strong oil smell in the garage, so took a look under the car & it was dripping out oil!
Upon inspection and cleaning, I could watch it beading out of some hole in the transfer, run along the case and onto the ground.
Now the hole looks 'factory' as it is square/rectangle shaped - but it makes no sense that it would be on the underside.

So it leaked everyday at work for the week following then it stopped.
I have kept it topped up in case it is low; and it's leaked again
It only leaks after driving it and it starts to cool down.

I should note that I have not had any issues with transmission either and I cant imagine it would last 2yrs+ with little/no oil in the transfer would it?!

comments/suggestions please
ta, Brett

 

[GVR40]

when you filled it was it on flat ground? is it possible that the box/case were overfilled? the hole you have highlighted looks factory. maybe it isn't leaking from there. I had a gearbox that I thought was leaking through the driveshaft seals however under closer inspection it had a hairline fracture in the case where oil was seeping out.

 

[nonickname]

I will have a look at mine 2moro and see if it has that hole. seems strange az to me. maybe a breather hole? surely not on the bottom though?

 

[4piknup]

http://www.jackstransmissions.com/pages/t-case-filling

check here, jacks reckons these are buggers to fill correctly.
and sorry, not sure about those holes and i not home to look at mine

i would have look at the breather on the top of the t-case to make sure it not blocked

 

[BMGTZ]

my guess.....you might have a stuffed seal in the transfer case where the seal is around the input shaft. OR the input shaft seal in the gearbox is leaking.

 

[evo-gsr]

+1 to the above...I recently had a leak around the same area in your pics..Cause was the 6mm ball which holds output shaft into the gearbox, was missing, causing shaft to move in and out..I would be checking the seals Brian mentions,specifically the gearbox side, which will involve removing transfer case, as it looks to me to be coming from that area ,mine was dripping from exact same spot and it was coming out of the gearbox seal which the output shaft goes into...

 

[4piknup]

+1 to jamo and brian. thats only 3 seals to check, and the worst one would have to be the input gearbox shaft seal, requiring gearbox splitting, next the output shaft seal, and easiest to fix will be the input seal on transfer case.
good luck

 

[brettu26]

when you filled it was it on flat ground? is it possible that the box/case were overfilled? the hole you have highlighted looks factory. maybe it isn't leaking from there. I had a gearbox that I thought was leaking through the driveshaft seals however under closer inspection it had a hairline fracture in the case where oil was seeping out.

Yes mate, it was up on a 4-post hoist @ a Pedders workshop.

http://www.jackstransmissions.com/pages/t-case-fillingcheck here, jacks reckons these are buggers to fill correctly. and sorry, not sure about those holes and i not home to look at minei would have look at the breather on the top of the t-case to make sure it not blocked

Yeah I read that a couple of weeks ago. will try check it again.

I've been under there a few times now and cleaned up with degreaser and come back later to check it and it doesnt sem to come from above anywhere else

Thanks heaps all you guys for your insights - I will have to make time to pull it part to be sure bugger it!
Im just a bit bemused since there hasn't been any issues at all until I decided to top up the fluids lol :blink: - so much for preventative maintenance aye?!

 

[blackvr]

I think you will find the " sqare hole " is just a gap between the transfer and the gearbox. I also think that the leak would be coming from the input seal of the transfer... its very common to run the transfer at very low oil level, and then when its topped up, a poor /dry input seal will leak oil. Witness the rusty oil stains. That would be the transfer jackshaft ( from the gearbox) spline chattering in the female input spline in the transfer case. From all the chattering, there will be heavy wear on the spline.... steel powder then rust away etc. I would have a very good look at spline wear on the shaft.

I had a customer VR4 come in this week ( and not an aggressive driver) complaining of severe clutch slip. It was actually stripped splines on the shaft and transfer ... It had evidence of heavy rust powder that had been there for a long time. It is a bit of a long process that then accelrates rapidly and then , no drive !

Mike

 

[brettu26]

Awesome! Thanks Mike, and the rest of you blokes again

 

[evo-gsr]

You find out where it was leaking from??

 

[hy_]

I think you will find the " sqare hole " is just a gap between the transfer and the gearbox. I also think that the leak would be coming from the input seal of the transfer... its very common to run the transfer at very low oil level, and then when its topped up, a poor /dry input seal will leak oil. Witness the rusty oil stains. That would be the transfer jackshaft ( from the gearbox) spline chattering in the female input spline in the transfer case. From all the chattering, there will be heavy wear on the spline.... steel powder then rust away etc. I would have a very good look at spline wear on the shaft.

I had a customer VR4 come in this week ( and not an aggressive driver) complaining of severe clutch slip. It was actually stripped splines on the shaft and transfer ... It had evidence of heavy rust powder that had been there for a long time. It is a bit of a long process that then accelrates rapidly and then , no drive !

Mike

Thanks for the tip - this may help with what ive experienced a few times recently. Running a Spec Stage 3+ unsprung organic on my 91 a-spec and a quick change from first to second sometimes displays similar symptoms to clutch slip, except the rpms hold for a second with a series of bangs/chatter through the driveline.

Only occurs between first and second on quick changes, if i slow down the change it wont occur. I can load up 2nd/3rd from lowish rpms and it seems to pull through without slip. The clutch is < 15k old so initially thought it was wheel hop (250kw with avaerage tyres). Will have to investigate worn splines as a possible cause...