Transfer Case / Transmission Fluid Level Issue

[wired1000]

So, I went out today to do two things:

1) Doghead Starter Relay mod. SUCCESS! Thanks Doghead!

2) Continue with my one-step-at-a-time Lubrication Order. Today I was going to change the Transfer Case fluid. Here's where the problem happened.

I pulled the drain plug out (lower-most square metal plug on the back of the case) and fluid drained out. Put the plug back in and started squirting Dexron III into the other square plug that's a few inches higher and a few inches towards the drivers side from the drain plug. According to the FAQ and the TM, it should take 5 quarts. I got halfway through the 3rd quart, and Dexron started spewing back out the filler hole. I estimate that I got about 2.3 quarts in there.

I'm going to pause here to explain that I'm a trained chemist with a degree and 5 years experience and everything... so trust me that I am not confused about my units of measure.

Continued... about the time when I was standing there re-reading the FAQ thread and searching to see if anyone else had this issue, my neighbor (a mechanic) came over and told me that usually the transmission and T-case share fluid, and that the engine should be running when I fill it up so the fluid is properly distributed into the torque converter.

I dunno... I'm at a loss at this point. I did see that someone mentioned that the seal between the transmission and the T-case can go bad, causing fluid to leak from the transmission into the T-case. Once I had everything sealed back up, I drove the truck about a mile and then checked the transmission dipstick. It showed "add one ???? to get to full" (I can't remember which unit it said...) I am not sure if it was "hot"... maybe "warm". I have not adequately investigated to see if I have the stock T-case, but I have no reason to believe it was switched out to a different kind.

Anyway, the ATF I drained out of the T-case as well as the ATF sticking to the tranny dipstick were both still pinkish-red and clear, so I'm not going to worry too much about needing to change it. I'll just check the tranny again after driving enough to get it hot to make sure that's not low. I suppose I could check the T-case again now that it's been driven. But I guess my question is

what the heck is going on with it? Did I do something wrong?

I appreciate your wisdom!

Thanks

 

[doghead]

What cucv do you have?

There's pics of the fill and drain plugs in the LO 9-2320-289-12

 

[ODdave]

5 quarts in a 208.......yea right. They only hold 2-2 1/2.

Your neighbor needs to go back to school as well. NO fluid is shared between these and you do NOT check a t-case with the engine running.

 

[wired1000]

Sorry, a M1009. I will look at the LO again.

 

[doghead]

The fill plug should be up higher than the round tin label. It's a hex head plug(about 15/16" iirc)

 

[wired1000]

Hmm... I'll have to look again tomorrow when it's light out, but it appears that my truck has a NP205 T-case. The picture in the LO looks exactly like what I saw when I was out there today. The plugs I pulled were pretty obviously the drain and fill plugs.

 

[doghead]

Was it cast iron or aluminum?

 

[wired1000]

Again, I am going from memory here and will confirm tomorrow when it's light out, but I believe it was aluminum (I don't know which T-case is made from which material, but I'm guessing you do??)

 

[doghead]

M1009 should have an aluminum NP208 t case. It has a hex plug up high Thin headed.

I was guessing on the hex size, it may be bigger than I posted above(I can't remember the size).

edit, I Googled the hex plug size and found 30mm(that sounds right).

 

[wired1000]

Hmm. Thanks! I will re-investigate tomorrow. I wonder what the h*** that square plug is doing there looking so much like it's a fill plug?

 

[ODdave]

205 or 208, 5 quarts is not gonna fit

What tool did you use to remove the plug?

 

[doghead]

Post a few pics, that would hep us help you.

Don't drive it until we figure this out, you may be half full.

 

[doghead]

4 quarts should fit.

 

[ODdave]

OP was there a I.D. tag on the back where you found the plugs?

Im sticking with 3 max

 

[wired1000]

Also, I realize I'm a newbie here... but should the powers-that-be at SteelSoldiers maybe update the CUCV Wiki / FAQ to let people know that the 5 qt fill for the T-case is incorrect? I'm seeing a few people respond to say that neither NP205 or NP208 holds that much (or are we all using the wrong filler plug?)

 

[wired1000]

I'll take some pics and post them tomorrow morning when it's light out. I'm pretty handy with Photoshop, so I'll have little arrows and labels on everything for maximum clarity

 

[ODdave]

could you please answer my question?

 

[wired1000]

sorry ODdave, I honestly don't remember seeing an ID tag on the back where the plugs were. Again, I will update tomorrow when it's light out and I can refresh my memory.

 

[kweb434]

Good luck and lets us know tomorrow.

 

[wired1000]

OK, I ended up running outside just now and snapping a couple pics. Let me draw some arrows and labels on them and I'll post in a few minutes.