drain and fill transmission?

eestes1 wrote: So, I can do both from the transfer case?

 

We have to drain both separately,  and fill both  . . .  the first time.   

 

After they are both full,   we can "maintain" using only the transfer case fill hole.     During normal operation,  oil is "pumped" from the t-case up to the tranny.  It drains internally back to the t-case,  thru a hole between the two cases.    This internal hole at similar level to the tranny fill hole.   (so the tranny stays full).

 

It takes about 3 pints to fill tranny,  and 3.5 pints for t-case,  if I remember correctly.    So you should have plenty.  1 gallon will fill both,  and replace leaks for a few years.

With all the inspirational posts regarding changing the tranny/transfer case oil, I decided to tackle draining both today. The skid plate came off quite easily, just needed to remove a heck of a lot of clay/oil crud with a screwdriver and scraper in order to find the 9/16" nuts. They actually came off quite alright which wasn't too much of a surprised considering their mummified state in the crud. The drain plug for the transfer case is actually removable with the skid plate in place but the tranny would have been near impossible. It was very difficult to find with all the crud, not the ideal scenario I imagined from blademaker's photo, although it was a good reference. There is no way that 6.5 pints drained out so I'm glad that I took the task on.

Here is a shot of the transfer case drain plug hole after draining:

You can barely see the tranny drain hole, but it's just above the forward part of the tranny cross-member (just follow both oil sludge trails):

This is a sample of the oil that I put onto some paper. After a rubbed it a bit, water beads appear on the paper. I'm going to pull the shifter tower cover to take a look - might as well since I can fill the tranny from the top that way, as well.