I went to check the level of the tranny fluid today because I've been having some issues with it, and it was high. So I decided to drain some fluid. Got under the truck, and found a drain plug that I thought was to the tranny, but am now realizing I drained the wrong fluid. I think maybe the transfer case? Not sure... I attached a pic. Could someone please help me out, and let me know how to replace the fluid I drained?

Also, while draining some of the fluid a large spring fell out of there

TIA

 

Yup, that's the transfer case. There's a plug in the back of it that you need to remove to add fluid (ATF). there are two plugs, IIRC, one that you're supposed to use to drain it and one a little higher up to fill it. I think it takes a 3/8 allen wrench for the plug. BTW, it doesn't hold much, so don't go crazy filling it up.

Were you able to get the spring back in?

 

Thanks for the quick response!

No, I didn't put the spring back in. Do you know what it's for, and why it was just lose and fell out of there? How would I put it back in? I didn't see the plugs you are referring to, just the large bolt that I used to drain the fluid. I didn't look very hard either though.

I'm getting rid of the truck in the next couple weeks hopefully so I'm not too worried about it. I'll just have to tell whoever buys it to fill it up if I can't get to it myself. Will I risk damaging something with the fluid low in there?

 

It looks like the tranny on this thing is about done for, but I'm hoping someone will take the truck in on a trade in...

 

Yes, you can do serious damage if the fluid is very low. I'm not sure what the spring is for, to be honest. But I'm sure it's there for a reason.

The fill plug should be in the back of the transfer case, not in the bottom.

 

Yeah I was just assuming the spring is supposed to be connected to something somehow not just floating around in there so I don't know if it should just be shoved back in?

When say the fill plug should be in the back of the transfer case, do you mean the side near the driveshaft or the side near the motor?

 

I'm thinking it might be a detent spring or something, but I've never taken mine apart and I'm not lying under it now, so I can't really look at it.

The back of your transfer case (side with the rear driveshaft) should look something like this:

 

Read here.

 

Thank you, I really appreciate the help!