Oooh Nooo the Transfer Case is gone!

[MaxACL]

After an oil change in July the lube tech said the transfer case was a little low and he didn't have anything to put into it. Suggested I have a GMC dealer fill it up.

On Aug 3rd while having another oil change in Texas I ask the tech specifically to check the transfer case which he said everything's OK. Aug 25th and 10,000 mi later (yes 10,000 miles in Aug) the case makes a lot of noise and locks-up and after AAA towed me and a trailer into a Chevy dealer I learn the case is toasted. $3200 later they showed me the insides and said the last place would have seen that it was almost dry IF they had checked it.

I had to sell a kidney to get the truck out of the shop and on the road again. Should I hold the Texas lube place responsible? It is a national chain (Pennzoil) and seemed like a good place. I talked to the store manager and she assured me that the level was checked. Now how do I prove a negative? As a side note

[Buck]

WOW!!!!!!!Sorry to hear that.

Funny the first place didn't have anything to put in the T-case :eek: ? All it takes is 2 quarts of Dexron III tranny fluid. Plug is on the back side(in front of torsion bar crossmember) top is fill bottom is drain. Reallll simple. Hope you can hold someone responsible ;)

[MaxACL]

Buck,
I'm gonna try to hold someone's feet to the fire. Seems like no one will let you "assist" when they work on your truck. All I want to do is assure my piece of mind when they are under the truck. Go figure:)

Mike

PS Ever wonder why the transmission uses such a heavy weight grease and the transfer case uses ATF?

[DmaxMaverick]

Originally posted by MaxACL:
PS Ever wonder why the transmission uses such a heavy weight grease and the transfer case uses ATF? NP transfer cases have required ATF as long as I can remember, except for the autotrac's. They have a pump in them that can't (or not well enough) pump heavy lube. If serviced as needed, they will outlast just about any other part of a truck. I've overhauled a couple of them, but after many hard miles. The gear boxes are designed to bear very little load internally, having planetary gears.

Many current and past manual trannies also require ATF, even heavy duties.

Very unfortunate about your transfer case. I would definately hold the lube place responsible. They are not entirely responsible, as the fluid did go somewhere. How many miles on it? GM may work with you if not too far out of warranty. Very uncommon.

$3200 does seem much too much, though....even at a dealer price.

Good luck....

[MaxACL]

DmaxMaverick
Good point... Where did the lube go? There was no evidence at all under the truck that there was a leak.

And I was always under the impression that all manuals used a thicker lube like 90w. (I need to get out more often!)

The case was $2800 plus overnight delivery, labor, a new yoke and $20 for a wheel rotation. They were gonna do an alignment but they couldn't fit a dually on their machine. Go figure.

Mike