Quick fix of transfer case leak (3 Viewers)

[Wadi Cruiser]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2001 VXR Landcruiser 100 with about 450,000Km on her. I have a leak on one of my transfer case seals. I replaced the rear output seal last week but this leak is from a more central part of the transfer case and so beyond the tools that I have available. She's an old truck that I generally just keep patched together with chewing gum and cable ties but she does quite a bit of offroading, generally on very rocky shaky or corrugated tracks.

So is there a quick fix that I can do from the outside of the case? Im in the middle east so can only get superglue, high temp gasket silicon or non high temperature epoxy. My plan was to empty the case clean the leaky bit from the outside with alcohol and then try and get some superglue into the cracked seal before covering it with a load of HT silicone. Any ideas whether this botch job will work?

I'll be back in the UK over Christmas and could buy some of this JB weld that Ive been reading about on this forum. Would this be more effective? Could I do my first botchitfix and then if that doesnt work attempt my second botchitfix? Is there an alternative botchitfix?

The breathers seem clear on inspection but I'll hook up an extension tube and just check that air flows through freely.

Any experience much appreciated,

Cheers

 

[Bardiya]

Check if it's actually affecting the fluid level in the case, if not then just keep an eye on it till you can fix it properly,

 

[2001LC]

Post up some pictures. It may be transfer case or may be transmission.

Also use caution on weight of gear lube and do not over fill. Both can promote leaks.

 

[Eyedaho]

 

[Wadi Cruiser]

Check if it's actually affecting the fluid level in the case, if not then just keep an eye on it till you can fix it properly,

Hi Bardiya, Thanks for your comment. Yes it seems to be. I topped it up about 10 days ago when i did the output seal (although have done about 6h highway driving since then) and when I stuck my finger in the fill hole I couldnt touch any oil. Its also dripping. I only really get concerned if things are dripping.

 

[Wadi Cruiser]

Post up some pictures. It may be transfer case or may be transmission.

Also use caution on weight of gear lube and do not over fill. Both can promote leaks.

Hi 2001 LC. I use 90 gear oil but have been overfilling her due to the output shaft leak so, yes, that may not have helped. I figured the breather would allow expansion and stop the heated oil from pressure stressing the seals. She's an automatic so carrying atf fluid. Ive cleaned up the case and identified where I think the leaks coming from. I think its where the TC mates with the transmission. Theres a sort of indented 90 degree corner between the seal and the transmission which is why I think the "fill it with some sticky stuff" method might work

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Ive cleaned up the case and identified where I think the leaks coming from. I think its where the TC mates with the transmission. Theres a sort of indented 90 degree corner between the seal and the transmission which is why I think the "fill it with some sticky stuff" method might work

If that’s really where it’s leaking, then I think that would be indicative of the seal around the input shaft. If so, anything you do to the outer portion of the t-case will have no influence on keeping oil inside. I may be wrong, but to my knowledge, there’s no FIPG Or gasket on the mating surface between trans and t-case.

 

[2001LC]

If leak is from split of transfer case, where the FIPG is used, best practices is pull case, split and reseal. But hey, a field fix with some oil resistant adhesive. Sure why not. Can't hurt, as long as you don't keep leaking and run low.

But if at adapter:
I've been looking at a leak. We've cleaned area really good so dry of any oil. Now we're watching close for leak point. Where leak seems to be on left side (our DS), where adapter connect transmission to transfer. If there, the area is a dry cavity. That out put shaft of transmission has a seal as does the input of transfer. We think it may be transmission fluid. We've history that fluid was add to transmission due to cooler line leak. We think they may have overfilled transmission at that time. So if this area, we going to make sure levels correct and add AT-205 reseal to which we think leaking fluid from i.e transmission or transfer case. This is not some stop leak it's a plasticizes. I'm hesitant to put any thing in any transmission, but bottle states Transmission.

First we need to determine is it gear lube or transmission fluid. Smell and texture helpful to determine this.

Then make sure level is correct.
With transfer case we fill and let set 15 or more minutes, then top again until gear lube flows out drain plug. Or just drive and come back and re-top.
With transmission, without a dip stick we flow FSM procedure to get temp correct first. T-SB-0129-08 July 9, 2009 , Drivetrain, Automatic Transmission/Transaxle, USA market. States 97-115F (36-46C)

 

[JunkCrzr89]

@2001LC Does the 100 have a gasket (oil deflector) where the t-case shifter assembly mates to the t-case? I ask because this is a common source of oil leaks down the front and side of t-cases that were behind the A340 trans, which often externally looked like a leak where the t-case mounts to adapter box.

 

[Wadi Cruiser]

If leak is from split of transfer case, where the FIPG is used, best practices is pull case, split and reseal. But hey, a field fix with some oil resistant adhesive. Sure why not. Can't hurt, as long as you don't keep leaking and run low.

But if at adapter:
I've been looking at a leak. We've cleaned area really good so dry of any oil. Now we're watching close for leak point. Where leak seems to be on left side (our DS), where adapter connect transmission to transfer. If there, the area is a dry cavity. That out put shaft of transmission has a seal as does the input of transfer. We think it may be transmission fluid. We've history that fluid was add to transmission due to cooler line leak. We think they may have overfilled transmission at that time. So if this area, we going to make sure levels correct and add AT-205 reseal to which we think leaking fluid from i.e transmission or transfer case. This is not some stop leak it's a plasticizes. I'm hesitant to put any thing in any transmission, but bottle states Transmission.

First we need to determine is it gear lube or transmission fluid. Smell and texture helpful to determine this.

Then make sure level is correct.
With transfer case we fill and let set 15 or more minutes, then top again until gear lube flows out drain plug. Or just drive and come back and re-top.
With transmission, without a dip stick we flow FSM procedure to get temp correct first. T-SB-0129-08 July 9, 2009 , Drivetrain, Automatic Transmission/Transaxle, USA market. States 97-115F (36-46C)
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Excellent 2001LC and Junkcrzr89. Thanks for your help with this. There is a leak on the front output shaft but its always been there so I just dismissed it. It could have recently got much worse and be the culprit. Im also starting to question exactly where this leak is. Ive just stuck my head under the truck but its dark here and the entire case is also cacked with sand from this weekends beach trip. Ill take her up to a car wash tomorrow and get a jet wash on her and see if I can confidently identify the leak and get some photos. This AT205 sounds handy stuff. Ill do a bit of googling. Cheers fellas

 

[2001LC]

@2001LC Does the 100 have a gasket (oil deflector) where the t-case shifter assembly mates to the t-case? I ask because this is a common source of oil leaks down the front and side of t-cases that were behind the A340 trans, which often externally looked like a leak where the t-case mounts to adapter box.

I've never had to tear either apart, and don't see one in above diagrams. So IDK. The 04-07 has a fill plug in adapter case. It looks like a channel goes from fill plug to transmission. If that is area your asking about. I thing it uses FIPG.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I've never had to tear either apart, and don't see one in above diagrams. So IDK. The 04-07 has a fill plug in adapter case. It looks like a channel goes from fill plug to transmission. If that is area your asking about. I thing it uses FIPG.

I was referring to #33584C in the attached diagram: transfer shift lever assembly gasket. It’s a common failure point that causes t-case oil leakage for a lot of Toyota t-cases (but maybe not 100s?). Leakage at this gasket typically comes down from the top of the t-case to the side along the mating surface between t-case and adapter box, which often externally (falsely) appears like a leaky input shaft seal (again, not sure about 100s, but it’s possible I suppose).

 

[2001LC]

Nope not seen that leak. Now that you've pointed it out, I'll be on that watch for that spot. Thanks.
It's why I always say clean and watch closely to pin point.

 

[bigredmachine]

I may be wrong, but to my knowledge, there’s no FIPG Or gasket on the mating surface between trans and t-case.

that is correct, there is no fipg between the t-case and trans. t-cast just bolts up and away you go dosnt matter if its an auto trans or manual trans

If that is area your asking about. I thing it uses FIPG.

yes the extension housings will need fipg, red to be specific. black can work but it will degrade faster than the red which is designed for trans and driveline applications

 

[bigredmachine]

So is there a quick fix that I can do from the outside of the case? Im in the middle east so can only get superglue, high temp gasket silicon or non high temperature epoxy. My plan was to empty the case clean the leaky bit from the outside with alcohol and then try and get some superglue into the cracked seal before covering it with a load of HT silicone.

if the case itself is cracked than I would go with epoxy, my preference would be this Amazon product ASIN B001446LKO. if your just trying to just keep the fluid from leaking out the only thing that sealing it up will do is force the leak to come out from somewhere else, the leak is just going to find the path of least resistance to flow out of. it sounds like its the input shaft seal that's leaking, pop the t-case out and replace the seal on the case and id also do the output shaft seal on the trans

 

[Wadi Cruiser]

Hi everyone,

So Ive made a bit of progress and gained a bit more knowledge regarding the exact location of the leak and therefore Im even more confused! The picture doesnt really paint a thousand words so Ill try and describe where its coming from. The leak (which is quite significant can be seen at the top left of the above photos. The accumulated oil is at the bottom of the light grey finger of metal that can be seen at the top left of the picture. The leak is not however coming from the seal where the TC meats the adaptor, instead its coming from a hole in the base of the adaptor sub assembly! Whats this hole for? The hole is above the TC oil fill plug so I assume that there is a pump that circulates the TC oil. The oil dripping is gear oil (and not the ATF from my trannie) so I assume that it must have originated from the TC and that I maybe dislodged a seal when putting the rear output shaft on a couple of weeks ago. So why would Mr. Toyota put a hole in my adaptor that lets oil out (and water in) and does anybody have any ideas on what the cause and fix may be? Can I just seal the hole?

As always, any help and guidance is hugely appreciated.

 

[Wadi Cruiser]

This is an 80's cruiser TC with a crawler unit Ive found on the web. The pictures a tad better than mine! The TC is also different. You can just make out the hole above the right end of the red line at the bottom left of the picture. It brings me some comfort that this hole is also leaking but no where near as serious as mine!

 

[2001LC]

I've not seen this T-case before. Is this like what is on the USA 80 series?
I don't see the hole you asking about. Any better picture?
Perhaps you can edit and circle the hole.

 

[Wadi Cruiser]

I've not seen this T-case before. Is this like what is on the USA 80 series?
I don't see the hole you asking about. Any better picture?
Perhaps you can edit and circle the hole.

Hi 2001LC. Yeh, the photo is not great! I posted another photo off the web of an 80's case with a line pointing to the hole. The photo is in the post just above your answer. The case is different but the hole is in the same place. You can see where its been weeping. Ive no idea why the comment is collapsed! Thanks 2001LC

 

[2001LC]

Okay. Sorry I can't be of much help here. I see your line but not the hole. In the picture I'd say the upper dark area, is leak that @JunkCrzr89 referenced above.

The lower dark area where I think your line is pointing I've not a clue. This is not the T-case on USA 100 series. I work on 100 and 200 series only. If this is same as in the 80 series. I suggest you go to the 80 section of mud. They'll be much more help for you, than I can be.

Good luck!