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Hole in my Transfer Case


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ARK.......I can hopefully assume you won't buy a Dodge truck either.

They also use the New Process Gear unit.

 

I wonder what other brands use the New Process Gear unit?

Prob. should check the Dodge truck threads and see if they are also having this issue?

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I have a 2003 Z71 with 116k miles. Truck has run smooth and strong up to this point. I was rear-ended on the 19th. Originally thought it was just some bumper and hitch damage--no biggie. After driving the truck the next two days, I noticed a grinding noise that consistently got louder. Long story short--found 3 small holes in transfer case that pour fluid out. Just seems too ironic that I never had a problem until the accident. There is a good chance that I put about 500-600 miles on a bone dry t-case, but everything was still working. Should I patch it up (JB Weld or screw) and take my chances, or just replace it. I'm guessing that the insurance company will come back and say it was unrelated, so it's probably going to come out of my pocket. Any info would be appreciated.

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Welcome to club of satisfied transfer case owners. My first T-case developed the infamous hole at 5K past the warranty. (2004 2500HD Duramax). After checking several sources, I learned that the JB weld, washered screws and even welded repairs simply prolonged the inevitable. $2200 later I had a new case installed and hoped that I would be fine for a while. GM was of no help and denied that there was problem with the design.

 

 

 

The authentic GM rebuild case carried a 50K warranty. Guess what? With 10K over the parts warranty, the rebuilt case failed just the same. Again with no help from GM, I had had all I was going to take. I thought long and hard about buying a Ford or Dodge, but instead bought another GM 2500 HD (“07 GMC gas rig this time). The new truck carries a 100K power train warranty so hopefully I’ll be OK this time.

 

 

 

I wiped it down and traded it in to the dealership that wouldn’t help me out the first time. I feel kind of bad for passing the truck off this way, but since GM and my dealer didn’t feel the least bit sympathetic to my problems and I spent a ton of money on what is a major design flaw, I can live with myself. As bad as it was starting to leak, they will have to fix it before they can sell it.

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  • 2 months later...

I own an '03 2500HD Duramax. Last Year a loose U Joint caused the Back half of the transfer case to crack... Replaced at a dealer... Now I have the infamous internal clip caused hole in this less than 1 year old transfer case that the dealer says " too bad"

 

I decided to just replace the back half of the case and have the partsl. Now I need some know how? Any suggestions.

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I own an '03 2500HD Duramax. Last Year a loose U Joint caused the Back half of the transfer case to crack... Replaced at a dealer... Now I have the infamous internal clip caused hole in this less than 1 year old transfer case that the dealer says " too bad"

 

I decided to just replace the back half of the case and have the partsl. Now I need some know how? Any suggestions.

 

 

take it out,drill a hole in the bench for the input shaft,so its facing down,sits nice,rubber plug out ,speed sensor out,hold up bearing thru VSS hole,while spreading clip,let shaft fall,remove rear case half,transfer any parts,poof your done,enjoy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Having the same problem with my Dad's truck. He just took it to his mechanic due to some minor front transfer case noise, and the thing was bone dry. Apparently this clip failed and the vibration ate a hole in the case. Vehicle is about 15k past warranty...sigh. Weirdest thing happened too, when he brought it in, there was another 2500 on the lift with the EXACT same problem, nice coincidence... I have a couple of questions for you guys if you can help me out with some info...

 

1. Is there a central place to look for/report problems for recall purposes?

 

2. Is there a good site for buying parts that you guys use? I don't really want him to pay the dealer's jacked up price...

 

That's all I can think of at the moment. I appreciate your time!

 

 

2003 2500HD 6.0 4wd w/o Allison transmission, automatic.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just purchased a 2001 2500HD with the 6.0 gas engine. I found a .187" hole in the in the rear tail shaft of the transfer case. The case was dry, and the rear yoke has around .100" of radial slop. I am assuming the rear bearing and yoke is wasted from lack of lubrication. The truck has 52000miles. I am looking for a used case to swap this one out.

Edited by sdixon
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My earlier post about the leak at my transfer case has been diagnosed as a small hole. Apparently, there is an anti-rattle clip located inside the transfer case that breaks and causes the hole to form from the inside out. The scary thing about it is that there is no way to inspect it unless you tear apart the transfer case or it starts leaking.

 

I had no idea that I had a hole in the transfer case, so I continued to drive the truck even after I noticed the drips on the floor last week. Last night, I put the truck on ramps in my garage and proceeded to drain the transfer case. According to my dealership, the case holds two quarts of Auto-Trak II that I purchased and I had in hand. I removed the plug and held a msaon jar underneath it and collected about an inch of fluid (a couple ounces). I put the plug back in, then put both quarts in and replaced the fill plug. Drove the truck off the ramps and out to the end of my lane and back (~1200ft) then put the truck back on the ramps. When I got out, I noticed the trail of blue dots that originated from the t-case. When I got underneath, I discovered the hole.

 

I am not really sure what to do now, but I did discuss this issue with my service guy while at the dealership yesterday. He told me that there was nothing they could do about it since my extended warranty expired 3K miles ago (currently @103.6K), but he would make contact with the regional rep to see if GM is doing anything about it.

 

I left the truck on the ramps and the 4x4 still works, so I hope that a new cover and clip will do the trick. Based on the research I did, this problem is turning into an epidemic, so GM may be forced to do a recall but I am not going to hold my breath and I cannot afford to wait on them to do something.

 

So.....who else has had this problem or was aware of it and what were your experiences? How hard is it to remove the t-case? Is it as simple as dropping both driveshafts? Let me know.

 

I have a couple of pictures that detail the problem, but I am not sure how to post them. I could send them to someone who could though.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

-Wardster

 

I had the same problem on my 2001 Silverado HD,6.6. Tiny pinhole on the top of back half of t-case. had it repaired by transmisson specialists who put in a special piece of metal in the groove to protect this spot.??? They said that this t-case wears out a lot.I have 220,000KM and couldn't afford dealer rates. Got it done for half the estimate of dealer.

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According to my dealership, the case holds two quarts of Auto-Trak II that I purchased and I had in hand.

 

If you have a 2500HD, which I believe I saw in your signature, Auto-Trak II fluid is not what is recommended. ATII is for the LD trucks with Auto-Track transfercases.

 

 

 

 

 

I spent 4hrs in three different dealers service departments asking them what the heck this Auto-Trak II is.

And yes it is what the OEM manual for the Duramax HD says to use if you have the "on the fly" shift

And yes if you inspect New ventures label right on the T-Case it says use DEX III.

Auto-Trak II is supposedly for the electric shifter, don't ask me how it never comes in contact with the

Lube. What I do not like is that there is no Standards API or otherwise listed on the GM Auto-Trak

Bottle, just mysterious "blue goo"

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Hi Folks,

 

I'm new to your site, but I do have some information on this problem and solutions that may last.

I have a 2004, 2500HD (140K miles) which just digested the mode fork last week due to lack of lubrication...

 

I have subsequently rebuilt and reinstalled mine and am happily once again shifting back and forth from

2wd to 4wd.

 

I used to own a Race/speed shop, and while I am an electrical engineer I was pretty good at this stuff.

 

My research into New ventures design defect, which is what it is affects all the rear cases and assemblys from

about 1999 all the way to the current units. That said there is now an aftermarket part called a "Case saver" which is a

piece of tin shaped the same as the oil pump with a couple of small ears bent outward (into the case) which

give the oil pump a place to rub, that won't wear. The piece is only about .020 thick but based on what I saw should not

affect other clearances within the case.

 

The problem is that the oil pump rides on the output shaft and simply floats in the case, everytime the drive train has any lash, the oil pump "walks" back and forth in the case. So people who travel on the freeway like myself, probably have much more time than people who stop and go or actually use reverse. Eventually these units, as designed, will chew a hole through the case, as you have seen in the photos elsewhere in this thread. This hole will disgorge the fluid contents of the transfer case while in motion.

Did you catch that? The pump only works when you are moving. So watch out, because even

full on anal retentive mechanical dorks like myself will run these units dry!

 

On the JB Weld; JB Weld will be at best a bandaid, and the oil pump will eat the JB Weld, however I think that a combination of the JB Weld and the "case saver" could last... short of finding a Knucklehead willing to weld Magnesium.

 

Everyone who has posted here is correct, as an engineer, this is a pretty bad design, and just because its really not dangerous, GM is unmotivated to solve a really simple problem.

 

I reassembled mine and am very comfortable that the repair should outlast the original by many years.

 

I have all of the exploded Diagrams for this unit, as well as some places that sell the parts reasonably.

My cost for all the bearings, seals, new mode fork, new range slider, new friggin case was ~$650

The assembly could not be easier to get in and out, took me and a buddy less than 45 min to the shop table.

You do need to have and be proficent with good snap ring pliers for this job. Other than that, its "just parts"

Oh yea, good seal drivers help.

Put em back in the same order you found them and they work well.

 

BTW; New Venture used to be owned by Chrysler but they sold the division to Magna International in 2004,

New Venture Gear's web site is less than useful.

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Please excuse my ignorance...but even with the pics in earlier post I cant tell exactly where to look on my trucks t-case. My truck has 40,000 and havnt noticed any leaks but I would like to be able to visually look in the exact spot where the pinhole will appear.

Thanks.

Edited by xoval
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Xoval,

 

The hole will likely appear at the top of the transfercase as installed. (nice huh?)

Its right over the top most strength fin from the passenger side. You will need

an inspection mirror and good eyes to see it forming. Fluid ususally leaks

slowly down the passenger side of the range case and kind of looks like the bolts might

be seeping oil.

 

From my experiance, I can tell you that once the problem is signifigant, and the oil pump

is moving around +/-.250 back and forth, the real telling symptom is noise.

When you slow to a stop, and release the brake the oil pump in the t-case will make a noise

akin to "spring slap" In fact the dealer swore that the noise I was hearing was caused

by bad shocks, and possibly springs. In fact what I was hearing was the "lash" created by

the oil pump moving and no lubricant.

 

Watch the outside of the case for signs of any oil, listen for strange noises on starts and stops, and

check the lubricant frequently. These units will fail, it's just a matter of time, unless you install the case saver.

 

These guys make the "Problem Fixer" for the oil pump. I installed one.

 

www.riversidegear.com/categories/transfer-cases-and-parts/g-m-transfer-cases-and-parts/products/product-630.html

 

And by the way the case can be purchased from reliable parts houses for $175. They are OEM

 

Keep on truckin' -> Ed

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I just purchased my 03 HD with 65K on the odometer.I did an inspection of the transfer case while changing fluids and as of yet it looks ok. I also looked for any sign of it being taken apart and looks like it never was cracked open or bolt head marks from sockets or wrenches. I can't say for sure if a repair was ever made before I owned the truck but I am watching for this hole developement.

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