Hello!!!
My lovely Ford Explorer XLT 1998 is sitting in the ford service center. They say I ran out of transfer case oil and now everything is buggered in the transfer case. They say I have to replace the whole unit for $3500!!!! Ive noticed they have NOT even opened it up. Are they trying to ripp me off????
First it wouldnt change from 4x4 LOW into 4x4 HIGH or AUTO....then 20 miles down the road when I was driving at 50mph to a service center it broke down and went into a permanent neutral state and the back wheel locked up!!! Now after being in the service center it drives again in AUTO but makes a gringing noise (however has no oil in the transfer case!!)
Can you tell it needs replacing without opening it up?
What happens if I fill it up with oil again and try to drive it? How can I tell if its broken inside, are there any tell tell signs?
Can a computer diagnosis test for mechanical faults like this?
Help!!! IM STUCK IN MEXICO!!!!

 

The bearing could eat onaluminum, as a matter of fact they will. The chain will stretch, the shift forks will wear out, and there's just a bunch of other stuff. I've already got mine fixed, it was a mess inside.

 

Bad things happen when you run out of oil. Mostly your wallet will hurt, a lot. Metal to metal contact is very bad and only gets worse with time, so if your TC is truly blown, then a quick fix probably won't work.

It is UNUSUAL for a car as new as yours to have run dry. It would be very unusual for this not to get caught during routine maintenance. I would wonder if there was a factory defect or inadequate lubrication on delivery.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

Hello thanks for your reply.
Is there a way to find out if there was a factory defect and if so is there any way I could ford and make ford pick up the bill?
I dont have a service history so I cant point the finger in that direction.
Anyway right now Im playing with the idea of getting a transmissions techie to open it up and fix it, but you advice not to?
Ive put oil in it but when I drive it makes a grinding scraping noise, not VERY loud but quite noticeable.....
Any more Ideas?
What about remodelled trasfer cases? Would that be the best option?
BIG THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!! Stef

 

Big Thanks for your advice!!!
How did your fix go? As Im playing with the idea of a fix or getting a remodelled tranfer case...
How much was you fix and how long ago was it done....?
Thanks again, Stef

 

 

The same thing is happening to me right now....my Transfer case is leaking ATF through the radial lip seal on the main shaft....just a matter of time before it is a pile of junk, so I went to a wrecking yard and got a '98 T-case with 70000 km on it for $200 CDN. Don't let the dealer screw you for $3000+, they told me the same thing....others claim that BWs design are bad and that the internal oil pump fails on the mainshaft....don't real know....anyway replacing the seal is not that easy so go get yourself a used case and either do it youself or get a small shop do it for you! Good luck.

'98 Explorer 4x4 (+300,000 km)

 

Which case? I just rebuilt a '90 B/W 1356, was very straight forward, $150 in parts. Its a simple t-case, manual shift and no auto setting. Im sure your case is more complicated, but I cant imagine that any one would be very complicated, they just dont have to do that much. Id try to find a rebuilt and swap them, or pay a local shop to swap them. 3500 is way too much. Just realized this is sixteen day later, guess I should be asking for an update.

 

You're right, if you catch it early enough the radial lip seal on the main shaft just needs to be replaced. I got a '98 BW 44-05 with over 300,000 km on it which is well beyond warranty, so I decided to get a newer case and rebuild the old one. Something strange was going on with the electronic shift over the winter, getting stuck a few times....gonna start it next weekend....keep you updated if anything werid goes on with the electronic shift.

P.S. Check out the primier issue of 4x4 Garage magazine with an article on T-cases: The author claims that BWs may fail if the internal ATF pump starts spining on the mainshaft....I can scan it for you if you want?