Rear locker/diff issue?

[DPGDirk]

So I'm driving the other day and took off from a stop at full throttle. On the 1-2 shift, I heard a loud popping noise and the engine revved free. I got out of it immediately, but something clearly broke. I was waiting for a driveshaft to start banging around or other calamity. I was looking for a place to pull over when it seemed to re-engage again and drove fine. No more noise and the engine was hooked up to the drivetrain again.

I've been driving it since- albeit at lighter throttle. Obviously, the driveshaft is fine.
Something INTERNAL gave way and then started working again.

My thoughts are either the t-case or the rear locker.
Thinking it may be time for a Detroit True Trac.

Anyone else had this happen? Thoughts?

BTW, this is a stock rear in a '03 Yukon with 3.73 gears.

Thanks!

 

[ISU-152]

Full silence is best here

 

[DPGDirk]

Uhhhh.... Actual helpful replies would be appreciated.

Anyone had their factory locker go out?

 

[Sasquatch]

When the engine revved up free was there any noise after the initial popping sound? The only way the engine could rev free would be if you sheared the teeth off of the ring or pinion gear and if that happened there would be very loud horrible crunching noises. I don`t have a clue about what else it could be but it`s very easy to pull the differential cover and take a look in there.

 

[DPGDirk]

When the engine revved up free was there any noise after the initial popping sound? The only way the engine could rev free would be if you sheared the teeth off of the ring or pinion gear and if that happened there would be very loud horrible crunching noises. I don`t have a clue about what else it could be but it`s very easy to pull the differential cover and take a look in there.

That's the funny part. There is no more noise. It made the loud single noise and then maybe a slight clunk when everything re-engaged and been fine since.

I can't imagine that being a ring & pinion issue. Figured something let go in the rear locker and then fell back in place. Starnge...

 

[Sasquatch]

What i was saying is that in order for the engine to free rev one or both of the gears would have been destroyed. Even if the locker broke you would still have power to one wheel if the ring and pinion were fine. Forgive me if you know but all the locker does is lock both axles together when one wheel slips. No matter what happens to the locker the ring and pinion will still move the truck. It would probably be noisy but it would still move.

 

[DPGDirk]

What i was saying is that in order for the engine to free rev one or both of the gears would have been destroyed. Even if the locker broke you would still have power to one wheel if the ring and pinion were fine. Forgive me if you know but all the locker does is lock both axles together when one wheel slips. No matter what happens to the locker the ring and pinion will still move the truck. It would probably be noisy but it would still move.

I had a Powertrax No-Slip locker in a jeep that quit one time. I had no movement- even though the R&P weren't messed up at all.

Not sure what happened and I haven't been inside the diff yet. Just trying to figure out if anyone else has had this happen.

 

[mizzouguy]

Its not the rear diff, there is nothing inside that could have "come apart" and went back together just fine. Either the t-case popped into neutral or something in your tranny slipped. Beyond that I dont know...maybe try putting your t-case into 4-hi, 4-low, auto, neutral, etc and see if its working right.
Interesting site: http://forums.edmunds.com/discussio...uburban-transfer-case-disengages-while-in-2wd

 

[DPGDirk]

There's something. Since I have an extra 4wd jeep and the wife now has an AWD vehicle, I'm really wishing I would've got a 2WD Yukon instead.

Less parts to fail and easier to lower...

 

[retiredsparky]

I think you have a transmission problem. When things get sticky in the tranny, a solenoid or a clutch piston can hang up. If either of these things happen, the clutch does not lock up. No power through the transmission. So it is either in the valve body or in the clutch piston/drum assembly. Most likely the valve body, those solenoids are tiny and a little bit of clutch material building up in the valve body could hang up a solenoid temporarily.

If the transfer case failed, it does not "unfail".

I suggest you change your tranny fluid and filter. Drain into a clean bucket and look at the color and smell for burnt odor. Over time the clutch material in an automatic contaminates the fluid (every time the clutches engage, there is a little bit of the friction material cast off into the fluid, the filter does not catch much of this material).

Larry