Transfer Box TD5 - 5 Liltres of oil came out of my transfer box

Dublindisco · Jun 9, 2015

Decided to change my transfer box oil...

Undid the fill plug as you do first, expected maybe a trickle of oil to come out.

3 litres of oil poured out the fill plug, yes the fill plug, the one behind the handbrake cable that's a #### to get to.

I had a container in place in case a few drips came out...lucky me.

I then undid the drain plug and another two litres came out.

pic attached, not far off 5 litres of oil was in the box.

View image: image1

Fitted up the drain plug and poured two litres of new oil in.

Has anybody experienced this before?

DIFFLOCK66 · Jun 9, 2015

Not me!

haigy · Jun 9, 2015

New to me aswell.2.7 litres and it should be full out of the fill hole so how the hell have 2.3 litres more go in without covering everything around it.

MJI · Jun 9, 2015

haigy said:
New to me aswell.2.7 litres and it should be full out of the fill hole so how the hell have 2.3 litres more go in without covering everything around it.

Leak from gearbox?

Gazbo · Jun 10, 2015

As previous said, check the gearbox oil level, presuming a manual, but if it's an auto, check that oil you drained for cross contamination.
A couple of Tojo Landcruisers that I owned years back used to constantly transfer gearbox oil to the Transfer case, I put a pipe joining transfer case to gearbox drain plugs to keep an average level in both.

Dublindisco · Jun 10, 2015

It's a manual.

I didn't think it was possible for gearbox oil to get passed the bell housing etc into the transfer box...

DiscoPol · Jun 10, 2015

I once got 4.6 litres into my disco tranny, still know how.

johnlad · Jun 10, 2015

if some one has siliconed the transfer box to gearbox then the drain would be blocked, no sealant should be used between the boxes, the oil can leak from one box to another if the output seal has failed, It should then run out of the drain channel but cant if blocked so can pass the seal in the other box and fill it up,
Check if you are low on gearbox oil

Nigel-S · Jun 10, 2015

Dublindisco said:
It's a manual.

I didn't think it was possible for gearbox oil to get passed the bell housing etc into the transfer box...

The bell housing is the opposite end of the transfer box towards the front of the vehicle.

The transfer box is bolted to the gearbox which is bolted to the bell housing.

Dublindisco · Jun 10, 2015

Would it be fair to say so that my when I check my gearbox oil level there will be next to nothing in there..

A simple fluid change turns into a nightmare!

DIFFLOCK66 · Jun 10, 2015

Also, as you probably know, the transfer box uses EP75/90 or equiv. and the gearbox uses MTF94 (basically an engine oil).

Dublindisco · Jun 10, 2015

Yeah I got that from previous threads alright. Is there any point in changing my gearbox oil at this stage, surely it will all flow into the transfer box.

The only other thing I've been thinking, I got stuck in a swamp/river few months back and had to leave it stuck there overnight.

The water was just up to the door sills nothing major, could water have gotten into the transfer box oil if it was left sitting there? Surely it's sealed.

When I opened the fill plug yesterday on transfer box the 3 litres or there abouts came out at some speed.

Mike Jones · Jun 10, 2015

Dublindisco said:
A simple fluid change turns into a nightmare!

It's a Land Rover.....ALL simple jobs turn into a nightmare!!

trax · Jun 10, 2015

Dublindisco said:
Yeah I got that from previous threads alright. Is there any point in changing my gearbox oil at this stage, surely it will all flow into the transfer box.

The only other thing I've been thinking, I got stuck in a swamp/river few months back and had to leave it stuck there overnight.

The water was just up to the door sills nothing major, could water have gotten into the transfer box oil if it was left sitting there? Surely it's sealed.

When I opened the fill plug yesterday on transfer box the 3 litres or there abouts came out at some speed.

before you panic, go and check the gearbox oil. check level and colour.

also oil and water separate out, oil floats to the top. so if you drained it all into that water bottle and it doesn't separate.. then no water.

DIFFLOCK66 · Jun 10, 2015

Yeah, as trax says! Check the gearbox level & colour

Dublindisco · Jun 11, 2015

Will do, avrio

haigy · Jun 11, 2015

When you fill gearbox up put atf in it for few weeks. Cheaper if it is leaking and you know straight away if its mixing with transfer box as it is red

Dublindisco · Jun 11, 2015

So i opened the gearbox fill screw to check the level.

A small stream of gearbox oil came out...

It wasn't the colour I was expecting

I didn't drop the rest of the oil out of the drain plug yet as i couldn't find my 32mm spanner.

At least the gearbox wasn't empty of fluid.

Now does anybody know why my gearbox oil would be this sandy colour??

bobupndown · Jun 11, 2015

How long has it been in there?

Dublindisco · Jun 11, 2015

Did a clutch and flywheel about 2 years ago, so about 24 months its been in there.

Transfer Box TD5 - 5 Liltres of oil came out of my transfer box

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