• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

transfer case(?), loud clicking noise

wegfrog

NAXJA Forum User
When in 4 wheel drive and you hit the gas it sounds like my transfer case is making a LOUD clicking noise. Fluid was non-existant in transfer case(oops), re-filled it, and the noise is still there. Heard it might be the chain in the transfer case? Anything else? Is a chain replacement something a non-mechanic could do? Or could it be front differential making the noise that sounds like its in the transfer case?
thanks for any suggestions!
 
Take your front driveshaft out to determine if it is the front diff or not.

A loose chain is ususally a sound akin to to driving or gravel. Also, when a load is on the case in 4lo or something like that, the chain will pop loudly as it slips over the teeth on the sprocket.

A chain replacement is pretty straightforward. Drain your t-case. Unbolt the back half from the fron. Remove the front and rear output shafts, remove the old chain, slip the new one on and repeat the first steps in reverse.

Fergie
 
Fergie said:
A chain replacement is pretty straightforward. Drain your t-case. Unbolt the back half from the fron. Remove the front and rear output shafts, remove the old chain, slip the new one on and repeat the first steps in reverse.

Fergie

thanks!

how do i know if it is the chain? since the transfer case was bone dry, i guess the gasket(?) went bad? I think i changed the fluid about 2-3 years ago in the transfer case.
also worried that more damage has been done to the transfer case, esp since i drove a couple 3 hour trips and maybe didnt have any fluid in there.
since i replaced the fluid, i still have that loud popping noise when i engage 4 wheel drive and give her some gas.....

thanks again.
 
As far as I know, there is no gasket for the 231.

Try a search for chain and you will come up with a lot of ways to diagnose it. Using a search is how I came up with all my info.

From what I have read though, check for a gravel kind of sound when driving, and popping when in 4lo under a load of some kind, like turning on a dry surface or up a hill or backing up.

Fergie
 
The ticking can be the chain just touching the case because it has been stretched from running dry. Put all 4 wheels on jack stands, start it, and put it in gear. Then crawl under. You should be able to find the noise.

The most likely ticking is from a u-joint, so don't jump to any conclusions about the tcase.
 
Back
Top