leadfoot100

Sooo bought a 97 GC with the 4.0 and NP242 tc. it was like 1000 bucks, new tranny 12,000 miles ago, runs like a top, But 4 wheel drive doesnt work. How could I say no to something that couldn't be that big of a deal. I know I can still find a good used np 242 or even convert to a np 231 if I wanted to for not that much but my goal is, less money, the better of course.

This weekend we took out the whole transfer case, and set it up on the bench so we could get a thorough look at it

aaannd this is what happened when we opened it up.







I posted my question below...

leadfoot100

Ok, so it's not quite a bomb, but its nasty.

All the gearing seems fine, the chain however does need replaced. There are no large, medium, or small bits of metal, just the fine dust stuck to the magnet.
It needs a huge cleaning.

THIS is where I have a few questions.

I have some suspicions with how it ended up like this but has anyone seen one this bad?

Right next to the gear selector on the side of the case, there is a hole about 3/8" wide with Nothing plugging it! Now I must say this is my first time taking apart any type of gear box so My assumption is that hole needs to be plugged.... Correct?
What exactly is supposed to go there and where might I find it besides the junkyard?

by the way, I swear somebody put chocolate syrup in there just to be funny. It even had a slight chocolate smell to it.... like pudding lol. almost tried it

maddogs1965

If the hole is threaded, i believe it would be were the sending unit screws in too tell you what position your transfer case is in. Post a pic of the hole.

The chocolate syrup looks like either water, mud or gear oil, that T case should have ATF in it ....... none of the above

junior3382

If it is not threaded, isn't there supposed to be a vent hose for the TC? Maybe that was missing? Thats is nasty in there though! My immediate gut reaction is that I need to yank mine and make sure it also does not look like that! HAHAHA

leadfoot100

No it's just a small hole about the size of an average writing pen, right next to the selector arm. The two sending units are there and the vent is there and a hose was on it.
Also I don't think it's threaded
I'll take a picture and post.

hankthetank

first...what does it smell like? besides chocolate? burned? looks like someone put gear oil in there or motor oil mixed with what used to be atf...seriously i want to know what it smells like...why cant they invent smell-o-vision for laptops?

leadfoot100

Lol well without smell-o-lcd screens its hard to describe. It's very faint because it's so cold outside its really stiff and cake batter like and doesnt really expel a lot of smell. But it does have a faint worn smell. Not burnt but not fresh oil smell. Doesnt smell like ATF, or motor oil. It could be gear oil, or a mix of that and water.... Iduno.

BUT. here is a picture of the unplugged hole where plenty of mud looking oil was seeping out of before we pulled it from the jeep

The output shaft visible here is the front driveshaft output just I case anyone wants to know.

That Jeep Guy XJMJ

yup.. there should be some type of plug...

OverlandZJ

That hole is an access hole for the roll pin holding the shift rail inside the transfercase. Hit the dealer, you can get a replacement small rubber plug.

About $200 buys ya the master rebuild kit and a new chain.

CPLSeraphim

I am going to jump in and state that should not look like that. lol. Luckily it appears that you have nothing to worry about with the chain and all. Let us now how it turns out.

Low Profile

That residue in the TC looks like a combination of lubricant, water and dirt. Any idea whether or not the PO spent a lot of time mudding in deep water? "Thorough cleaning" hardly describes what's needed here. TC's take Dexron II or ATF Plus Type 7176. Once you get a new chain on it and get it back together, fill it up to the level of the filler plug hole.

The guy put a new transmission in it, but didn't go through the TC? Huh. He shoulda.

scoob

i've seen lots of rear ends look like that after mudding without draining them
if it was mine i'd clean it and check the bearings before throwing a new chain in it

beefmobile

good gracious almighty, that does look like chocolate syrup. you might be better off pulling a TC out of a GC at a junkyard. The one you have has obviously had a hard life, i don't think it's worth keeping given that (most) grand cherokee owners aren't exactly hard core wheelers (besides the PO of yours lol) and you would probably find a pretty clean TC out of a junker. JMO....