gwhayduke

The transfer case seal started leaking again yesterday and my wife has to drive to school this weekend (250 miles one way). It's not bad. Just wondering if I should get her a rental car for the weekend or not. Got any advice?

Oh yeah...this is the 3rd seal gone bad in about a year. Glad the dealer has been replacing them.

Los Gatos?

Well I have no idea...but it seems to me if she watches the fluid level and tops it off as necessary it won't matter....

Shane

Depends on how much is being lost, if it's just wet then I wouldn't worry too much about it and get it fixed ASAP after the trip. Check the level if you can before the trip just to be safe. Now if it's gushing out (as in leaving a large oil slick everywhere you park) get a rental.

gwhayduke

No it's not leaking bad. I found maybe a teaspoon on the garage floor. We noticed the telltale sulfur smell from the oil being thrown on the cat. I'd just rather not spend the money on a rental...on the other hand I'll feel a lot worse if she locks up down the road.

Shane

What timeframe was that amount from, hours? Overnight? Few days?

gwhayduke

About 3 hours after she got home. I also looked at the spray pattern thrown off the drive shaft...pretty small. Especially when compared to the previous patterns. The undercarriage was pretty drenched before.

I'm pretty sure she'll be fine (my wife). She can get it checked at a lube place over lunch.

I just like to double check for dissenting opinions.

Shane

So this same seal has failed 3 times already? I was thinking you meant other seals elsewhere. If this one has failed repeatedly then there's something else wrong or the guy fixing it is incompetent.

gwhayduke

Yep...3x on the rear t-case seal. And a couple of times on the rear axle.

I'm wondering if this rash of leakages has anything to do with the Castrol Syntec gear lube I put in before I knew better (about 3 years ago). This might be a good weekend to get her a rental and swap that gear lube out.

Nice weekend to go out into the desert also; lots of rain tonight.

Shane

I'd personally be cautious about driving it much until you can find the cause for the failing seals, could be a bad bearing or a scored seal surface on the output.

gwhayduke

Yeah...I agree. Getting her a rental will give me time to crawl under and get a better look. The dealer has put the last two in. I don't know what its history was before I bought it. I sure get tired of replacing seals though. Thanks for taking me out of it.