Transfer Case Leak

I am trying to find an option to help my niece out with a transfer case leak for her 2002 Tacoma. She is on a very limited budget and was quoted $1500 for the repairs. If there’s any suggestions of what we can do ourselves with the repair that would be awesome. If not, who could we take the truck to for an honest estimate of the work? Or is $1500 fair? Thanks!!!

 

Do we have any more information on the repair? We don't know what that shop is doing for the 1500 bucks. I assume they're 'fixing the leak' but what are they doing to/with the transfer case to fix that leak? Where is the Tacoma? Decent chance a forum member is somewhere around there and might be able to take a peek, to at least help you know if what the shop is saying sounds legit. That price without an explanation sounds not legit. Sorry to say. They also might've quoted ridiculous high so you'd go somewhere else, they didn't want to touch it, etc. Many possibilities. Need more info

 

do you have any pics?

welcome to TW!

 

this is all I have seen, she’s in Baton Rouge, LA. I’m not trying to make it sound like anyone has been shady, but if there’s any chance we can do the work for less that would be awesome.

 

So they're gonna do the time intensive side of removing it and then send it off? Pass.

Does it leak enough to drip after its been driven and then parked?

 

Some pictures of the affected area might help the diagnosis... whatever it is, I can't imagine it's going to be worth $2-3K to repair.

 

That sounds about like what a shop would charge to pull a transfer case and disassemble to replace a seal or something. I just wish they were replacing it themselves and not sending it off to be done. Just more down time for you. Ideally the shop replaces the seal themself and your down a week or so.
But if it's not dropping drips onto the ground yet, you can hold off and just ensure it stays topped off, which the shop says they did in the notes when they did the diagnostic. I like second opinions just for peace of mind and knowing pricing is fair and always always always look for the best reviews. Saving a hundred bucks on a 1500 dollar job to go with the lesser reviewed shop is not usually a good idea.

 

OP title of thread and notes in shop report both say transfer case so I'd lean towards transfer case

 

But other info says no transfer case. Yeah. Who knows. Can't help something that we don't have the minor deets on

 

PreRunners have no transfer case to leak from

 

Any chance this is just the result of many years of gear oil drain and fill plugs missing alloy metal seals?. Lube shops seem to think the plug seals are unnecessary or just don't stock them at $4 ea. Transfer case plug seals are very different from diff and trans plug seals, larger,thicker and one is copper colored alloy other is alum.alloy.

 

only other possibility would be the main seal on an Auto trans leaking then the cost would make sense.

 

@Arbys Tacoma why don't you or your niece get underneath the truck and take pictures of any "wet" spots?

Also, as stated, no transfer case exists in your niece's truck seeing as how it is a 2 wheel drive so let's assume they mean transmission.

I just recently developed a transmission leak (3-4 days ago) but it came from my transmission oil pan -



If the leak looks like that, it's just your pan's gasket. Easy fix, just messy.

 

Thank you everyone. I’m in Slidell and she’s in Baton Rouge so I am having to request info from her regarding the truck. I have requested pix and also for her to check and see if there’s any obvious wet spots on the ground or under her truck that she can see. If there’s no transfer case on a 2WD, what type of shop is best to take the truck to for a more accurate assessment?

 

Is it stick or auto?

I certainly wouldn't trust the shop that provided that invoice.
What possible leaks could a (manual) transmission have that would require the services of a tranny shop?

If it's an auto, aren't they easy to top up? I think trans fluid is cheaper than an auto trans service. Then, once she's saved enough pennies to trade it for a stick it's someone else's problem.

 

Metaquanta.... it is a stick. Just confirmed

Eonblue... just clarified she has a 4WD as well.

 

It's not a Prerunner then, Prerunners only came in automatics on the 1st gen Tacomas.

The shop probably just labelled it as a Prerunner on their estimate because that's what most people call them, even if they aren't actually Prerunners.

On the 1st gens you can only get a manual transmission on the 5 lug base model 2wds, or the 4x4s. The 4cyl engine on the 5 lugs was a 2.4l, on the 4x4s its a 2.7l.

Therefore, since she has a manual trans and a 2.7l 4cyl engine, she has a 4x4 Tacoma.


If you or someone else can help remove the transfer case and then take it to get opened up and resealed, that would save a lot of money on labor cost

 

Eon_blue.... thank you!! I would love to help her, if it’s fairly simple to do. Also, any suggestions on where to bring it to be resealed if we successfully remove it?

 

I would imagine any shop could reseal it for you, or any shop that specializes in transmissions or 4x4s specifically. I don't think removing it is a terribly difficult job but opening it up to reseal is probably something an experienced mechanic should do, but at least the labor involved with removal/reassembly can be saved if you guys can do that part at home

 

^^^ What he said.


T-case removal really isn't to terribly bad on these trucks. It's, like, what, 13 bolts that are relatively easy to get to. Then it's another 13 bolts to open the shell.

The leak on the T-case is really going to come from 1 of 5 places.
- The seam between the 2 main parts of the shell. = That would be sealed with gear lube compatible gasket maker at $5-10 per tube.
- There is a gasket on top, where the 4x shifter is bolted to the T-case. = Gasket is around 5 bucks.
- And also, the Vehicle speed sensor port. = Tighten the sensor.
- The input shaft seal = Probably $10-15 part
- The output shaft seal = Probably $10-15 part


Full disclosure... lol... My T-case is leaking and I plan on doing all the above this winter... Should have done it before I installed it, when I did my 4x conversion.