Oh Boy!!!!

[paxfam1]

Alrighty, sounds good

Plan is to tear it off thursday night, so until then if anyone has any tips or info let me know. I think it will be easy but until I get started I wont no.

Thaks everyone for all the information.

P.s. Should I drain the the tcase before removal, and with the new one how much and what kind of fluid should I put in there

[Blue Bowtie]

The skid plate will need to be removed from the case to allow clearance for removal. One of the skid plate fasteners has to be removed, while the others only need to be loosened since the mountings are only slots.

The transfer case needs to be tilted sideways, then twisted downward at the front to clear the transmission flange and the frame crossmember. There is almost not enough room to get it out. It's difficult to explain exactly how to twist it, but the interference points become

An articulated transmission jack is very helpful, since the case will start to feel heavy after a few minutes of turning and twisting to clear everything.

Be sure to get all the electrical connectors off the transfer case. There are a couple "hidden" ones near the top and right side. If my recollection is any good, there are four connectors. There is also a vent hose on the top which is usually just tossed up over teh transmission and tied on with a clip.

[paxfam1]

Did some final testing and I am convinced the chain is stretched to the max becuase, once in awhile when I shift I can hear that chain jumping teeth in the tcase. It seems to only catch a little bit while its in reverse, besides the little grinding its doing there is no power to the front. So tomoro I will drop that tcase, spit it open and inspect it, then put the used one in.

I asked earlier but I didnt get answers so I'll ask again.

Do I have to drain the fluid out when removing it? Should I change the fluid in the used one? What kind of lube does it need and how much.

Thanks all
paxfam

[old_master]

Probably be a good idea to drain the case before removal. It might save your arm pits from a fluid bath . I would change the fluid in the replacement case also.

2.3 quarts of Dexron III automatic transmission fluid.

Good luck, better you than me! Keep us posted.

[paxfam1]

Wow, that was quite a job.

I dropped the tcase in about 3 hours, it went pretty well. The bolts holding on the tcase to the tranny were a reall bugger. The biggest problem I had was that very bottom bolt on the tcase the frame was in the way, I struggled with that for at least an hour. Then I got a bright idea to jack up the tranny, and wa la, that bolt was now easy removed. The part of acutally dropping it out of the truck was the easiest, I pulled it off the shaft and tipped it down and the weight caught my suprise and landed on my chest. Well that went well, we will see how install goes tomoro.

paxfam1

[old_master]

Ya got heat there eh? Mighty cold up there in Minnesota.

[paxfam1]

oh yea heated shop,

-11degrees faren.

[paxfam1]

New Tcase installed and 4x4 is working, install went well, the hardest part was coming up with that gasket, I ended up going to a dealer to find it. No parts stores stocked it nor could they order it. At first with the new tcase installed it really didnt want to come back out of 4wd, but I think its getting better as I exercise it more.

Weird thing is I went to put the fluid into it and from empty to full it only held like 1.3 quarts. I filled it, until it ran out of that second highest plug which I believe is the correct level.

And only other thing I notice is when its in 4wd its whining alot more then my old one, mainly at higher speed like 40-50 Not sure if cause it had not been used in awhile or what. Is that normal?

Tips for the future; have a full bottle of pain killers near by cause you will be living of them for the next day or 2.

Thanks all couldnt have done it with out you guys.

[old_master]

If that case was sitting for a while, it may shift easier as you use it more. You might want to double check the fluid level and be sure you used the upper most plug. If the case was empty, 1.3 quarts is not enough. Low fluid level will cause a whine. GM recommends using sealant tape on the drain and fill plug threads, and tighten them to 35 foot pounds of torque.

Did you split the old case open? What did you find? Glad to hear you're up and running again.

[paxfam1]

Originally Posted by old_master

If that case was sitting for a while, it may shift easier as you use it more. You might want to double check the fluid level and be sure you used the upper most plug. If the case was empty, 1.3 quarts is not enough. Low fluid level will cause a whine. GM recommends using sealant tape on the drain and fill plug threads, and tighten them to 35 foot pounds of torque.

Did you split the old case open? What did you find? Glad to hear you're up and running again.

I am pretty sure I used the right plug, but I will double check cause I dont want to take any chances.

I did split it and found a chain that was stretched out really bad. Also the sprockets were rounded off from the chain grinding on it. The shafts also had alot of play in them, not sure if thats normal or if the bearings were shot.

The total cost for everything was like 175 (tcase,gasket,fluid) So I feel pretty good to have 4wheel drive again.

[Blue Bowtie]

The old master has it covered. The only thing I would add is that even if the case had not been sitting for an extended period, drain and refill it again after some use. It will be cheap insurance. You might want to drive it gently for a while and wait until after northern Canada stops sending us their air. You might be a bit surprised at what drains out with the "new" oil.

IIRC, the torque specifications for the drain and fill plugs is cast into the case. Perhaps that's only on the New Process/New Venture units - I'm not positive.

I disagree. You could have done it yourself. It may have taken longer to gather the information, and you might have done a few things the hard way, but you would have finished it.

It will definitely be interesting to learn what you find in the old case.

[Blue Bowtie]

Originally Posted by paxfam1

I did split it and found a chain that was stretched out really bad. Also the sprockets were rounded off from the chain grinding on it. The shafts also had alot of play in them, not sure if thats normal or if the bearings were shot.

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

The "ratcheting" sound may be an indication of a stretched chain in the xfer case. How many miles are on the vehicle?

YES! Who's the MAN?! MIND-TAKING, baby! Stick with the Kid!

Meh, lucky guess. It could have very easily been a sprag, worn spline or a handful of other things. All we did was stand back, hold our beers, and point fingers. You did all the real work.

Originally Posted by paxfam1

The total cost for everything was like 175 (tcase,gasket,fluid) So I feel pretty good to have 4wheel drive again.

$175 complete, and you really got a pretty good deal on the case. I looked at some used and re-man cases online, and you could have easily spent four figures. Add to that (or subtract?) the satisfaction of being self-sufficient. That's gotta be worth something, and may ease the pain a bit while your fingers thaw and the blueish-black color goes away.

[old_master]

I'm with Blue Bowtie, great job! Most DIYers wouldn't have the guts to tackle a job like that!

And the moral of the story is... If you get stuck, shift to LO range and slowly walk out. If you have to "rock it" back and forth, allow the drivetrain to come to a complete stop before changing gears. While slamming back and forth from drive to reverse may eventually get you "unstuck", the damage done to the entire drivetrain can be substantial, and costly.

[paxfam1]

Ya no, I am not sure if it makes the slightest diffrence but this tcase was out of a 96 blazer, would that make since to why it only holds 1.3 quarts at full?

[old_master]

1996 and up with a NP233 or NV233 transfer case all have the same capacity.