MAYBE A 1356 PRO WILL HELP ME OUT WITH SOME MUCH PERPLEXING QUESTIONS.....
REAR GAS TANKS BLASTED WITH FLUID
NO LEAK FORWARD OF THE TRANSFER CASE MENTIONED
NO REALLY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OFF TRANSFER CASE FLUID
WASHED OFF T-CASE GREASE/OIL
DRIED DULL/ NO EVID OF OIL/ HIT THE HIGHWAY IN 2WD
50 MILES/ NEW OIL AT FRONT OF CASE AND BACKSIDE AS WELL
CHECKED T-CASE LEVEL...FINE
SHOULD I STRAP MYSELF BENEATH THE VEHICLE AND WATCH WHILE SOMEONE DRIVES (LOL)
DOES A T-SHOP LIFT THE TRUCK AND PUT IT IN GEAR AND WATCH?
114,000 92 FORD F-250
REALLY HOPING A SEAL IS ALL...BUT IS THAT JUST ..AS I SAID ....HOPE?
LIKE EVERYONE I KNOW...I'M BROKE...
CAN THAT PUMP PUSH FLUID OUT THE FRONT-T-C-SEAL-THAT GOES TO-FRONT-DRIVE SHAFT? EVEN JUST IN 2WD?
AND WHERE IS THE FLUID COMING FROM (ENOUGH TO COAT BOTH GAS TANKS) ESPECIALLY IF THE FLUID LEVEL IS NOT GOING DOWN IN THE T-CASE
I THOUGHT MAYBE THE TRANS FLUID IS INTERCONNECTED WITH THE T-CASE RESEVOIR AND THAT'S WHERE ITS COMING FROM...INTO THE T-CASE FROM THE T-MISSION? FORD SAID NO WAY....THEY'RE SEPERATE TOTALLY?
I KNOW I HAVE TO UHHHHH PICK A SHOP.....SCARES ME...ESPECIALLY MY IGNORANCE AND INEPTITUDE....I NEED FAITH IN A MECHANIC....I DON'T HAVE A TRANS MECHANIC....SO AT LEAST I NEED SOME KNOWLEDGE TO ASK SOME PERTINENT QUESTIONS WHEN I DROP THIS ONE OR TAKE WHOLE TRUCK IN TO GET IT FIXED
HOW CAN A GUY DETERMINE WHERE THE LEAK IS COMING FROM IF IT ONLY LEAKS WHEN IT'S DRIVEN....ON A LIFT IN GEAR??? IS THAT HOW IT'S DONE??
THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ME SPOUT
ANY INFO/SOLUTION WILL BE A BLESSING
THANKS "THE" TOPCAT

 

there are seals on both outputs. I don't quite follow you but i'll give it a shot. The reason why you hae fluid all over the place is because the yoke slings it everywhere as it spins. If you have a slip yoke this is very simple. unbolt the driveshaft from the rear axle and slide the shaft out of the tcase. There is a seal in there, pull it out and replace.

 

What kind of transmission do you have? It wouldnt be the heavy duty version of the Mazda transmission? If so--it is possible that the three round plugs just in front of the transfer case on the shift tower is leaking auto trans fluid and coating the transfer case. I had the whole unside of my truck coated with ATF from these leaking plugs.

 

there isn't an HD version of the mazda tranny. The rangers etc got the M5R1 and the F150's got the M5R2. Those plugs you speak about are notorious for leaking if they aren't replaced, best to go with the brass ones. Check the fluid level in the tranny as this is the number 1 killer of these transmissions. Also, as the seals wear out it is possible that transmission fluid may leak into the output housing and some may end up inside the tcase.

 

phoneman..be happy. My grandpa put gear oil in my old 89's M5OD - so I had THAT getting flung around everywhere.

 

fordper300:

The M5od was installed in trucks with a GVW of 8500 or less--per my 92 FSM. Would suggest that light duty F250s could possibly have the M5od.

 

I Had The Link For A Great Exploded View Of The 1356 But The Site Deleted It??? They Wouldn't Allow It...sorry....but My 1356 Is Still Leaking And Someone Said Check The Tranny....i Have...my Prob Is That I Am Handy Enough To Tear It Down And Put It Back Together...but A Parts I.d. Idiot....i Don't Know The Specific Names Of The Various Parts Of The B-w 1356 To Even Let Some One Know What The Heck I Have In My Hand At The Counter After I Pull It....so...lets Say I Find The Leak...pull The Seal...and Go In Saying Uhhhhh....does Some One Know Of A Website I Can Go To Get The Downlow On The Names Of The Various Parts Of The 1356...chilton?
Shoot.....first Thing Hit Me When This Stuff Happened And My T-case Wasn't Down On Fluid Was The Trans Leaking Into The T-case
Called Ford And I Was Told The Trans Cannot Leak Into The T-case....two Seperate Animals Entirely...now Someone Says They're Not????
I Was On The Road W 500 Miles To Get Home When Discovered This Fluid All Over....i Checked The T-case Fluid...it Was Down Some....then Checked The Manual Trans...it Was Ok....then I Hit The T-case With A Pressure Wash At Car Wash Cleaned It All Up...i Go 100 More Miles...same Mess...t-case Not Down....tranny Neither....baffling...........what....strap Me Underneath And Drive To Watch It??? Can The T-case Be "pressurized" To Find The Leak Or Will That Just Blow Out The Seals????? The Pump Runs At Some Lbs Of Pressure....could I Simulate That Pressure Through The Fill And See Where It Blows???? I'm Afraid I'll Pop The Eardrums Out Of The Seals
Even Crazier Is That I Have Oil On The Front Of The Transfer Case...nothing Forward Of That...before I Knew There Was A Pump In There I Assumed A Gasket...not A Seal.....what's The Trick To Finding The Leak And Where The Leak Is....it's Clean Now....but It Don't Drip Just Sitting??? Thans "the" Topcat

 

I would replace both output seals on the tcase, just ask for these seals at your local part store they will have em, as for the tranny, i don't specfically remember what the rubber plugs are called, but if you tell the guy at the ford parts counter that your tranny is leaking from the top rubber plugs he'll know what you are talking about. Also, it takes very little oil to make a mess everywhere, if it's the tranny it leaks out and windblown everywhere, if the tcase it gets flung everywhere by the yoke spinning

 

The 1356 only takes 2 quarts of ATF, with a leak that strong you should see a drop in the fluid level. It does have a pump, and it could leak out of the front or rear. It has a vent, I guess if the vent is clogged it could force fluid out of a seal when it warms up. The vent is by the indicator switch, near the shifter, on the front side of the case. Its not a hard case to R&R, seal kits are pretty cheap. Id monitor the fluid level to make sure its the t/c. I have a lot of pics if you need them.

 

well here is some hope...thanks...vent eh?....hmmm....i haven't had this truck long...the t-case was initially 1/2" thick with caked grease...i never noticed a leak until i cleaned it.....i like the idea of the vent being clogge....but what about big-time blow-out through the vent? i took her to the car wash yesterday (snowing) and totally soaked myself while laying underneath and getting every bit of grease and fluid off of the case...i'm starting at the start...can the vent be reached from below with the t-case installed? clean it how? is it sorta "pcv-like"....does it unscrew? or is this a "jam" a small screwdriver "down a hole" kinda deal? i am getting ready to order the seals...$27...so no biggie...i heard that they're harder to remove (obviously) than replace....any special tools or suggestions...last thing i need now is to scratch the heck out of a housing edge with whatever and ruin the egde so the seal wont uhhh "seal" on the sides. this email gives me some hope my friend....i am traaditionally a "fatalist"...especially when the baffling environment goes on and on and eludes me. yes...i'd love love some pictures....especially of the vent and if you have some "in action" seal repair shots that'd be great....by the way....there are some kits i've seen with the 3 roung rubber seals, range fork, the "toothed-gear" (no chain though) and a pump kit, apparently a pump rebuild kit....and some say overhaul at 100,000 anyway....and mine is at 114,000...but heck...i hate to overhaul just because of a leak if it is only a seal...but then (again i hear) the flanges on the inside of the case that hold the pump (along w a metal bracket) the flanges begin to disintegrate allowing the pump to move or wobble....think you'd just start with seals...i mean...i see the 1356 rebuilt and ready for nly $350 with my core....i think i'd spend that and more rebuilding mine after chain and pump etc. thanks my friend ...jerry

 

In the pic, this is the case half that faces front. On the left is the input shaft, mounts up to the transmission, on the right is the front wheel drive shaft, note the new seal. The shiny silver nipple is the vent, under it is the indicator socket, on the right of that is the shifter opening.
Heres what I would do. Make sure its the t/c, drop in fluid level,whatever... I would split the case while its in the truck. That means removing the driveshaft (easy, 4 nuts)(chock the wheels), removing the rear extension housing (4 bolts), a circlip ( need good circlip pliers), then removing the t/c bolts (Need a torx bit, T-50). The case will split, pull off the back half. You can then inspect the seal on the rear, the case-half seal ( just RTV, there is no gasket) and see if you can tell where the leak is. Theres a good chance its the case half seal, they dont last too long, and they go hard. If the rear seal is beat, consider replacing the 2 front seals with it, requires removing the t/c. Note the rear seal takes more abuse, from the driveshaft movement. Inside inspect the oil pump mounts, trianges, should be flat w/ no warp, and inspect the part of the t/c housing that holds the pump mount triange. They tend to get worn down, if they are warn, then it means more work. Inspect the magnet for shavings, expect some smallish stuff. I think the oil pump should be fine unless it was run dry, its really simple. You can inspect that if you like, but be sure to reassemble it correctly. The chain will have some slack, the vent should be clear- run some wire through it, or a pipe cleaner. With any luck it will be the case half seal, and will cost you a tube of RTV and some fluid.
Id only replace whats necessary and fluid, and I guess the rear seal, its right there. Try hard to find the leak first of course.
I may have left some stuff out, read up on it before you do it, but its not a difficult case. I actually had a lot of fun rebuilding mine (ran dry, dont ask), but thats me.
Good luck. Its not snowing yet in NH.
Mark

 

Thanks Mark...i Have Gotten Pretty Familiar With This Dude Now...it's Been Cleaned Again And I'm Watchin It Like A Hawk ...i Found A Bomb Exploded View From National Drivetrain (dot) Etc....it Has The Beast Split And Exploded....looks Pretty Straight Forward....the Thing Is....i Still Dont See The Leak...cuz Right Noe...it Ain't....i Lost A Lot On The Highway @ 65....people Tell Me The Pump Won't Push Too Much Pressure...just Slops...and Of Course The Chain Slings Some...and Yeah....i'd Suspect The Rear Output Or The Front Input Between The Two Cases First Because Of The Eceryday Use Factor....i Did Learn....at Least I Hope This Is Correct...that The Seal B-tween The Trans And T-case Can Allow Atf From The Trans Into The T-case....that's What I Suspected Intitially On The Road Back When This All Happened...but I Was Assured Then (maybe Wrongly Now) That It Was Impossible Toi Leak From Trans To T-case.....i Meaqn C'mon....if I Am Leakin At The T-case Ontp The Rear Gas Tanks...and The T-case Stays Full....atf Gotta Be Comin From Somewhere To Stay "full" In The T-case....no Other Place It Can Come From But The Trans.....but Here's Anothe Rquestion.....there Is A Front Seal On The T-case Where The Trans Bolts Up....is There Also A Rear Seal At The Trans...ie: If The T-case Is Pu;lled...all The Trans Fluid Won't Drain....right? So....for The Trans To Leak Into The T-case....the Fluid Has To Get Past The Rear Trans Seal....and Then Past The Front T-case Input Seal?....what's The Chances Of Both Of Those "mated" Seals Goin Bad....unless Of Course There Is No Rear Trans Seal And I Doubt That.....got A Take On That....thanks The Topcat

 

There are seals on the front of the t/c and rear of the tranny, I believe that if either one leaks, fluid will flow out of the tranny tailpiece, not into the t/c. I think there is a vent in the tranny tailpiece (not sure). Your manual trans fluid is not ATF, right? If its oil, it should be easy to tell the difference. I guess you just have to find the leak first, and go from there. I dont believe fluid will leak out of the tranns, into the t/c, then out of the t/c. Have you had it on the highway since? You can change just the rear seal by removing only the t/c rear housing (and driveshaft). I guess you really just have to find the leak first, and go from there. Good Luck, let us know what it turns out to be.
Mark

 

hi mark...glad you caught that misnomer on the atf in the manual...no...it's manual trans fluid ....and yeah....i gotta find the leak....although i don't see and blow-by on the t-case vent tube....i am tying a white sock over the top to see if it gets "atf dirty"....i'm gonna hit the highway @65 and check this dude out often....say every 2-3 miles at first.....the game seem to have just begun....weird....but better than playing monopoly! (lol) thanks mark....i'll stay in touch - you do the same ok? best - the topcat

 

im having a similar problem with my t-case, I found the fluid to be coming out from where the electric shift motor should be, but i have a manual t-case. Is there supposed to be a plug there or something. I noticed this when i was turning the front driveshaft to tightening the u-joint u-bolts.