Hi all.

99 xj 4x4 aw4 242 tcase

So it appears my tcase is leaking from the seal the shifter linkage connects to. I always had a small leak. 1 or 2 drops every couple of days. Just changed the oil and it seems to have gotten worse. Do I have to drop the tcase to replace the seal.

I have checked the vent and it is not leaking from there.

 

If you are sure it's coming from the shift shaft you can unbolt the lever and remove the oring with a pick and put a new one in.

 

Well I was 100% sure until I just did some research and found out the 242 has a hole that is suppose to have a rubber plug in it as the pic shows.
The truck is at my dads house I have to double check tmw

 

Yeah, that hole is so you can knock out the roll pin that holds the shifter shaft in place. The shaft that the shift fork slides on.

 

Well I will tell you one thing.... I'll be happy if that's where the leak is coming from, but I'm gonna feel like a real dumbass for not realizing it earlier hahaha. I just would have never thought there would be a hole with a rubber plug in a tcase.

 

I am a dumbass. No plug. I just ordered one.

 

There goes that. The plug is no longer available from mopar. I just used a electrical twist cap with some rtv and jammed it into the hole. Hope it holds

 

Ita just a rubber plug. you might be able to find one in the "HELP!" Section of your local parts store or something close enough to work. Got any junkyards nearby? Cover the hole.up with RTV?

There are always options.

 

I would get that RTV out of there ASAP. It can break off and float around and do bad things.

 

The whole case is sealed with RTV. unless hes squeezing a whole tube into that tiny hole indont thik he has much to worry about.

 

You might also check your local hardware store. The Ace Hardware's near me have a ton of random stuff in the loose hardware section - the larger store of the 2 has more stuff. You might be able to find a random rubber plug of the correct size among that stuff. I think the big home improvement stores have similar sections, but they are crap compared to the local hardware store selection.

 

There is a HUGE difference between having a gasket surface sealed with properly applied RTV and shoving a random object INTO the case covered with RTV.

Good advice, Pat. I have two old-fashioned hardware stores like that near me. One is okay, one is amazing. They have all kinds of oddball stuff.

 

To clear things up the "plug" is very close to the diameter of the hole. And I applied a skim coat of rtv. I didnt just slather the hole with a glob of rtv. I'm sure itll be fine.

 

Also sourced another company that claims to have the plug in stock. In case anyone is ever in need of one part # is 0015105