i am getting a really nasty noise and after a while a funky smell when in 4x4

if you have ever heard a stetched t-case chain the noise sounds like that, not clunking more like a loud metallic snapping...

i was thinking t-case chain but that would only occur when youre in 4x4 and trying to make the truck move...if im in 4x4 and i clutch and shift into 2wd and am coasting slowly it will "snap" once or twice even after ive put it in 2wd but then it stops...my hubs are ALWAYS locked in but the problem only persists in 4x4 and immediately after returning to 2wd? but it happens when on the throttle AND coasting in any gear/direction so i thought front end, but if it was that it would do it all the time because my hubs are always locked in so the front diff if always spinning...do you think this could be transmission related? please tell me it could be (bet you havent heard that before) more reason to ZF swap it LOL

and after spending some time revving in 4x4 it starts to smell like burning gear oil (it has always done this) but i havent seen smoke yet and nothing is dripping so that leads me to believe either the tranny or t-case is overheating, both are good on oil and neither have excessive metal shaving on the plugs but how could the tranny cause that noise??

i need some help here, this noise is killin me, next time i smell the oil ill have to try and see weather its the tranny or t-case that has the heat

 

Well, without hearing it, and determining what area it's coming from, I'd say it's just shooting in the dark. Do you have an infrared thermometer? Shouldn't even have to get it to the point of smelling it burning, just drive it around in 4x4 for a bit to get it to heat up, and start shooting the gun.

 

You do know that your locked hubs will cause your driveshaft to turn right? There won't be power from the transfercase, but it will turn because of the locked front end rolling..

Unlock the hubs and check it out.. you could probably identify if its the T-case or the tranny that way.. sorry if I misread something. . it all was jumbled together and hard to understand for me. Lol. And damn boy, learn to capitalize letters!

Oh, and if it is the front end, hahahahahahahaha. Six months to install it and one month to break it!

 

yes but the problem only happens when its in 4x4, if it were something to do with the hubs it would do it in 4x4 or 2wd as long as they are in...if i remember ill try unlocking the hubs and lock it into 4x4 and see if i cn make it happen, i doubt it will there will be no stress on the t-case

the more i think about it the less i think its the front end...i just dont see how it could make a noise like that...the only thing i could see doing that is the t-case, but how the hell do you stretch a t-case chain when you park the truck for 6 months!?!?!?! and this will be #2 in one year!, damn 300 I6 LOL...i should go see if its got warranty...getting the z hopefuly first thing in the new year so ill have er all apart then

i was just looking for some other ideas but

 

Well thats why I said it, it sounds like the transfercase. Maybe you're just really bad at engaging your 4x4 and you mess things up lmao.

 

mhm cause you gotta be smart like a rocket scientist or prozon to pull the lever dat say 4x4 on it to make the purdy lil light come on

i was gonna do that but i forgot and i dont feel like getting motivated to do it now...tomorrow...

any other ideas guys...? or has everyone simultaniously agreed its t-case and you all posted at once so the site wouldnt allow it

 

I have spoken. What more need be said?

Oh and btw, that purdy light that says 4x4 is always on in my truck. Not really sure why. It has something to do with mismatching transfercase wires.. the the new transmission I got had a different plug so it was like female to female plugs.

Oh yeah, I bet you like that.

 

get your mind out of the gutter there prozon....jeeeeez corrupted minds on here might not be suitable for some virgin eyes LOL

 

Sorry if I said something that wasn't appropriate for your eyes. :P

 

man...as long as you are around i will never again have a thread that is jabber free will i LOL

 

I keep the thread at the top of the page. Isn't that a good thing? Besides, I threw in my two cents.. now we're just waiting for anyone else who has an idea. But i'm PRETTY damn sure its your transfercase. Get one that isn't chain driven already. Damn.

 

yeah i finally found an empty parking lot with some bare pavement so i dropped er in 4lo and 1st and let it coast and whenit started acting up i hung my head out the door and its deinatley the t-case making that noise...

still dont get how i stretched that chain again already, its only been in for 6 months of driving so thats pretty sad...

so now to find a gear drive t-case to mount up behind that zf when i get it...

so which t-case is gear drive, NP-203 ? seems to stick in my mind...what trucks would use that t-case...sometihng with a 4-speed right...i know of an 86 f250 300 I6 4x4 and NP435 tranny...and another one with a T-18/19 tranny...ill try an get over there to get a look at them tomorrow

 

If memory serves me right the 203 is a chain box also. The 205 is gear drive and will bolt up to the ZF. Just have to make a small notch for the shift mechanism to operate

 

yeah thats the one i was thinking...i knew it was either 203 or 205...i was thinking if i can find a 205 ill twin stick it and use that...i know the 205's lo range isnt as low as that of the BW13-56 but im having a damn hard time finding the actual ratio numbers for either case...but either way i dont think it will matter with the granny gear of the Zf haha...

 

You do know that you're NOT supposed to have 4wd engaged on bare pavement??!!??
Since the tires won't be slipping any, and there are minor differences in tire diameter and gear ratios between the front and rear axles, they will turn at slightly difference rates. This will build up stress and bind up the drivetrain, and something WILL BREAK!!

This isn't an issue on slippery wet surfaces where the tires slip some and relieve any stress. I can't remember if this is true with Fords, but I've heard that on Chevy's you sometimes have to back up 10 feet or so after shifting back to 2wd before it really drops out of 4wd. It may have something to do with allowing the drivetrain to unbind it self. If you've bound something up, the snapping your hear could be the 4wd popping out under stress, and is certainly a bad thing.