96blackxj

i hope i dont bug you guys with my questions lol..

so last night i went to play in the mud no problems then i went to crawl up a hill and put it in 4 low and it was making a loud whining noise once i started going around 5mph..

then today while driving i hear this noise sounds like its coming from my transfer case sounds like a chain or some kind of noise like that.. i know there is a chain in my transfer case but why would it be making noise.

im almost positive i have a np231 94 cherokee 258k on it i will find out tonigh when i change the fluid in it

thanks for the help

salad

Starting with the fluid is good. Otherwise it's just guesswork. Lack of fluid is the leading cause for transfer case noise.

96blackxj

well i crawled under my jeep and yea i do have the 231j i put the jeep in neutral and applied the parking brake the rear driveshaft has no play while the front i can spin back and forth with the clunking noise inside the transfer case..

put it in 4wd hi and the front driveshaft still spins back and forth while the rear is still solid so i guess what i might do is buy another transfer case and rebuild that one with new bearings and new chain then install it in my jeep because ive never rebuilt a transfer case and i dont wanna rush it..

i also called my automatic tranny guy and he told me 800 to rebuild it so yea im gonna do it myselft..

i have rebuilt tons of honda manual transmissions so im sure the transfer case cant be that hard

96blackxj

i really wish i had the money to convert it to stick i really dont like automatic even though it is alot easier to wheel with an auto i dont like automatics lol

96blackxj

Here's a video in 4 low yet it makes this noise in 2wd just not as loud also now when I go from 4 hi to 4 low and back it's grinding I can feel it in the selector of course my trans is in neutral and I'm stopped

Demonoid369

Why buy another transfer case?!? Sounds like the chain is loose, just swap that out, puts some new fluid in and call it good.

96blackxj

okay... ill just do that hopefully i can do it right the first time ill buy a whole rebuild kit and put new bearings and chain ..

how long do you think my case will last until i have time to pull it apart?

one of my friends said that his friends was doing what mine is doing and his locked up on the freeway... idk though sounds crazy

Demonoid369

Sooner the safer lol mine was slapping a bit and I drive it like that for a few days. Just get it open and swapped out the soonest. Probably only need the rear seal, don't need a whole rebuild. It's smarter to just crack it open first and see what wrong before you start blowing money on it

96blackxj

my xj is my only car, so if i take it apart i would liike to just rebuild the whole thing do it right the first time then just chain slap it and hope everything else is good

96blackxj

okay so my jeep is falling apart

yesterday just got this bad driveline shake when i accelerate the whole jeep shakes i cant go over 35mph when i let off the gas it stops shaking

CanXJ

Sounds like you have either bad u joints, or a driveshaft that is out of balance. Is your XJ lifted? If it is lifted you may need a SYE.

Demonoid369

Again you won't know till you open it, these transfer cases are stout, a rebuild is only necessary is if this case is SEVERELY trashed be smarter to get the real problem fixed first. Then worry about the small things later, there are plenty of cases running at 250k miles and the only thing needed was a new rear seal and chain. Don't waste unnecessary money on things that don't need it, use that money towards your new problem like u-joints and such.

stang65

first take a breath

second find what the real issue is the vibration could be alot of things the noise can also be part of the same issue. is it making the noise while in 2wd?
also if your willing to spend the money you might be able to find a used one cheap to get you by while to do the work to this one. but like stated its not smart to just throw money at things until you know what you should throw it at.

mine made alot of noise after I pulled a lifted dodge cummins on 40 out of the sand. had to readjust linkage and replace fluids these tcase can take a beating but you do have to maintain them.

96blackxj

i only have a 3 inch rough country lift with aal.... nothing crazy.. the vibration didnt start till yesterday out of nowhere, and it not death wobble, its consistent when i accelerate ...

i changed the fluid inside my transfer case already, it came out clean and i moved the front driveshaft and it doesnt seam like the chain has slop but im sure it does..

i dont know how to adjust the linkage, but i did crawl underneath my jeep today and it seems like my trans mount is trashed, i can push up on the rear driveshaft and i can lift the case off the mount and i can shake it side to side like 2 inches per side so im gonna replace that first and see what happens

RubberSideUp

If replacing the mount doesn't solve the problem, take the case out and have a friend take you and the case to a shop and have them inspect it. Call around and ask shops if they will diagnose it for free if you bring it in to them. A good shop won't charge you to inspect it and will probably save you a lot of time trying to figure out the cause. Could be shift fork pads, chain stretch, worn bearings, or worn teeth. Lots of possibilities. Those are the most likely problems with the NP231. There are complete teardown and rebuild videos on Youtube if you want to have a go.