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So my transfer case died

3K views 17 replies 5 participants last post by  SteveG 
#1 ·
So i've been hearing a bearing noise at speed on the highway from 40-70mph. At those speeds it will come and go, not related to engine speed or rotating mass.

Today we got it on a lift, and it sounds like a spun bearing from the transfercase. Actually more like a bag of bolts at the bottom of it.

Here I am with a 1 owner 2002, 69,000 mile truck and trashed xcase.

This is very uncommon I assume, my plan is to go to a scrap yard, get a box and hope for the best. Costing 400ish in labor...
 
#2 ·
Here is a little story....
A while back, one of my customers who owns a Jeep took it elsewhere due to me being out of town. The "shop" she took it to diagnosed a bad transfer case etc. It was actually the front driveshaft joint.
Not saying it isnt so, but be sure before taking the plunge. You cannot "spin" a bearing in the transfer case, physically impossible. If anything, it could be the chain, but at those low miles I would like to investigate further before buying a used one.

Martin
 
#10 ·
Steve, this is a first for me. I have never heard of the T/C failing with such low miles..
Hmmmm how does it drive? As Martin said trust in yourself. Very strange.. Have u pulled the rear drive shaft off to have a look at the e-brake asy? Is there oil leaking at any of the seals, what the temp of the T/C and did the Trans oil smell or looked burned?

Just a couple of thoughts brother..
UPDATE: Spare transfercase installed, vibration and noise still present. Actually seems worse.
Not a surprise to those of us who have wrenched on these for some time, as we tried telling you.
Now to go o some real diagnosing of the real problem I guess?

Martin
 
#3 ·
Martin,

Unfortunately the front drive shaft has been replaced with a new unit in the last 2 months, so we can rule that out. I did hear the unit myself while the truck was on the lift, it was so loud everyone in the shop heard it. They are an independent land rover/German/English shop with extensive knowledge in p38s. While it's shocking, there's no mistaking it. I did change the fluid myself last week and it looked as new, with no shards. Something in the transfer case has certainly gone south.

Any other ideas as to what it could be? Are the output shaft bearings part of the sealed fluid?
 
#4 ·
Bearings are replaceable no problem at all. Snap ring is how they are held in. New seal, new bearing, have at it.


Martin
 
#5 ·
Even though you just serviced it, you might want to drain it again. The fluid might give an idea of what's going on.
When serviced, what fluid was placed back in the transfer case?


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02 Range Rover Westminster
98 Discovery LE Tdi
 
#6 ·
Steve, this is a first for me. I have never heard of the T/C failing with such low miles..
Hmmmm how does it drive? As Martin said trust in yourself. Very strange.. Have u pulled the rear drive shaft off to have a look at the e-brake asy? Is there oil leaking at any of the seals, what the temp of the T/C and did the Trans oil smell or looked burned?

Just a couple of thoughts brother..
 
#8 ·
I should have clairified, I changed the fluid in the transfer case after all this trouble started. I also changed the front and rear diff fluid. Everything liked great. Yesterday while my Indy had it on the lift they too drained a bit out of the transfer case and it looked great.

Like I said, going down the highway at a constant speed, the noise comes and goes. Sounds like bearings. If I let off the gas, it goes away momentarily before coming back on with the gas.

On the lift yesterday, it literally sounded like a bag of bolts was at the bottom of the transfer case. Loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear.

Oh and the transfer case has always been replaced with dexron 4. Unable to get 3 anymore.
 
#11 ·
Right. I should have listened. I'm sort of at a loss...

Noise comes and goes at constant speed. If at 70 mph, it is an on again, off again vibration noise. The front drive shaft has been replaced (including u joints) with new. All fluids look literally perfect (front and rear diff, x case). The only thing not investigated was the transmission. Wheel bearings and other associated front parts have no play.

On a four post lift, when given gas to 70 mph, the noise is deafening. I'm not doing this myself, it is an independent LR garage who I must admit I am loosing faith in. In my defense, they always have 2 or 3 p38's in the parking lot and the owner drives one himself. The owner did not test the car after the repair, but he rode with me initially, and I was the one to road test after the x case was swapped.

What do you gentlemen suggest?
 
#12 ·
At this rate of spending it would be cheaper to drive it to Mo and let me figure it out....;)
Noises are notoriously hard to find over the internet, especially in the drive train. As I said before, noise will travel through the whole assembly and be a nightmare to find at times. Just because the shop always has a couple of p38's around is no guarantee of correct work, as you found out.
Did they at least knock some money off after THEY diagnosed it wrong?

Martin
 
#13 ·
Martin, we haven't talked money yet. I don't anticipate them being anything but fair. And I completely realize the difficulty in diagnosing noises over the internet. I will keep this thread as up to date as possible though!
 
#14 ·
If they give you a good break on price, stick with them, otherwise look elsewhere for a good shop.
I wasn't being a prick when saying noises over the internet are a nightmare. Some things are easy, anything to do with noises is a PIA though.

Martin
 
#16 ·
Still not sure. The noise has vanished at this point, and seems to be running good. Knock on wood. The transfercase was certainly faulty, and needed to be replaced. We have also rotated the tires, and that seemed to help somewhat. I just changed auto trans fluid and no indication of anything faulty. Still had some red left, and was probably as old as the truck.
 
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