Rear output tranny seal leak, snap ring broke!

[Red97XJ]

I have a 97XJ, 4.0, auto, 242TC. RE3.5 lift on 32's. Started spewing red fluid everywhere, since I am super busy, dropped it at my favorite shop... They said the snap ring at rear of TC snapped in half, chewing up the seal. They are guessing it just went bad... but said it was possible that the driveshaft bottomed out or got over extended. I don't think this is possible as I have a hack-n-tap and a RE CV DS. The lift, hack-n-tap, and DS have been on for over 2 years with some serious wheelin, but NO wheeling in about a month and a half.


What do ya think? Just a freak or a problem?

thanks for your input.

[5-90]

I'd say just a freak. Even snaprings fail from time to time.

I'm assuming you do have some sort of shield behind the yoke (over the seal) to prevent "foreign matter" from hitting the sealing surface, right? Should look like a dish or a bowl, with the "open" end toward the transfer case...

5-90

[Red97XJ]

I can't remember what it looks like.... I did the h n t myself, the rear of the TC looks like it did stock with a shorter shaft. I did NOT ad anything... should I of?

[5-90]

Depends on the kit, so I don't know. However, most of the time you don't seem to have to...

Where in Northern IN are you? I spend my formative years in Monon and Lafayette (born in Monticello.)

5-90

[Red97XJ]

Up north from there, in a burg, just North of Warsaw and just south of Goshen. About 45 minutes from South Bend and Notre Dame!

You must of been close to Badlands.

Thanks for the input.

[lilredwagn]

I'd say just a freak. Even snaprings fail from time to time.

I'm assuming you do have some sort of shield behind the yoke (over the seal) to prevent "foreign matter" from hitting the sealing surface, right? Should look like a dish or a bowl, with the "open" end toward the transfer case...

5-90

IIRC, the instructions with the H&T call for the oil slinger to be discarded.

I don't even know if there is room left on the shaft for it, and I think their reasonaing is that the hub that the flange bolts to ought to block 90% of anything kicked up in that direction anyway.

[Red97XJ]

I don't remember mine saying anything about that! Anybody else take it off? The shop fixed it and it seems to be ok.

Should I remove it?

[5-90]

IIRC, the instructions with the H&T call for the oil slinger to be discarded.

I don't even know if there is room left on the shaft for it, and I think their reasonaing is that the hub that the flange bolts to ought to block 90% of anything kicked up in that direction anyway.

Hm - "oil slingers" are usually behind the seal - like the one on the crankshaft for the timing set. "Seal shields" are usually outside, like on axle pinions.

I just want to clarify - which are you talking about? I didn't think there was an oil slinger in back there - but I could be wrong...

5-90

[Red97XJ]

IIRC, the instructions with the H&T call for the oil slinger to be discarded.

I don't even know if there is room left on the shaft for it, and I think their reasonaing is that the hub that the flange bolts to ought to block 90% of anything kicked up in that direction anyway.

The more I think abou this, why in the world would there be an "oil slinger" on the outside?

If it's on the inside of TC, then that defeats the purpose/simplicity of the hack n tap.... since the case never gets split.

did I miss something?

[lilredwagn]

Hm - "oil slingers" are usually behind the seal - like the one on the crankshaft for the timing set. "Seal shields" are usually outside, like on axle pinions.

I just want to clarify - which are you talking about? I didn't think there was an oil slinger in back there - but I could be wrong...

5-90

I think I'm talking about the shield you were referring to, but I would have sworn that someone called it an oil slinger.

At any rate somewhere I got it in my head it was called an oil slinger.

What I'm referring to is the rusty metal cap on the end of the TC as seen in this pic.

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/tech/wpe1C.jpg

However, this picture makes it obvious that RE wouldn't have called for its removal in a H&T installation, as it sits just fine.

I broke off a drillbit in my H&T, and had to open the whole thing up and swap the shaft - at some point I read to discard the shield - since I would assume my FSM would make no such recommendation, I probably read it on a jeep forum.

I don't know if the same source that suggested to discard the shield also called it an oil slinger, or if I misread a parts diagram and assumed that was its name (which seems unlikely, since my 231 diagram doesn't have any part called an oil slinger)

In any case it's apparent I have no idea what I'm talking about.


edit: called a slinger here, but no recommendation to discard it:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=53362

[5-90]

I think I'm talking about the shield you were referring to, but I would have sworn that someone called it an oil slinger.

At any rate somewhere I got it in my head it was called an oil slinger.

What I'm referring to is the rusty metal cap on the end of the TC as seen in this pic.

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/tech/wpe1C.jpg

However, this picture makes it obvious that RE wouldn't have called for its removal in a H&T installation, as it sits just fine.

I broke off a drillbit in my H&T, and had to open the whole thing up and swap the shaft - at some point I read to discard the shield - since I would assume my FSM would make no such recommendation, I probably read it on a jeep forum.

I don't know if the same source that suggested to discard the shield also called it an oil slinger, or if I misread a parts diagram and assumed that was its name (which seems unlikely, since my 231 diagram doesn't have any part called an oil slinger)

In any case it's apparent I have no idea what I'm talking about.


edit: called a slinger here, but no recommendation to discard it:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=53362


Yep - that's a shield. An "oil slinger" is usually a disc meant to assist in splash lubrication - it dips down into the oil supply, or is low enough to "catch" oil, and "slings" it upward toward other moving parts that require non-pressurised lubrication.

5-90