Thread: D2 transfer case leaking - use thicker oil?

If a seal is leaking, then using thicker oil won't stop this from happening. A new seal is required to stop the leak.

You could try (not recommended) some type of oil stop leak. These are supposed to soften hardened seals - I have never had success with them - they end up making the leak worse further down the road.

Alternately, if the leak isn't too bad (ie just a weep), just top it up every service.

Hmmm.... penny wise, pound foolish is the old adage. Fix the leak, don't **** your transfer with thicker oil

Topping up the oil is probably your cheap option. Seems like a worn case from the shaft is a common cause once the Kms get up a bit requiring the case to come out and get machined ? $,$$$.00.

Originally Posted by wardy1

Hmmm.... penny wise, pound foolish is the old adage. Fix the leak, don't **** your transfer with thicker oil

80W-140 leaks out just as quickly anyway, but probably provides a bit more protection, the t/case gets stupidly hot and a big generalisation is that gears do prefer a thicker oil. (although on the flip side, thicker oils take longer to climb up gears and into splines when very cold, sometimes taking a few km of use, and the thicker the oil the hotter the t/case runs too from the extra drag)

A good 80W-140 does quieten a noisy LT230 a bit too.

It's a shame 75W-110 oils aren't generally available.

Thats a series fix, leave it long enough and it will leak the grease out.

fix the seal before you stuff other things as well.

Agreed regarding fixing the leak, my D2a had a leak when I bought it second hand, had the transfer case topped up several times then forgot to do it. By the time I remembered after it started making a rumbling noise at speed the thing was completely stuffed. ...

Bought a good low k one off of Eric which fixed the problem but it ended up costing me, either way you will have to fix it as the leak will get worse with time.

cheers,
Terry

Had the same problem, did the topping up thing for ages, then sought some advice from the local independant LR dealer. Assuming your leak is the same as mine, their advice was - Steel shaft revolving thru aluminium casing = oblong hole. No amount of seal replacement will be a permanent fix. Fix - transfer case mod, machine the hole out, place a steel piece in, steel shaft runs on steel . Worked for me, not a leak since. As a bonus, the transfer case was refitted, bearings, etc. Cheap? no. Happy, yes. [It was a swop, an already modified case fitted with my internals] Bob

Actually Bob, the shaft is stationary but as it's bearing in a (relatively) soft housing it can elongate the bore after long term load bearing, the oil leaks past the O ring, yada yada yada.

And yes, a steel bush is the ultimate fix.