Willys M201 Jeep; 3rd go at fixing the leaking transfer case

 

There is always something to do on an old Wartime vehicle, even if you spent £20,000 or more  getting it fully overhauled by a specialist it would still need tinkering regularly, it's the nature of them. I keep tinkering and needing attention are two small oil leaks on the Jeep I wanted to fix, not major leaks just a small deposit of oil drips from the side of the engine block, and about the same amount from the transfer box when it is parked up after driving it, both around a teaspoon each, as I said not much but unsightly on the garden slabs not to mention walking it into the house!, 

The leak on the block is under the exhaust manifold so not easy to get to without dropping off the exhaust to give more room- all fine and easy to do, unless you happen to snap an exhaust stud - opening a big can of worms, so need to do some online searching on the object that is leaking to actually find out what it is before diving in...

So I had another go at the transfer box,  it weeps through it`s sump which I discovered last time I attempted to seal it is warped, as is the casting. 

The first attempt to stop the leak was with a replacement thin paper gasket, it still leaked at the gasket, last time I tried it was with the original thicker rubber type gasket, and with HT sealant friend Chris gave me. This stuff worked on replacing the Engine sump gasket and I still have loads of it in the big tube. Chris recommended forgetting to use a gasket on the transfer case sump and just use the red sealant when a casing is distorted.

Once again I drained  the transfer box and while waiting got everything else ready...

I bought an oil transfer pump on eBay to make filling things easier, but sadly when I later went to refill the box it would not pump!, so had to again use the big syringe, I will get back to seeing why this is not working later...

I still had some of the Americans favourite - Permatex for the sump and filler plugs, and Loctite for the sump bolts...

With the sump bolts removed it took a bit effort to break the seal of the red HT silicone - this stuff is strong, so I was hopefull next time of a successful repair...

The original gasket was ripped removing the sump, but not to worry as would not be using it, and i soon removed the silicone and cleaned the surfaces with wire wool...

The HT silicone was applied and as Chris recommended I let it start to go off before offering the sump up to the case and inserting the bolts...

Bolts all in after cleaning their threads and applying a couple of drops each of Loctite,  and were carefully tightened up, not too tight as remember I had already snapped a bolt here before, 

I left it overnight to set, then next morning put in the sump plug having cleaned the threads and adding some Permatex and started the slow job of filling the two and a half pints of gear oil with the syringe, took a while to add but eventually the oil was running out the level so filled...

Once the oil had stopped running I added the level plug having cleaned the treads and added the last of the Permatex - need to buy another tube for future jobs...

And all done, moment of truth would be once taken for a good drive and parked up if the repair has worked, and next day despite the rain I went a drive along to the next town and on the return went through the Ford at the river Tyne it being real low, though it will be up tomorrow after todays rain...

Wee film,  first time out in the rain in the Jeep in 9 months!

Home and parked up, I went out after a coffee and the wet slabs would soon show any drips, while there was the usual half teaspoon of engine oil under the engine,  the transfer box had no drips, success!

No oil!

So need to try get into this object on the side of the engine block, held on with an upper and lower bolt...

Get it unbolted then sealed and maybe I will have a drip free oil tight Jeep!

More soon...