94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

Anyone heard of a "Fluid Coupling" (don't know the real name of it) inside my all wheel drive transfer case? When in a tight right hand turns only it sounds like and feels like the front tire is binding up..then makes a kinda popping noise..then jerks a bit forward like it let's loose. And repeat while making these tight turns

stomper27

viscous coupling?? Yea, yours sounds like it's going out. Most people just swap the transfer case when the VC burns out. Many people recommend swaping to a 242 or 231 if you do heavy 4wheeling.

On a side note, I had the same exact symptoms,(94 5.2 ZJ) except mine was binding more on the left hand turns. Thought for sure it was the VC inside the t-case, but ended up being my front suspension skid plate was bent, so when I turned to the left, it was binding up and hopping around like a bad VC. My friend walked along side my ZJ and just watched underneath the jeep while I made the problem happen. Good luck

smokerkenny

I think its called the viscous coupler. The 249 is known for the vc going out. A popular mod is 2 swap in the 242. (P.s.: I've got a spare 249 in good condition sitting in storage, if interested)

94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

What is the difference in 242 231? And does it still make it all wheel drive with those transfers?

94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

And what's these 2 transfers come out of?

stomper27

it's viscous coupling unit.

If you plan on swapping out your tcase to the 242 or 231 it's best to try to find one from a ZJ as close to the same year as possible. Please search these threads for a while using the advanced search, and just type in 249J, filter the search to title only and you'll be an expert in no time. Seriously every week there's a new ??? on the 249J. Good luck with it

http://www.syncro.org/VCTest.html <------ isn't jeep specific, but good info

stomper27

those tcases came from all jeeps I think.. just different options you could get.. Some are AWD, and some are 2WD, with different 4WD ranges.

I bought a 231J off the classifieds. My ZJ is a 94... mid 1994 there was a gear change so any transfer cases after approx June-August of 94 will be different than early 94 or older.

Maybe I didn't need to do all this, but I brought my VIN# to the dealership; they printed off a options report (build list) for my jeep which shows the date my ZJ was actually built. I was able to determine mine was an early 94 ZJ, so I made sure I bought a 231J with a build date of Aug. 1993 (it says on the t case tag). The 231 I bought was off a 4.0L, my ZJ is a 5.2... doing research it's safe to say the input shafts will be different so I"m just buying a rebuilt kit and doing my first rebuild on the 231J.

94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

Also can I take the front shaft off till I can have a new vc put in or will if F it up(transfer)

94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

And the input shafts are different?

stomper27

Many, MANY people will tell you yes, it will F up your jeep worse.(My front DS was taken out when I bought it) Plus, it will roll down the hill when in Park, and sometimes you will have to put it in N to start it. If you need a quick fix go to the junkyard and get a 249J off another 94 ZJ, probably cost you $70 at the most. Good luck!

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/n...nstall-748821/

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/t...-np242-685644/

dpshoup

What year is that 249, and what do you want for it?

94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

Oh yes that is the plan since I know where there is one at the yard but unsure of the year

94.Red.Grand.5.2Lt

And why would it roll down the hill in park since the back shaft is still in place?

Flex This

It will not roll down hill I have had mine oout for a yr it will mess the vc up more but still driveable. The only reason it would roll is if your shifter linkage is not correctly adjusted!! That would be y you have to put in N to start cause the neutral saftey switch is not ingaged

stomper27

yea flex, that's right. I adjusted the shifter linkage to make it way tigher so it fixed the problem. But it happens when the front DS is out. Maybe yours was already nice and tight. Or do you drive a WJ by chance?? WJ doesn't get this problem, don't ask me why. I dunno this is just what happened on my ZJ