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Transfer case questions on two Jeeps...one of them exploded

E

EASportsRacer13

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Alright, so I just had to drop a lot of money on my 94 Cherokee due to some freeze plugs and a bad radiator. (I bought it used)

Bcak in the day, which was a thursday btw, I had a 1990 Jeep Cherokee Sport with Automatic Transmission Inline 6 4WD (Full time, Part Time, Low etc) One day...the transfer case esentially exploded. There was a fist size hole in it and the innards were mush. It was a $1500 fix. Lee Miles Transmissions said they had never seen a transfer case blow like that before.

Now, onto my new dilema. I just bought a beat up 1994 Jeep Cherokee Country Automatic 4WD. I've put a grand into it w/new tires, fuel and oil switches, serpantine belt, battery, numerous interior fixes. Well Ive got other problems.

Here's my question, what the heck happened to the 90 transfer case? Is this a common problem? And Is this going to happen to the '94!? I need to asses the economics of putting another $1500 into this Jeep if the Transfer case is known to explode...
 
Well first off I've never heard of it (then again I don't read NAXJA all that often). But the 1990 sounds like the NP242 (Full Time, Part Time), which is known to be a little weaker than the NP231 (Part Time). The NP242 isn't too weak though..

Needless to say it "Can" happen to the '94, but if you keep good oil in it, and everything it should never happen...
 
Keep clean fluid in it. Dont grind it while shifting. Dont run wasted u joints/cv joints. (vibration) Dont land on drive shafts when wheeling. Use sye when needed.(vibration). Monitor chain wear and replace as needed. Dont pay $1500.00 for a $200.00 fix (junk yard). OK, OK, Ill shut up now:)
 
EASportsRacer13 said:
ok, here's a question...how would I go about finding out which transfer case I have on my 94?
Click to expand...

crawl under and look at the round metal tag

or
if it has fulltime function, its the 242
if it only has part time 4wd, its the 231



i know one my 89 if i flip the drivers side visor down, there is a big label across the visor telling me
 
if all you have is part time (2hi,4hi, and 4lo) then it is an np231. If you have an option of 4hi full time then it is an np242. The full time mode is more like an awd than a 4wd so you can use it on the street
 
I just found a thread here that took me to where I need to go...Im pretty sure I have the 242 in my 94...although with my memory who knows. Ill have to crawl underneath it when its back from the shop.
 
Just FYI, it sounds like the chain was stretched and you continued to drive it.

When that happens the chain starts rubbing on the aluminum case, even in 2WD.

Needless to say, it doesn't take long for metal to eat through aluminum.
 
Did the one that exploded have a lift or was it at stock height? I've seen pic's on the jeep forum where the same thing happened. I thought it was mostly caused by tc vibs going unfixed.
If you don't have vibs or hear the chain slapping I would say it's not a common problem.
 
Jed said:
Did the one that exploded have a lift or was it at stock height? I've seen pic's on the jeep forum where the same thing happened. I thought it was mostly caused by tc vibs going unfixed.
If you don't have vibs or hear the chain slapping I would say it's not a common problem.
Click to expand...

Stock...all stock
 
Your 242 went due to a stretched chain. The chain begins to double over on itself an BOOM. Time for a junkyard replacement. If your scared of the 242 I'll trade yah even up for my 94 231 t-case. LOL The full time will be well used here being I have about 30" of snow in the yard.
 
Next time don't go to Lee Miles Transmissions. $1500??? A used xfer case can be had at the salvage yard for $50 and can be replaced in under an hour. It's 6-bolts holding it onto the transmission, 8 bolts to drop the drive shafts, a nut on the shift linkage, and the vacumn switch and speedo.

Besides, you now have a veritable army of expertise at your disposal now that you found NAXJA.
 
When I had a 242 equipped jeep I used to keep it in 4 Full time 99% of the time. I changed the fluid every other engine Oil change because the fluid always showed signs of heating. I think the reason being that it holds so little fluid that it gets hot fast. If I had to do it again I would install some kind of cooler.
 
I think I busted my chain on my np231 today. I had a loud pop and the front tires, stopped spinning. I was stuck in snow. When I took it out of 4lo, and back into 2hi the rear tires would spin and no more bad noises. I checked my front axle yoke and my t-case front/rear output and u-joints and all were good. Is it possible that I busted my chain or could it be something else inside my t-case like the sprockets that the chain grabs onto? As for now my jeep is stuck in a bunch of snow and a tree stump isn't helping either...

P2270038.jpg


P2270066.jpg


P2270044.jpg


Doesn't look that bad from the pics but it was. I would have killed to have had a Hi-Lift.
 
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