Tranny just crapped the bed

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Well I heard back and it's not the transmission. It's the transfer case. Apparently my center diff blew up along with the viscous coupling. It made sense the way he explained it, but I'm no mechanic. Sooooooo I get a brand new one fresh from japan. He seemed pretty surprised by the whole thing. Guess I'm just one of the lucky few. Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Maybe I misunderstood about the viscous coupling. He said the center diff was done though. I trust him that he knows what he's doing. Like I said, I'm no mechanic.
 
Last edited:
Good news! Interested to hear if the mechanic has any insight as to the failure mode that led to the breakage.
 
Well, I wouldn't exactly call it good news... New transfer case and labor is just shy of 4k... Not as much as a tranny, but no drop in the bucket either.
 
Bummer no used t-cases around, but good that it wasn't more expensive. Sounds like it'll be fixed right.
 
$4k not bad? :eek: Holy smokes! I'm thinking my TLC is gonna make my old Mercedes look like a domestic! I've got a 2k with 114k, guess I need to start a separate savings account for it now... If you put your hand on the 4h/4l selector while accelerating you do feel vibration, and my truck seems to have a number of sympathetic vibrations, but I assume a bit of vibration though the tcase lever is normal? I mean, it's not shaking back and forth or anything, just a buzz like holding an electric razor.
 
tnlandcruiser said:
$4k not bad? :eek: Holy smokes! I'm thinking my TLC is gonna make my old Mercedes look like a domestic! I've got a 2k with 114k, guess I need to start a separate savings account for it now... If you put your hand on the 4h/4l selector while accelerating you do feel vibration, and my truck seems to have a number of sympathetic vibrations, but I assume a bit of vibration though the tcase lever is normal? I mean, it's not shaking back and forth or anything, just a buzz like holding an electric razor.
Click to expand...

Normal. Toss some coins in the shifter boot for a rattling good time! These trucks aren't likely to cost you as much as a domestic, they are very well built and you're unlikely to need much more than maintenance items to 200k+, as long as you do those maintenance items. If you off-road you'll need to do some more expensive maintenance.
 
I got lucky and found a second hand unit when I blew my centre diff. A few hours on the drive and it was swapped over. New ones must be really expensive to be a $4k job!
 
Trunk Monkey said:
I'm skeptical. T-cases generally don't just blow up. There are plenty of other weaker things before and after them.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but if it went dry...
wildsmith said:
I got lucky and found a second hand unit when I blew my centre diff. A few hours on the drive and it was swapped over. New ones must be really expensive to be a $4k job!
Click to expand...

It seems like it'd be pretty easy to swap a t-case, but I haven't looked at mine lately, putting off a fluid swap. The 4R looked pretty easy, not that much connected to it really.
 
I just spoke to the mechanic again and made sure it wasn't the divider plate. He confirmed it was not, and that the center differential exploded and the transfer case is screwed. He seems to be well regarded on this board, as well as locally, so I've got to take his word that that is what happened. I am getting a brand new Toyota transfer case, which looking around online, seems to be in the ballpark of what I'm being quoted. The good news is I should never have to replace it again, as long as I live.
 
No way I'd buy new when the odds of one going bad like this is so slim. Pick up a used one at a salvage yard - or just have one shipped in - and you have the potential for saving THOUSANDS. I can't imagine one being more than $800-$900 + $100 shipping. $1000 in parts, plus 10-hours at $85/hr is still only $1850 + tax.

$4000 is INSANE.
 
sacmaster said:
Well I heard back and it's not the transmission. It's the transfer case. Apparently my center diff blew up along with the viscous coupling.
Click to expand...

Really, hate to burst your bubble, but your truck does not have a viscous coupler. It does have a center diff and I have never seen of those break. Did they actually remove the transfer case and took it apart to make this diagnoses?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom