Transfer Case Oil Change - Advice Please

[ttr]

Eh up all,

In case this is of use to anyone my comments and a  few photos on the diff and transfer case oil change.

Front Diff:-

I took the wheels off to strip the lower steering plastic protection of, makes access alot easier and quicker. ( im working of trolley jacks not a 4 post lift)

Prep the day before as the retaining screws may be corroded ( see earlier post)

Support the aluminium under guard with a trolley jack whilst you are unbolting makes life so much easier.

I cracked off all the 16mm head bolts first to ensure they were all free, sprayed them before hand with penetrating oil.

Some instructions refer to using new bolts as they are a "stretch" bolt, im no engineer but the treads and bolt were not distorted nor looked stressed so i re used, retorqued to 58Nm on refit.


Access to the fill plug on RHD cars is through the passenger side arch, its dead easy to get extension bar in with a 14mm allen key socket, i cracker the fill off first, then the drain.

I put the wheels back on and dropped the car level to drain off the diff oil, filled until it dribbled out of the fill plug.

Tightnend fill and drain to 55Nm.

I jacked car back up wheels off and put aluminium splash guard on, use jack to get alignment correct.


Transfer Case:-

I left car in the air whilst getting the plastic transmission shroud off, again might be worthwhile checking condition of the screws (8mm socket) before you start ( i had no [problems funnily enough)

the fill and drain are 16mm head size, access is tight for the fill plug so a ring spanner is needed, bottom drain is fine.

Cracked off mine no problem, some posts state they are on really tight, mine came undone easily enough, i marked mine up so i had a guide when re tightening.

dropped car level, drained off oil (see pic of old oil)

refilled but because of access i would recommend a silicone or plastic pipe about 1 metre long to use as an extension to the bottle or a fluid pump. You cannot get the oil in from underneath the car as i could not get enough pressure on the bottle to force the fluid out due to the angle you are working at. 

Now i need to get the transfer case reset so its calibrates to the new oil, will sort that this week.

Summary;-

Glad i did the change, the old fluid looked in poor condition, but in fairness they may well have been fine, without a proper analysis its anyone's guess.

Im satisfied that the new fluids will be upto the job and certainly one less thing to maintain again all being well, hopefully can only be a positive for changing them out.

I hope the above helps someone out in the future and thanks again to all who helped me.


Front Diff Fill Plug





Front Diff Drain Plug





Old Diff Fluid



Transfer case Fill Bolt




Transfer Case Drain Bolt



Old transfer case oil

[lezmtaylor]

nice write up, thankyou.
My car is a 2002 4.4 , just to be sure, I need ATF Dextron III, I have 5 litres of new, old stock Dextron II (Not III), would there be much difference if I used the II.
I am not a cheepskate, just don't like wasting good quality oil.

Lez

[lezmtaylor]

nice write up, thankyou.
My car is a 2002 4.4 , just to be sure, I need ATF Dextron III, I have 5 litres of new, old stock Dextron II (Not III), would there be much difference if I used the II.
I am not a cheepskate, just don't like wasting good quality oil.

Lez.

Anybody got any ideas as to Dextron 111 versus Dextron11.

Lez

[Alan Gunn]

I might get shot for this but i would use it.
Seen something about better rust inhibitors in 111 but i bet you that it is very much the same oil.
Our older transfer boxes are not as fussy i don't think as the X-drive box that came after it.
Go on somebody tell me i an totally wrong i will hold my hands up. 

[lezmtaylor]

Thankyou Alan, I am of the same opinion as you, will give it a go !!!

Lez