242 Transfer Case Problem

Hey All,
I got some noise coming from my transfer case it sounds like a sprag or a Chain slap happens right after a stop and medium to heavy acceleration... I changed the T case fluid and it seemed to help a little.

anyone have the same problem? What would my best bet be? rebuilt the whole thing or can i just replace the bad part?
:repair:


1989 jeep cherokee 4.0L with auto tran

Sounds like a stretched chain to me.

Make sure all the bolts are in the trans mount and that the mount hasn't sagged. Loose/missing bolts can generate sounds that could possible be mistaken for internal transfer case noises.Also check the clearance of the exhaust pipe where it goes above the crossmember. If it contacts anything on acceleration, it too can cause disconcerting sounds.

I checked for loose/ missing bolts.... I barrowed a set of chassis ears and hooked them up to my jeep.... Thats how i came to the conclusion that it is the T case....

So what would be my best bet, can I just replace this chain or do i need to do a complete rebuilld?

Open it up and see what you find. Could be as simple as a drive chain replacement, but could also involve changing out the drive gears, shift fork pads, bearings, etc. You really won't know for sure until you open it up and look.

Depending on the extent of the damage and the price of the parts you find you need to replace, it could be cheaper to just slap a junkyard transfer case in there. But, that just leaves you with another transfer case with an unknown history...