Has anyone had fluid leaking between the transfer case and the standard transmission? I wonder if this a seal and because of the location can't be sure if it is the trans or the transfer case? The fluid is clear and smell like gear lube.

Anyone changed these seals? How difficult? Is there a manual online?

 

I haven't changed them, but I did just split my tranny/t-case tonight. The seal is just a plain lip seal, remove and bang a new one in. Check the input shaft on the t-case for a groove, you might need a speedi-sleeve.

 

The tranny seals go out way before the T-case seal. The T-case seal will be nice and pliable and the tranny seal will be stiff, brittle and cracking up. Mine lasted until 220,000 miles. Why the difference? I do not know. They serve side by side within 3 inches of each other doing the same job at the same temperature. The difference is the T-case seal is holding back red dextron and the tranny seal is holding back your choice of syncromesh tranny fluid. That might be the difference. The seal material itself might be different. Anyway, it is an easy job to put in a new seal. It is easy to drop the transfer case. The front seal in the tranny is of course a wee bit harder to get to and if your rear seal is leaking the front one is prolbably not far behind. I do not overfill my tranny for this reason. I do not want to put any extra duty on the tranny seals as they are a weak link. I also noticed when I overfill my tranny the temps run about 30 to 40 degrees higher too. So, no overfilling for me.

 

My leak is coming from the front of the differential where it meets the trans. Is there a seal in the TC front and the trans rear where these come together?
Asking this because I would like to know if I would have to change two. I have never taken this apart.

 

There is just one seal there. You would know if the TC was leaking because it is filled with ATF (red). The only seals are the trans front, trans rear, and TC rear.

 

I did this a few months ago here are some pics one is the rear tranny seal, bottom picture, and the other is the front T-case seal , first picture.


The new seal for the front of the T-case is double lipped NAPA. Someone had put some silicone on the area where they meet. Normally I think this is just metal to metal. The silicon might keep out the water and dust better, but when your tranny seal fails it fills the T-case with syncromesh tranny fluid. And I mean really fills it up, like to the top. Not good for the T-case or the rear T-case seal either.

 

Awsome... This is what I needed to see THANKS!!!
Now, I think the oil I see is gear oil (Yellowish) not ATF (Red).
That said would you say that it is the trans rear seal I need?

 

I'd change both the rear tranny seal and the front t-case seal while you have it out. Also check the t-case input shaft for wear, may need a speedi-sleeve if there is a deep groove.

 

To be 100% sure just slip under your truck. Pull the fill plug on your transfer case and dip your finger into the fluid. It should be red ATF. If it is not red then someone has put some mystery fluid into it. If for some stange reason the fluid in the T-case is yellow then its a guessing game until you pull it apart. Or you might notice the fluid level is low in the tranny. You might want to do what I did. I just replaced both seals as long as I was there. The time to go back in later is worth far more than the price of a seal. Like I said before ,the tranny seal gets hard and brittle and then starts leaking. If we could figure out why, well, now that would be cool.