Nope. That's the transfer case. From the looks of that fill plug, it hasn't been checked in a coons age. With a leak, you'd better check it too. I can't tell, but is that Selectrac? Not clear enough to read the tag. It should say NP242J if it is. WARNING! The plug socket is 10mm, not 3/8"! If it's really tight, a 3/8" Allen key will generally round out the socket.

Wait! It's possible it's leaking trans fluid into the adapter housing and blowing back. There should be a slot on the adapter mounting flange that acts as a drain. If the t/case is full, it's the trans leaking. Output shaft bearing seal. Not TOO difficult to change, but the t/case has to come off.

 

I don't mean to sound like an idiot but I'm not very mechanically inclined so the reason I'm probably low and transmission fluid is because the transfer case is leaking is that correct?

 

I found the transmission pan and it is covered in the same black stuff heavier on the right side

 

No, they are 2 separate-self contained cases. I think you found the leak. The trans pan gasket. I think the rest is blowback. Look at the cooling line fittings on the right side above the pan and see if they are wet. They might be the problem because the pan is only wet on that side. When the pan leaks, it generally is wet all the way around.

Excuse my rambling. I'm trying to visualize this in my head.

 

A good way to find a leak is to spray the whole area with NAPA Brak-leen, then idle it for a while watching it. The solvent will wash off any oil and leave a dry surface that's easy to see leaks.

 

This is a quartering forward image of a a518 transmisson and transfer case assembly, the black line is where the two components separate. The red line is on top of the transmisson, the blue line is on the transfer case. Both of these use separate fluids and don't mix. Dave is pointing out another possible reason the transmission fluid can seem to disappear.

Look at the photo, and imagine the fluid flowing from the red line to the blue line. That is what can happen when the rear transmisson seal fails, the transmisson fluid moves from the transmission to the transfer case.

You will imminently know when you remove the fill plug on the transfer case, the fluid level in the transfer case only levels with the bottom of the fill plug. That means that when the transfer case fill plug is removed very little fluid should come out, if the fluid blast out after the fill plul is remove (and gets all over you) you'll know where the fluid disappeared to, lol.

 

I wanted to point out this example of how it is possible for a leak to move from turbulent air, the yellow dot is the area that the leak originated and the fulid was blown to the the white dot on the transfer case.

It looks like the transmisson rear seal may have failed. I saying because the fulid in the transfers case should only be to about height of the blue line that I've superimposed over your TC, the fulid never sits up as high as the red dots. The TC might be filled that high.

 

Ok. No problem Dave! I appreciate the help man! you too tony! I just want to make sure I'm not %&$%ed lol. I'm attaching some more pictures it shows the transmission pan wet and has a thick black grease? Or dirt? Not sure on one side and the whole transmission is black and looks leaky (look at last pic) hoping its just something simple like trans pan gasket and its just blowing back.

 

By the way it was a quart low on fluid since I added some it seems to be driving much much better once I do flush and fill I think it may be better

 

By the way, forget about what Tony says about fluid transfer from the transmission to the t/case. The older GM trucks didn't have a drain hole in the t/case adapter and if the trans rear seal leaked, the fluid would flow into the t/case. My Dad's suburban had that problem. The trans was going low and the t/case was always overfull. Jeep's have sealed bearings in both the trans and t/case AND a drain hole in the adapter so you can see leaks. He also drew dots and lines on a sideways picture! The T/case is full when the fluid flows out the top plug.

I just realized I'm saying "adapter" when there really isn't one. The NP series t/cases bolt directly to the trans. It just shows my GM upbringing. New Process transfer cases were built by a Chrysler division. When sold to GM, they had to use an adapter.

When you see either NP or NV on a t/case, they are the same thing. They were built by Chrysler's New Process Gear Division. When Chrysler got into financial trouble, they sold New Process Gear to the employees, thus it became New Venture Gear. Since then, it was sold to Magna Powertrain.

 

I cleaned of the t case and transmission were just waiting to see if. I can see the leak I sat and watched it and i can't see it drip so must be a slow leak

 

Or the shafts have to be in motion to leak, which is probably the case.

Duh! Of course, why didn't I realize that? No pressurized oil flowing in the transmission! Why would it leak now? Also, the fluid level in the t/case is below the bearing. It'll never get up there unless it's turning. There's a circulator pump on the output shaft of the t/case that handles the lubing of all the bearings and the chain, but it doesn't circulate if it's not moving.

 

Anybody here ever flush their transmission out 2-3 quarts at a time? I just did it on my 2007 Tacoma 2.7 and my 1998 Cherokee 4.0 is next.

I just added a quart over full to start with and then run a hose from the outlet of the transmission (the hose normally sending fluid to the radiator) to a gallon container that I can see on the ground next to the driver's door. Then I start the engine and let it run until 2-3 quarts are in the container. Shut off the engine and add 2-3 quarts of new ATF to the tranny. Then restart the engine and pump out 2-3 quarts.

I continue that process until the fluid going into the external contain looks like brand new fluid.

Then I put the hoses back the way I found them and make sure the tranny ATF level is correct on the stick.

On the Tacoma it took about a case of ATF - but that's still way cheaper than the shop wanted to "power flush" my transmission.

Anybody see any reason that won't work on a Jeep?

PHM
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It should work fine, Mikey. Just don't let the pump go dry. The pan holds about 4 quarts and the pump starts to cavitate when it's about 2 quarts low. When I say cavitate, I mean when it starts to pump air and create foam. IDK for sure, but you may not get any flow unless it's in neutral.

 

I noticed the same issue with the dipstick not fully seating. I do not like it because debris can get in there. I often have to clean sand out of the engine bay and off top of valve cover. I'm sure sand will find its way into the tube.