1" T-case drop?

[Bradzuki]

After a couple weekend of wrenching and wheeling I decided to add a little more lift to my XJ. It had a 3" lift on it and I got some 3/4" spacers & shackles to add. After installing the spacers, I figured I'd go with a T-case drop to keep the driveline happy. I've always heard anything over @ 3" lift requires a SYE.

I installed the drop, drove around a little and was very happy with the way everything turned out. Then I got a call to go get the mom-in-law's lawn mower to fix. So I hook up the trailer and head to her place. I load the mower up and while coming back home I notice smoke pouring out from behind the Jeep. I pulled over & looked under to see transmission fluid streaming out from the front of the tranny.

By the time I made it to my house I'd lost approx. 3 quarts of trans. fluid!! Since I'd only driven maybe 35 miles from the time I done the T-case drop, I'm wondering what's up? I didn't think that by dropping the T-case it would bind anything. I've blown a front seal (hopefully) or worse in as little as 35 miles??

Any suggestions? I'm pulling the tranny this weekend to fix. Should I scrap the drop kit?

Thanx,
Brad.

[djblade311]

Scrap the drop kit if you plan on going with a SYE in the future. Any plans on going with a bigger lift? Keep that in mind.

Did the tranny get too warm with the trailer hooked up? Where was it leaking?

[xj4life]

i dont think the drop would have anything to do with it. my $0.02

[black93xj]

It sounds like the tranny got warm and pushed fluid out of the vent tube ( the vent is on the bellhousing and when fluid comes out of it it looks like its comming from the front of the tranny. Before you pull it why don't you add a tranny cooler and do a tranny sevice, and try it.

[2001XJ]

I had the same thing happen to me. It was a bit different of a situation but may be similar as far as cause. I was driving on the highway in mexico up and down hills that were pretty steep in grade for about 70 - 80 miles and all the sudden I look in the rearview and it looked like a smoking cessna doing an oil let out. The stuff was smoking and leaving a trail. I pulled over to a local mechanics and I along with the mechanic checked it out and it was as if there was too much tranny fluid in it to begin with and it just spewed out the seal until it got to a level where the pressure was alleviated. I checked the tranny fluid and it was fine. Drove it after I let it cool down and it never did it again. That was on a STOCK XJ 2 years ago. Since then I have lifted it 5.5" and still have not had one problem. Keep an eye on it but maybe it was just a fluke thing.

[RyleyF]

Yeah, AW4's don't like being overfilled. Mine purged a couple quarts after I overfilled it on a friend's brand new white driveway.

[ChicksDigWagons]

Yeah, AW4's don't like being overfilled. Mine purged a couple quarts after I overfilled it on a friend's brand new white driveway.

a couple quarts? How much did you overfill?

[LilRedRover]

Yeah, AW4's don't like being overfilled. Mine purged a couple quarts after I overfilled it on a friend's brand new white driveway.

I'd be PISSED if I was that guy... now his driveway looks like someone got killed on it

[Bradzuki]

It wasn't overfilled to begin with. I just done a pan gasket & filter change about 3K miles ago. Trailer is a 5x8 wire mesh, hardly weighs anything. Mower is a little 17hp 42" cut. My 4-wheeler weighs a lot more than it and I've pulled it plenty with no problems. Tranny has never leaked or spewed before.

I've never had a problem until I put the T-case drop on. 35 miles later I'm having to put fluid in just so I can make it back home. I went out and started the Jeep to move it into the garage and lost probably another quarter of a quart of fluid.

Oh well, guess my plans for the weekend have changed.:thumbdn:

Brad.