A little too much rust prevention....

[Benz]

Currently on a trip around Australia in my 2000 td5 130. (he's just clocked over 180,000ks)

the old boy always had a leak from the transfer case which I just topped up every now and then but over the last few thousand k's the old tranny has started spitting out quite a lot more then before.

I just topped it up yesterday (didn't measure how much it took) and over the 1000ks I drove today it has well and truly made a mess under the car. it looks like it's leaking from just about every seal but that may just be it being thrown around by the handbrake drum.

we will get into Adelaide in the next couple of days and suss out how much oil it's really loosing and where exactly it's leaking from but at the moment it looks like I'm going to have to get this one fixed.

Just a few Q's
does the gearbox have to come out with the tranny?
Should I be getting anything else replaced when the tranny/and gearbox come out?
should I get this one repaired or fit a reconditioned one?
how much is this likely to cost me?
anyone recommend somewhere in Adelaide to do the job?

Thanks in advance
Ben

[BilboBoggles]

Could it be a blocked breather, I've seen those make a lot of mess by forcing oil out of every seal as it gets hot.


If its the seal on the output shaft behind the handbrake, and that too makes a mess, then the last one I did cost about ten bucks for the seal and about an hour's work. It may be the shaft is scored, but you can get a double lipped seal and that seems to have held well.


The worst scenario is the seal between the gearbox and the transfer, that's a pig to fix and is likely to get expensive. My td5 is leaking there now, but only slightly and i will put up with it for now.

[POD]

You had me a bit confused there as 'tranny' is usually slang for 'transmission', the transfer case can be removed without removing the gearbox. If the whole transfer case is oily, it's probably leaking from the o-ring at the front of the intermediate shaft.
Be cautious about who you take the vehicle to while travelling, I had a similar experience whilst travelling a few years ago, the LR agent in Karratha charged 8.5 hours labour to remove & refit the transfer case to repair an oil leak, 2 hours up the road we found the thing still leaking just as badly but there was no way we were turning around again. No doubt that was what he was counting on, as when we got home and had the thing repaired, it was obvious it had never been out. You'll find that a little bit of oil goes a long way, in that the underside and rear of the vehicle will be oily but the level won't have dropped much. Depending on how long you're travelling for, you may be better off topping it up every couple of days and fixing it when you get home.

[spudboy]

Hi Benz,

For a place to check out your 130 I'd suggest:
- Sovereign Motors in Kent Town (about 1Km out of Adelaide)- ask for Geoff Mockford
- PCB Land Rovers (near the Airport) - ask for Peter Brown

I've used both and they are both honest and do good work. PCB can be hard to get into as they are usually booked out a long time in advance.

The other place I've heard good things about (but never used) is TRS (Triumph Rover Spares). They are waaaaay down south at Lonsdale, maybe 40Kms from Adelaide.

Where are you staying? If you want a free place to land for a day or two you are welcome here. We're up at Balhannah in the Adelaide Hills (about 25Kms from Adelaide) on a farm, so plenty of space. Send me a PM if you're interested.

Cheers
David

[nedflanders]

Steam clean and make sure it definately needs to come out, most seals, gaskets can be replaced in situ, rear output seal is common, I can only think of transfer seal from gearbox is the only seal that can't be done without splitting it, but I could be wrong (and according to the wife I am frequently!)

[110 Pete]

Hey Benz,

I have a similar leak to you, its coming from the main output shaft seal between the Gearbox and the transfer case. The transfer case can be pulled out with the gearbox in situ and the main output shaft seal replaced, I was quoted $800 for the whole lot, (8hrs labour plus seal).

If your Transfer case does not clunk/ whine or is hard to get in and out of gear then it would be highly uncommon to have to replace it with a recon one.
In saying that if you have the cash/ time you could have it pulled appart and replace the internal bearings, the front and rear output shaft bearings are easily done ( Ive done my own and replaced the seals).

Im doing my TF case at the end of the year and fitting reduction gears while Im in there :angel::wasntme::twisted:, if you wanted to do that the price goes from $800 up to $1800-$2000

Hope that helped!!

Cheers

Pete

[Benz]

thanks guys

I'm in Adelaide now and will degrease the transfer case tomorrow and work out where the leak really is.

haha sorry POD yes I mean transfer case

Cheers for the info David and thanks for the kind offer but my other half has family here. we would like to head out to the hills before we leave SA though.

I will contact Sovereign autos on Monday as they are quite close to where I'm staying and see what they think.

We are on the road for another 2 or so years so probably should get it sorted.

will let you know how I get on tomorrow.

[POD]

We are on the road for another 2 or so years so probably should get it sorted.


Umm, yeah, best not wait til you get home then!

[Benz]

this morning I washed down the underside of the car so I could ID where the leak is.

It looks to be coming from the input shaft which a but of a bummer.
so I guess the transfer will have to come out.

I topped up the oil and it was down just over 100ml after 1700 ks which is less then I though it would of lost.

I also double checked it wasn't the gearbox leaking and that's all fine.

Going to get a guy to look at it tomorrow and see what he says.

[Sitec]

Don't forget Brendan at British 4x4 in Windsor Gardens.. 82664506. Good luck. As offered elsewhere, if ya get really stuck, give us a hoy! We're in the Barossa. :)

[BigJon]

Confirmed leaks from front diff pinion seal, transfer case intermediate shaft O rings and transfer case output seal. The transfer case is coming out next week for the repair.

[isuzurover]

The t-case intermediate shaft hole usually needs sleeving with a steel sleeve if it has been loose for a while and flopping around.

[Benz]

as bigjon said the 130 will be leak free next week.

thanks Jon for helping me out.

I have heard bout the sleeve before. should it be something I should be getting done?

[Disco Muppet]

I have heard bout the sleeve before. should it be something I should be getting done?

Mad not to while the box is out.

[isuzurover]

...

I have heard bout the sleeve before. should it be something I should be getting done?

If the intermediate shaft nut wasn't torqued to spec and/or it was leaking past the o-rings then it would be a good idea.

Intermediate shaft leaks normally only start once the hole is ovaled.