Metal Debris on Transfer Case Plug Magnet

[FranceJohnson]

I changed all the fluids on my FJ80 this morning. All driveline mechanical stuff has been behaving normally. When I pulled the plug in the T case, the pickup magnet had metal pieces, not just the normal filings.

It looks like this thing got chewed up a little before it made it to the magnet. I can't quite figure out what it might have been originally. I am not exactly sure how our tcases work, but I was worried that this might be a part of the chain. I have not engaged the center diff lock in some time. I am going to Moab this weekend, and thought the trails should not require me to lock the center diff, I might need to use low range, which (without the pin mod) would automatically lock.

So, any ideas of what this would be? Any reason to worry that I could cause or see a big problem with the tcase locked, if I am having no issues during daily driving?

I put the oil drain plug copper washer by the debris to give some scale, which is coin sized.

 

[BILT4ME]

There is no chain in our tcase. The small shiny pieces look like gear chips or roller bearing chips. Not good.

Keep running it, listen for noises and growling. The magnet did its job.

 

[FranceJohnson]

Good to know. I am hoping to buy some time and do a Lokka part time kit. At that time I will likely do a rebuild. After doing the engine in July, I will keep my fingers crossed she will give me some more time before diving into this.

Sounds like there wouldn't be much of an issue with this diff locked? Any thing that can put extra stress on this I should be aware of?

 

[FranceJohnson]

All the pieces were flat (originally). They are folded in some instances which is shown in the picture. Not sure if a gear chip would look more like a chunk or not. This seemed more like a soda pop tab that went through a blender, which made me think a link to chain.

 

[BILT4ME]

If that's what it looks like, the it could be a bearing cage or a piece of a seal.

Know any of the PO history and how many miles?

If it's been open before, someone may have missed something.

 

[FranceJohnson]

Know any of the PO history and how many miles?

It was a 1 family truck from 1992-2013 when I purchased it. I believe they changed the fluids, but never did anything mechanical on the truck before I bought it. It currently has 303K. This was the 3rd time I have changed the T-Case fluid, there was no debris either of the previous times I changed it.

I took it up and found some loose gravel. It goes from High to Low, and back again without issue. The center diff locks up without issue. There was no weird noises at any time.

 

[BILT4ME]

So, with this being a 92? It does NOT have a viscous coupling in the tcase. It is totally gear driven. If it lived it's life in an urban area, I am guessing it got engaged by accident once in a while. The ones without a viscous coupling tend to "bang" a little. I would say run it until you start hearing bearing whine or it doesn't shift properly.

Change the tcase oil regularly to keep an eye on the metal fragments.

 

[FranceJohnson]

I would say run it until you start hearing bearing whine or it doesn't shift properly

Oh it has a whine for sure. Has ever since I owned it, figured it was part of its charm. Ill just start planning on rebuilding it, see how long it holds out until it starts giving me grief.