transfer case problem or tranny?
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transfer case problem or tranny?
I bought a 90 F-150 with 228,000 miles, 302 auto with manual t-case and drove it 100 miles home no problem. The tranny fluid
looked fine, no leaks, proper amount. Later that night I was doing 50 or 55
and there was a pretty loud gringing/clicking noise for about 2 seconds that
seemed (although I can't be sure) to come from to the right of me and
possibly up front. At that point it was as if the truck was in nuetral, no
power. As I was coasting on the shoulder thinking that I was screwed she all
of a sudden went back into gear. I can't say for sure whether, at the exact
time it went back into gear, I was accelerating or just coasting, if that
matters, but I would guess that I was coasting to a stop. So I kept going
and 10 miles later as I was turning she went back into neutral with the
gearshift in drive obviously. There she stayed for the night as I couldn't
get her to move. Then....
The next day I went back and there was two puddles, seemingly tranny fluid,
one towards the crossmember and one seeming to be near the starter around
the flywheel? But the fluid level still seems fine. I tried to make her
move but she wouldn't, and by the way, another important piece to the puzzle
is that when I put it in park, it clicks for several seconds, meaning the
tranny is spinning? (I'm new to all this) So....
I ended up talking to a mechanic who told me to try and put it in 4 wheel
drive. So I went back and put her in 4 hi-nothing. Alas when i put her in 4
lo she started rolling and I got her to my driveway. The engine likes to
quit when you put it in park after being driven and I wanted to play in the
driveway so I tried to start it again and it was a very high pitched
squealing....it turns out one starter bolt was gone and the other was loose.
So I seated the starter back in to start it and it starterd. It then would
drive in 4 hi and 4 lo, but now I couldn't even get it out of 4 wheel drive,
according to the light on the dashboard. Oh by the way it is a manual
shifter. So in other words when I put it in 2 hi the dashboard still says
it's in 4 hi. At that point I took the starter off so I could match the bolt
and get a new one and that's how she sits. I couldn't find a bolt and have
to wait till tomorrow to get one.
Not that I want pity but i feel pretty bad about the whole thing because it
seems like I had to save for like a whole year just to spend 1260 bucks and
it's like I threw it away. I don't really know much about trucks but I do
love trying to fix things on my own and have no problem attempting it. It
just seems like this is way out of my league but maybe it;s not. The bottom
line is there is no way I can afford to have it fixed so I will have to try.
I just want to make sure that what I do won't brake again because of some
underlying problem. It's hard to tell where the leaks are coming from
because it's running along stuff and it's wet and dirty under there so you
can't tell real good.I hope it's not the tranny and transfer case! I wish
there was a step by step diagnosis I could do. I haven't looked at the
Haynes manual yet but maybe it will help, or maybe even you could guide me a
little? I'm kinda worried that there is some problem in the driveline/tranny
that made the t-case go bad and the starter bolts shake loose. And if I
fixed the transfer case, if that's what the problem is anyways, that
whatever caused this in the first place (improper tranny installation?the
guy who sold it to me says the tranny was never worked on though) would
happen again.
I never had it in 4lo or 4 wheel
drive for that matter when all this happened(unless it was stuck there without me knowing it and without the dashboard indicating it. the dashboard light does come on when it's in 4 wheel). I was just driving along in 2
hi when all of a sudden the noise and she wouldn't go in any gear, and then
the leaking from somewhere? and then it would go in 4 lo only and now seems
to be stuck in 4 wheel.
Well if there are any suggestions you could give me I would really
appreciate it. It seems like a mess and I don't know where to start!
one other thing is that the truck would start getting noisy and vibrating at speeds of 45 to 60.
looked fine, no leaks, proper amount. Later that night I was doing 50 or 55
and there was a pretty loud gringing/clicking noise for about 2 seconds that
seemed (although I can't be sure) to come from to the right of me and
possibly up front. At that point it was as if the truck was in nuetral, no
power. As I was coasting on the shoulder thinking that I was screwed she all
of a sudden went back into gear. I can't say for sure whether, at the exact
time it went back into gear, I was accelerating or just coasting, if that
matters, but I would guess that I was coasting to a stop. So I kept going
and 10 miles later as I was turning she went back into neutral with the
gearshift in drive obviously. There she stayed for the night as I couldn't
get her to move. Then....
The next day I went back and there was two puddles, seemingly tranny fluid,
one towards the crossmember and one seeming to be near the starter around
the flywheel? But the fluid level still seems fine. I tried to make her
move but she wouldn't, and by the way, another important piece to the puzzle
is that when I put it in park, it clicks for several seconds, meaning the
tranny is spinning? (I'm new to all this) So....
I ended up talking to a mechanic who told me to try and put it in 4 wheel
drive. So I went back and put her in 4 hi-nothing. Alas when i put her in 4
lo she started rolling and I got her to my driveway. The engine likes to
quit when you put it in park after being driven and I wanted to play in the
driveway so I tried to start it again and it was a very high pitched
squealing....it turns out one starter bolt was gone and the other was loose.
So I seated the starter back in to start it and it starterd. It then would
drive in 4 hi and 4 lo, but now I couldn't even get it out of 4 wheel drive,
according to the light on the dashboard. Oh by the way it is a manual
shifter. So in other words when I put it in 2 hi the dashboard still says
it's in 4 hi. At that point I took the starter off so I could match the bolt
and get a new one and that's how she sits. I couldn't find a bolt and have
to wait till tomorrow to get one.
Not that I want pity but i feel pretty bad about the whole thing because it
seems like I had to save for like a whole year just to spend 1260 bucks and
it's like I threw it away. I don't really know much about trucks but I do
love trying to fix things on my own and have no problem attempting it. It
just seems like this is way out of my league but maybe it;s not. The bottom
line is there is no way I can afford to have it fixed so I will have to try.
I just want to make sure that what I do won't brake again because of some
underlying problem. It's hard to tell where the leaks are coming from
because it's running along stuff and it's wet and dirty under there so you
can't tell real good.I hope it's not the tranny and transfer case! I wish
there was a step by step diagnosis I could do. I haven't looked at the
Haynes manual yet but maybe it will help, or maybe even you could guide me a
little? I'm kinda worried that there is some problem in the driveline/tranny
that made the t-case go bad and the starter bolts shake loose. And if I
fixed the transfer case, if that's what the problem is anyways, that
whatever caused this in the first place (improper tranny installation?the
guy who sold it to me says the tranny was never worked on though) would
happen again.
I never had it in 4lo or 4 wheel
drive for that matter when all this happened(unless it was stuck there without me knowing it and without the dashboard indicating it. the dashboard light does come on when it's in 4 wheel). I was just driving along in 2
hi when all of a sudden the noise and she wouldn't go in any gear, and then
the leaking from somewhere? and then it would go in 4 lo only and now seems
to be stuck in 4 wheel.
Well if there are any suggestions you could give me I would really
appreciate it. It seems like a mess and I don't know where to start!
one other thing is that the truck would start getting noisy and vibrating at speeds of 45 to 60.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Fairbanks, AK
About the vibration, pull your driveline out and have it re-balanced. Should only cost about $50 or $60 at a gear shop.
About the tranny, I don't really know what to say except maybe take it to a shop and just have them diagnose the problem for you. That way you at least know what you're dealing with. Good luck!
About the tranny, I don't really know what to say except maybe take it to a shop and just have them diagnose the problem for you. That way you at least know what you're dealing with. Good luck!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,908
Likes: 2
From: West Mansfield, Ohio
Does your front end have lock outs or no? If they are automatic lock outs (I hate those... I like manual mechanical things lol) then I dunno what to tell you there. I've heard of electronic shifting 4 wheel drives being stuck in 4 wheel drive, but never a manually shifting one. But anyways if you have lock outs, and they are locked, see if you can unlock them and see if it comes out of 4 wheel drive.
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New User
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no they're manual lock outs. it is stuck in 4 lo even with the hubs unlocked. i'm currently trying to determine if it is a linkage problem or a shot transfer case. it also leaks tranny fluid and i can't tell from where, it's running over everything it seems. but the main problem goes back to the fact that originally i was driving it in 2 hi when it seemed to slip into neutral and wouldn't go at all in forward or reverse. 4 lo is the only thing that would move it.
