if I drove around with no fluid in my transfer case for 5k miles I would be lucky if it didn't disintegrate and even if it didn't I wouldn't even consider trying to rebuild it. my last transfer case failure took the transmission out with it.
Transfer case woes NP149
- Thread starter 01DenaliHiker
- Start date
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OP
OP
01DenaliHiker
Member
This makes two of us. I have no idea how it didn't detonate, especially with the previous owner. He was pretty clueless. There might have been a quart, if it's lucky. It just throws it all out of the rear seal from when I drained what it had and refilled hoping it would resolve itself. It did not, of course.
I absolutely have play within the case itself from the front and rear shafts. You can wobble the shaft like it has worn out ujoints, but all your motion is coming from inside the transfer case itself. You can actually lift the case up with your hand (forcibly) the amount of travel it has play wise on the shafts inside. With no motion on the transmission mount. Which was another hopeful thinking moment, but alas, not the case.
The fluid I drained did not smell burnt and I had no abnormal metal shavings beyond what you would expect after 225k miles and likely the first time in a very, very long time it's ever been drained. If not the first time.
I'm just going to have to find a day and pull it out and open it up. I'm actually excited to see just how terrible it is. Fingers crossed I'm left with something I can at least rebuild. Otherwise I guess an overhaul or whole new unit will be more fortune.
Just trying to get my ducks in a row currently.
Has anyone rebuilt the 149? What kit did you use?
The diagram looks pretty straight forward, I've rebuilt a handful of cases when I was younger and thought nothing could stop my truck while in high school.
