2G AWD Transfer Case - "Proper" Oil Level

[Tony Leong]

Do most of you just check your T-case oil level by slipping your finger into the fill hole?  If oil is level with the fill hole, then you're set, correct?

May be, may be not.  I read on Jack's Transmissions Forum about filling the transfer case from the drain plug (vs. from the fill hole.  The transfer case is installed on the car).  You would have to have a third hand to inject the gear oil, or stuff a rag in there to make a seal.  Keep pushing oil upwards until it starts to drain out of the fill plug's hole.  The idea is this will make sure that there is enough gear oil in that transfer case. 

Makes me wonder, when most people think their transfer is properly filled, but possibly they are always low on fluid.

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

[Chad Giffen]

If sealed properly, the fluid should not come out once filled correctly.

Usually though, I will change my fluids in the tranny and t-case once a year.  I always check how much fuid comes out of the trnsfer case and it has never been short for me.

I believe its 0.9L if I remember correctly.

If the t-case is strapped in the car still, I will normally sneak behind the intake manifold from the passenger side and remove the battery. Get a small oil filler and use small amounts of oi when transferring. It's definitely do-able.

Chad

[Jason Harwood]

Its a smidge under a litre like he said.

[Sy Haw Wong]

Is it necessary to change the tranny oil once a year?  Just curious.  It has been a bit over two years for me since I changed out my tranny oil - probably about time to change mine..

Manual says to change out tranny oil every 30,000K or 24months.

I totally forgot till I read Tony's thread.

As a tip Tony, stay away from those cheese oil plungers you get for $15 at CrappyTire.  It will make a BIG mess, they leak, and generally don't work (I have no idea why they sell these things).

If possible, find a big plastic syringe and a tube and just syringe the oil in bit by bit.  Usually they would have measurements on these syringes, so you can better gauge about how much you are putting in.

[Matt Fredrikson]

You don't stick your finger in that's not very accurate. Fill the unit untill oil leaks out the bottom of the fill hole, install the plug and wipe up the small amount that flowed over.

[Chad Giffen]

Usually the oil I buy is 1L bottles. i just put in 80-90% of the bottle.

[Sy Haw Wong]

You don't stick your finger in that's not very accurate. Fill the unit untill oil leaks out the bottom of the fill hole, install the plug and wipe up the small amount that flowed over.

+1

[Richard Clark]

When doing this also remember that your vehical has to be level, you can't just jack up the front and expect it to be filled correctly.

[Matt Fredrikson]

When doing this also remember that your vehical has to be level, you can't just jack up the front and expect it to be filled correctly.

Oh good call +1 to that!

[John Hartman]

+1, simple.  Don't over complicate it.

As for oil change intervals, unless you are running a really serious engine and abuse it lots, there is no real need to change the trans/tcase/rear end oil yearly.  Well unless you drive ALOT.

See, unlike an engine, there is no combustion going on in the unit.  its the combustion and gasses/acids etc from the combustion process that contaminates engine oil.  Auto trans need more frequent oil changes too, as they have clutch slippage and they get VERY hot, then cold, then hot again lots.  The heat and the clutch material is not good for the oil, but its not as bad as combustion by products.

[Brett Haviland]

yeah as the gears are very close and there is not much room for the gear oil to get in the front fill plug it is very easy to mistake it for full.  when i have the t-case installed and want to top of the fluid level, or fill it when changing it i use my walmart tranny fill tube (comes with a clear tube, with a nipple on the end with a cap and also a ON/OFF valve.. it screws directly onto the oil bottle..)

anyways to fill from the front fill hole you have to go VERY slow and allow the oil to seep around the small passage ways... if you squeeze it in to fast it will just start backing up and come back out the same hole you are filling it.  Go slow and then stop... allow the oil to enter the t-case...  when it is full you will know because you wait like 30 seconds and it will still be dripping/running out the fill hole.  If its not full you wait 20 seconds or so and wipe off the residue around the hole and you will see it will stop coming out.

Also if you have the t-case off the best way to fill it is to fill it with around 1 Liter of oil from the rear outputshaft hole (where the driveshaft goes into the t-case..  have the t-case obviously vertical so the output shaft hole is pointing upwards.  Put the gear oil into the t-case... then install the t-case into the car quickly inserting the driveshaft so the fluid does not leak out.  Once you have it installed either rotate the driveshaft a bit to make sure the oil circulates and then undo the the fill plug (with car level of course) and let the exsessive amount of oil drain out.  When it stops coming out it will be at the proper level.

sorry i suck at explaining things.  that may have been a bit confusing. lol

[John Hartman]

nahh, that makes sense 

[Tony Leong]

All of it makes sense.  Thanks Guys.

Less than a 1/2 a litre went in after the transfer case seals were replaced.  So I am low on fluid.

[Tony Leong]

Gear lube longevity (Tony's experience):

Sy Haw, I had 11 mos. on the Red Line Heavy weight Shock Proof Gear Lube before I had the xfer case refilled (new seal kit was installed due to a small leak).

The transmission gear lube is 15 mos. old (replaced when trans dropped and sent back to Colorado Springs, CO for warranty work June 2009).

The rear diff gear lube has 24 mos. on it.

Today, Mr. Lube tells me the transmssion gear lube is "milky" in appearance, and is ready to be replaced.  The xfer case has lots of fluid and the rear differential is looking ready to be replaced.

AWD Xfer case oil capacity:

Everyone, I checked the Talon shop manual (bought one back in '95 when I bought the Talon), it states that the AWD transfer case capacity is 0.53 quarts.

Ending story to my Xfer case fluid level mystery:

After reading Jack's article, I had the dealer check my xfer case fluid levels a couple of weeks ago.  The service manager had his Guys check and told me the xfer case level was A-Okay.

I have my second opinion – xfer case is full.  I'm a happy Guy.

[John Hartman]

get a second opinion on the milky oil in the tranny.  No offence but sometimes some guys will try to make a sale, especially if they think the owner doesn't do his own work on things like this.

Also, if it is indeed milky, find out why water is getting in your tranny.