Transfer Case Fluid Change
As we stated in a video a couple of weeks back there were going to be maintenance and repairs necessary to our Jeep. Last week I posted about having to repair leaks coming from the oil pan and critical collar. Once we repaired that issue we began maintenance on the Jeep starting with the transfer case.
Different Methods of Checking Transfer Case Wear
I wanted to find out how much wear was taking place inside the transfer case. There are a couple of ways to find out. The first and most difficult would be to remove the transfer case, crack it open, and inspect the internal components. That's a lot of work for not being sure if there is even anything wrong inside. The second is to drain the fluid and inspect it for metal shavings and sludge. I opted for the second option.
What we Discovered
As the fluid flowed from removing the drain plug I was happy to see it was still very clean. The transfer case uses ATF fluid which is reddish in color. The fluid coming out was consistent with coloration indicating low wear. I let it sit in the drain pan for a while for any sediment to settle. Next, I slowly poured the fluid into a recycle jug being careful to keep the flow slow so any sediment would be left behind for examination. Again I was happy to see there were absolutely no shavings or sludge, just clean fluid.
Refilling the Transfer Case
Since the fluid looked fine I saw no reason at this point to go any further into the transfer case. 4 high and 4 low work perfectly so there was no reason to do more. Valvoline has a synthetic fluid made just for transfer cases that meets ATF 4 requirements which is what I refilled the transfer case with. It only took about 30 minutes start to finish to have confidence in the condition of the transfer case. I also now know the fluid is changed instead of wondering if it was ever done in the Jeep's history.
Confidence in Our Jeep
We knew purchasing a used Jeep and one 11 years old would require some care. Now we're slowly going through the Jeep to make the repairs and maintenance as we discover those needs. Doing this work also familiarizes us with our Jeep by knowing what we've done and repairing the break downs. In the end, we'll have a well cared for Jeep that we can take on and off road with confidence.