jstantherprsn

Last week I changed the transmission fluid and it wasn't that bad. You could still see red on the sides when it was in the drain pan and must have been changed at 128k. So today I got the 30mm and changed the transfer case. It stunk so bad my garage reaks so bad. I never smelled atf fluid that stunk that bad before it was completely black. So I put a bottle of max life dex/mec fluid (with extra detergent supposedly). I also add two squirts of the thick heavy lucas no slip/atf crap. Seriously I throught I was going to break the pump. I added the 2 squirts just in case. I then cleared the pump and topped it off with more maxlife dex/mec. I plan on draining the tranny and the transfer case again in 2 weeks. I'm thinking that I should change the transfer case fluid a 3rd time.

I'm thinking of using another maxlife and topping it off with another max life. No squirts of that other crap and the finally with trick shift. People might think I'm taking this overboard but I don't think I am. I saw no shavings. Any suggestions?

firstime00XJ

Are you sure that your transfer case doesn't use gear oil? Some older vehicles do...

658 Bucks

I know that some Tcases use a completely different oil than trans fluid. I would double check that you are using the correct kind.

Cherokee

np231 requires dex III.

original spec was dex II.

Mike1998XJ

I wonder if someone put 90 weight in the TC by mistake? It should have Dex 111 as previously stated.

perez1989

I wouldn't put any trans cleaner stuff in it. Depends how long the fluid has been in there. I tried some detergent motor oil once to the inside of the motor and it cloged my oil filter.

jstantherprsn

I didn't think it was gear oil. I had foyer closed and it penetrated thru the garage and stunk for a few hrs. I smelled gear oil before, it reminded me of cat pee. Anyways in hindsight it probably is gear oil. I have put 60 miles on it since not a problem. No noise or anything. In another week I'll see if there is anything worth posting when I change it.

PolarXJ

I wonder if it was a mixture of gear oil and Dex III.

G_P

Exactly. Sometime in the Jeeps life it was probably taken to a JiffyLube or other "quick lube" type of place and they topped off the Tcase with gear oil not knowing what what the proper fluid was.

Even horribly old and burnt tranny fluid does not have an overpowering smell. However gear oil can and will stink up the garage in no time flat

firstime00XJ

That's what I was thinking when I posted...Gear Oil STINKS. I wonder if it may also be ATF +4....That stuff reeks too....

Borneo Batman

I just went through a similiar ordeal. Super nasty oil in the t-case, it looked like dex3 but had been in there for 1,000 years. Your t-case still doing ok? Anyone else out there recommend another change after some miles? Anyone subscribe the the "leave it alone" theory many people do with a tranny? Anyone agree that applies to a t-case as well?

Thanks, Jason

Turbo X_J

Be interesting to see if the 90W was used to conceal some "issues".

xKHANx

Previous post X2.

belvedere

no and no

CCKen

I highly recommend several TC oil changes. Just use cheap DEX III/MERC and fill it up. Drive it around the block in 4WD and drain/refill. Do this as many times as required until the fluid drained is pure red ATF. Don't worry about the cost of the ATF, it's alot cheaper than a replacement TC.

Did this on a used 242 I bought. The fluid in the TC when I bought it looked like coffee with double cream. I had to drain/refill about five times until I was satisfied the fluid was acceptable. Runs fine now.

Final refill should be the same ATF as you use in your tranny. In my case, I use Valvoline DEX/MERC.