Los Angeles area - I need a competent transmission guy to repair my leaking transfer case

[dealmaker]

My 2004 2UZ-FE 4WD has the leaking seals issue at the actuator/transfer case, very common with the V8 4WD 4Runners and GX470s. I can't find any competent repair people who wants to do the repair. I already have the (OEM) o-ring (part #90301-56009) and the seals from Rocket Seals, plus extras just in case, and even the OEM FIPG, just need a competent person to complete. I've called locally, no one wants to tackle it.

TIA and photo for attention.

 

[ceylonfj40nut]

Take it to the dealer

 

[TahoeZ]

Try K&H Imports in Canoga Park.

 

[vipergrhd]

How bad is your leak? I have the same issue with my wife's 03. I bought it that way and contemplated on doing it but for now I just top it off every 3 months and call it good. Did you even get an estimate?

 

[dealmaker]

Try K&H Imports in Canoga Park.

Ugh. That's an hour each way, but I'll call them.

How bad is your leak? I have the same issue with my wife's 03. I bought it that way and contemplated on doing it but for now I just top it off every 3 months and call it good. Did you even get an estimate?

Used to be very slow, maybe a few drops over the course of awhile. I have a bunch of Fill Plug gaskets and check it every few months and never even had to top it up despite the very small amount leaking. In fact, it even stopped leaking for awhile. However, after returning home from a road trip the drips increased, probably a result of me having to scramble down 12 miles of rough offroad after getting altitude sickness. A few months later I checked it and had to add a few pumps from my dispenser atop a Mobile 1 Gear Oil bottle...maybe an ounce or two at most? Im going to check it again tomorrow, using a new squeeze bottle from Amazon ( Amazon.com: DONSTRAW Wash Bottle 2pcs 250ml/8oz Safety Bottles Watering Tools, Economy Plastic Squeeze with Narrow Mouth Scale Labels for Medical Succulent Cleaning Washing : Industrial & Scientific - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VGRG1P4?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title ) so I can measure and see more precisely how much fluid it takes now. The 4Runner gets driven little these years...<6k/year, just don't know if the leak would suddenly turn catastrophic and all leak out quickly at the wrong time.

I found one transmission guy who said he's done the seal replacement job before, lots of labor and would be approx $1,250 and he really didn't sound like he wanted the job, and doesn't return my calls. I called a dealer last week and the service manager never called me back. I sense they probably want to replace the whole transfer case/actuator assembly instead if simply replacing the seals, but I'll call them again and push it and see what they say. There's a full write-up on how to do it on t4r.org, but I have zero interest in that type of DIY.

 

[dealmaker]

^^ So I "topped up" the TC fluid today. The weird thing is, like most of the time when I remove the fill plug to top it up, gear oil trickles out and eventually slowed to a slow trickel, then a drip. This was after it sat for a couple of hrs in the garage before I removed the fill plug there in the same location. I went ahead and squeesed in about 40ml (about 1.4 ounces) of new gear oil and the slow trickle out sped up, so I assume it was at capacity. TC case holds 1.47 quarts, so that 40ml represents less than 3% of total capacity, meaning it was still slightly above 97% full after 3,300 miles, when I last topped up.

 

[TahoeZ]

If it was my vehicle and leaking that little, I would not put time/money into the seal.

 

[zidaro]

yotamasters or Marlin

 

[zidaro]

and id agree. not a concern mechanically unless you are seeing issues shifting or vibrating. If it's not leaving a mess everywhere you park, or vomiting all over your undercarriage to unbearable live with.... run it, wipe it off, check the levels.