Hello all, I don't post much as I can find most of my answers through the search button. Please point me in the right direction if the following question/situation has already been answered.

Here is my situation, my truck started making a whining sound about a month or two ago but it was only under acceleration(sounded like the rear end was whining) , also it doesn't change as the RPM increases, it is speed dependent(which tells me it is after the transmission) it was quiet as a mouse during coasting and deceleration, furthermore from a stop or when going from deceleration to acceleration, the car was making a slight clunk(similar to the U-joints going bad). So I know that U-joints do crazy things when they are going bad that could explain all of these issues.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, heading in to work for P.T.(I am in the Army), and as I was driving in on the highway doing 75-80 MPH, I notice that the whining is MUCH louder and now it is all the time, not just during acceleration but all the time. So I am going to just get off at the next exit, and baby it back home and fix it on the weekend. As I am getting off at the exit I notice in the rear view that I am shooting sparks.(luckily for me, it was dark and no one around me). Also I am know making this horrible grinding sound and then BANG, so I drop it in neutral and coast as far up the off-ramp as I can to not get hit by traffic. So I hop out the truck and it's smoking like crazy.....not on fire, but just smoking. I let the smoke clear and look underneath and this is what I see.







I actually took those pictures on the side of the road as I was waiting for the tow truck to get there. As you can see, I grenaded my transfer case. So I towed it back to my house and put it in the garage and thats where it sat until I found another transfer case at the junkyard.

On another note, I take really good car of this truck and I run synthetic fluids throughout, and the transfer case had castro synthec(spelling) ATF +4.

So yesterday, I finally located and picked up my new used transfer case at the local junk yard. Pulled out the pieces that were left and not scattered all over I-70 and I took a few pictures along the way and this is what I had.







and here is a side by side comparison between the new(at least to me) transfer case and the destroyed one.









and the chunk still attached to my front driveshaft



Furthermore, I didn't realize this until I took it all apart but it destroyed my front driveshaft also.

So to make a longer story longer, on to my issues. It all went back together without any issues, I left it on the jack stands and started it up and left it sit in park for a few minutes. I took it from AWD(NV244 remember) to 4-Hi and it shift fine with no issues. Then I placed it back in to AWD and it went back with no issues at all. I then proceeded to place the truck in reverse.......and nothing but a slight whirling sound........and the wheels aren't moving at all, however the spindle where the front driveshaft would go is spinning, I place it in drive and the same, front drive spindle spinning and nothing from the rear. so I place it into 4-ho from drive and a fairly significant clunk but the rear tires are moving in different directions(probably because of the limited slip). Now my question is that the whining sound is troubling to me, I am half tempted to take the transfer case back to the junkyard(30 day warranty) and get a refurbished one with a year warranty.

Things of note, currently it DOES NOT have a front drive shaft in it. I ordered one but it will not be here until the 23rd.

So should I take the car off the jack stands put it 4-Hi take it for a drive and see what happens.

Take the transfer case back off, return it and get a refurbished one.

or am I looking at possible transmission damage here.

Thanks for any help that you can provide me and I am sorry for such a looonnnnggggg post

 

Wow. That's a first. Grenade indeed!

Did you see or find the part that let go that came through the casing? I see the gear and belt look tight in one piece.

Wow again!

Also, excellent post and photos. A big thanks for sharing. My prayer is that I, nor anyone else, has to experience that personally.

IndyDurango

 

the reason the front is spinning is because when in 4HIFT (full-time 4wd/AWD) the transfer case acts as a differential between the front and rear axles, in 4HIPT (part time 4wd) and 4LO the transfer case locks and the front and rear axles have to spin at the same speed. When you put the front driveshaft back in it will move in 4HIFT but until you do that all the power will just spin off at the front yoke.

the reason it exploded was because of bind. basically the transfer case got stuck in 4HIPT which caused binding forces to build up in the transfer case and eventually it got to the point where it escaped by exploding the t-case.

When shifting from 4HIPT to 4HIFT or 2HI (if you have it) you need to make sure you follow the correct procedure so you don't have another grenade. I know if mentions the NV242 case but it still applies to your case. Here's all the info you should need:

 

No that is incorrect, because the NV242 only came in the 1998-1999 models that I know of, it was changed over to a manual NV244 AWD case in the R/T and then that same case was switched to full electrical in late 2000 models and continued to be an electrical shift all the way up to 2003 (talking about the same NV244).

Most likely a simple bearing went out, which even running fully synthetics can still happen. Seeing that the chain was intact I would suggest it was a bearing and not axle bind caused from the user being locked in 4X4 on non slippery surfaces.

Now it could be that the transfer case never fully shifted out of 4X4 because of axle bind the last time he used 4X4, but that would be contingent upon how long and miles traveled during that time. The OP stated it has been there for like "my truck started making a whining sound about a month or two" so I doubt that is what happened.

I want to say thank you for those pictures and please don't break the links so that theses pictures will stay here for many years.

I would think this is a bearing or even a oil pump that went bad in the Transfer Case, in fact I would bet more along the oil pump for this kind of damage.

Anyway those cases you took pictures of look different!


Did you get the same T-case or a different one that was originally in your truck, because if you got an AWD NV244 case whereas your case was a NV233 case then the T-case is different. And also with the AWD NV244 case it is AWD so it automatically transfers power from-the-wheels-that-slip-to-the -wheels-that-grip! SO seeing that you don't have a front drive line there is no torque on the front end so the power transferred straight up to the front (which it can). I would go to the junk yard and get a new drive shaft and install it or possibly use yours to see if the T-case is actually working.

 

just to clear things up though, should you still reverse and swerve with a nv244 case as you would with a nv242

 

it wont hurt anything, but is not necessary under 99% of circumstances.

 

Indy,
I didnt find any parts of the transfer case along the road. I walked back down the road about a quarter mile or so. Mainly to ensure that there werent any chunks in the highway because the last thing I wanted to happen is to cause an accident or for someone to blow out a tire or something. Keep in mind this it was also dark outside(about 530ish in the morning)

 

that_guy,
I dont think it was because of binding(even though I could very well be wrong). I didnt feel any binding at all before it let go......at least until it actually let go. I was cruising doing 80 when this happened with the crusie control on until the noise increased which I quickly got off the gas with the intention of getting off at the next exit and babying it back home(I was less than 10 miles from the house).

Furthermore the transfer case that I have is the NV244 which is equiped with AWD/4HI/4LO, and it is electronically controlled through a switch in the interior. To be completely honest, I havent put it in 4HI in years, as I dont really have a reason too. Also, I am the only one who drives it as my wife has only driven it once since I have had it.

 

Hydra,
Thanks for replying to my post, I know that you are the resident expert around here. I have learned alot of information from reading your post over the years and I take your advice very seriously(not to take anything away from anyone else though).
A bearing sound much more feasible to me, one thing that I did notice and I havent mentioned this earlier, but there is metal flakes all over the bottom of the truck(you can see this in one of the pictures. And as I mentioned earlier I do run full synthetic in this truck.

I dont think that the transfer case was partially engaged because I havent had it in 4WD for a very long time, and two it is electronically controlled, and unless the electric motor shorted and half engaged. But if this was the case there is noway I would have made it two weeks from when the noise first presented itself.

The transfer cases that I have pictured above are in fact the same cases (NV244) as the tag states on both. The only thing that I had to transfer over was the electronics as the plugs were diffrent. Other than that it bolted right up with no trouble lights at all. It might look slightly diffrent as the exploded case is kinda inflated a little. Pictures dont really do the damage that this transfer case endured any justice at all.

Lastly, A front drive shaft is on the way, I had to order one because none of the local junk yards had any. I should have purchased the one with the transfer case but at that time I didnt realize mine was broken. Installing it would not be possible as it is in two pieces.

Lastly, I had no intention of moving any of the pictures. In fact, I plan to take apart whats left of the transfer case and post pictures here, so maybe you or one of the other experienced guys here will be able to tell what went wrong. Maybe it can help someone out in the future.

 

All,
Yesterday, I put the truck back on the ground and drove it about 5 miles in 4HI and everything is working good, I will have the front driveshaft in after Christmas as it will probably arrive while I am hone on Leave. However, later tonight, I plan to take apart the rest of the transfer case and post the pictures here in this thread. Maybe we can shed some light on what happened.