Symptoms of bad transfer case?

[TXSquirrel]

Symptoms of bad transfer case?

Hi folks, I have a R32 GTR with engine and all drivelines factory stock with 135k km.  Can you please let me know what are the typical symptoms of transfer case going bad?

A lot of grinding noise and vibration comes from the front half of the car, but only at very low speed and when steering is turned.  The vibration can be felt through steering wheel, and the noise can be heard even with windows up.  At times it feels like the inner wheel is skipping, like LSD is engaging, but obviously the front is an open diff. 

So I pulled the AWD fuse and all the problems went away.  Put the fuse back in and it starts to grind and vibrate again.  Recently all 4 driveline components had fluids changed, nothing improved.  

This happens also going in reverse, actually it's worse when reversing.  When reversing with steering in full lock, the grind and resistance got so bad that the car had trouble moving.

Thanks in advance for any inputs!

[GTSBoy]

More likely to be a front CV joint than anything further back in the ATESSA system.

[Shoota_77]

Could be front diff on its way out. 

[TXSquirrel]

New development.  Car parked in garage untouched for about a week.  Tried to drive it and the car wouldn't move, one of the driveline component appeared to be stuck.  Gave some more throttle and went a loud metal clank, coming from either under the car or toward the back.  Car started to move again.  Drove 15 miles around town and didn't notice anything in addition to the existing grinding / vibration coming from the front.

I didn't think it was the front diff. because the issues went away when I pull the AWD fuse.  That tells me mechanically the front diff. is not binding.  When I'm traveling more than 5mph/8kmh also no issue.  A component is triggering this issue, and a sticky component that is.

[Duncan]

Firstly, I think you are mad driving 15miles with something clearly broken in the driveline. But hey, it's your car

I'd agree with GTSBoy that it is most likely front CV/hub/etc because it was related to turning the steering wheel.  It's unlikely but not impossible for it to be a transfer case problem (eg a broken transfer chain which I had once) but no matter what it is, something broken enough to stop the car moving needs to be identified and addressed ASAP. If you can't do it take it to a competent mechanic

[TXSquirrel]

Okay I can't confirm yet, but that metal clank noise was likely from brakes.  I backed my car out to driveway to wash it, then immediately parked it back inside garage and it just sat. With the climate here it's likely brake components stuck together, perhaps even with slight rust.

[JH32]

On 10/25/2016 at 2:10 AM, TXSquirrel said:

Symptoms of bad transfer case?

Hi folks, I have a R32 GTR with engine and all drivelines factory stock with 135k km.  Can you please let me know what are the typical symptoms of transfer case going bad?

A lot of grinding noise and vibration comes from the front half of the car, but only at very low speed and when steering is turned.  The vibration can be felt through steering wheel, and the noise can be heard even with windows up.  At times it feels like the inner wheel is skipping, like LSD is engaging, but obviously the front is an open diff. 

So I pulled the AWD fuse and all the problems went away.  Put the fuse back in and it starts to grind and vibrate again.  Recently all 4 driveline components had fluids changed, nothing improved.  

This happens also going in reverse, actually it's worse when reversing.  When reversing with steering in full lock, the grind and resistance got so bad that the car had trouble moving.

Thanks in advance for any inputs!

Did you ever figure out what the cause of all this was?

Mine does the same thing but oddly it only became apparent after I installed my ETS-Pro. 

[Tomak]

Hi,

Is this normal that during the hard accelerations on weather temperatures around 32 Celsius the smoke coming out from transfer case inside the car? I can actually see the white smoke.

The smoke is in white colour and very light and not every time. 

My mechanic said its just burned oil and its very hard to break transfer case or burn the clutch.

I put there Dextron 3 ATF red oil. 

When the weather is colder i dont have any problems with the smoke.

 

[JH32]

On 10/25/2016 at 2:10 AM, TXSquirrel said:

Symptoms of bad transfer case?

Hi folks, I have a R32 GTR with engine and all drivelines factory stock with 135k km.  Can you please let me know what are the typical symptoms of transfer case going bad?

A lot of grinding noise and vibration comes from the front half of the car, but only at very low speed and when steering is turned.  The vibration can be felt through steering wheel, and the noise can be heard even with windows up.  At times it feels like the inner wheel is skipping, like LSD is engaging, but obviously the front is an open diff. 

So I pulled the AWD fuse and all the problems went away.  Put the fuse back in and it starts to grind and vibrate again.  Recently all 4 driveline components had fluids changed, nothing improved.  

This happens also going in reverse, actually it's worse when reversing.  When reversing with steering in full lock, the grind and resistance got so bad that the car had trouble moving.

Thanks in advance for any inputs!

Did you fix this?

[TXSquirrel]

On 11/18/2016 at 10:40 PM, JH32 said:

Did you fix this?

On 11/13/2016 at 4:49 AM, JH32 said:

Did you ever figure out what the cause of all this was?

Mine does the same thing but oddly it only became apparent after I installed my ETS-Pro. 

No I haven't had a chance.  I got really busy with both work and family and haven't touched my car for over a month...

Actually your comment just gave me one more link in the chain to worry about.  Have you tried plugging back factory ECU?  Or pulling the AWD fuse?  

Do you know if there is a relay that controls the Attesa system?

 

On 11/13/2016 at 5:06 AM, Tomak said:

Hi,

Is this normal that during the hard accelerations on weather temperatures around 32 Celsius the smoke coming out from transfer case inside the car? I can actually see the white smoke.

The smoke is in white colour and very light and not every time. 

My mechanic said its just burned oil and its very hard to break transfer case or burn the clutch.

I put there Dextron 3 ATF red oil. 

When the weather is colder i dont have any problems with the smoke.

 

Both gearbox and transfer case are close to exhaust.  The smoke could be fluid leaking onto exhaust.

[Scott Black]

i used to get a bad metalic burning smell with white smoke in the car before i blew my transfer case, yet mine failed and the mesh over the oil pickup in the transfer case had disentergrated and therefore wasnt filtering as it should.

also the reason people are suggesting front diff/cv even thou the noise goes away when pulling the awd fuse is because the load on the front diff changes when turning corner, and also by removing the awd fuse you actually remove the load on the front diff, so that can change the noise if it is from the diff,
if it was the transfer case i dont imagine it changing much by removing the fuse, and most of the components are still moving like normal anyway just the clutch packs are not engaged. so the diff drives the chain rather than the chain driving the diff

[JH32]

11 hours ago, TXSquirrel said:

No I haven't had a chance.  I got really busy with both work and family and haven't touched my car for over a month...

Actually your comment just gave me one more link in the chain to worry about.  Have you tried plugging back factory ECU?  Or pulling the AWD fuse?  

Do you know if there is a relay that controls the Attesa system?

 

Both gearbox and transfer case are close to exhaust.  The smoke could be fluid leaking onto exhaust.

Yeah I have a 4WD/RWD switch, when I switch to RWD I reckon the issue seems to disappear so I tend to run around in RWD mode at least until the car warms up, it seems that once the oil in the diff is warm the issue goes away. So wierd.

[TXSquirrel]

1 hour ago, JH32 said:

Yeah I have a 4WD/RWD switch, when I switch to RWD I reckon the issue seems to disappear so I tend to run around in RWD mode at least until the car warms up, it seems that once the oil in the diff is warm the issue goes away. So wierd.

Sounds like your situation is slightly better.  Mine happens at all times, basically every time I do a low speed turn.  No issue at higher speed.  Really baffling...

Have you tried changing the fluid?  Perhaps putting correct viscosity fluid will help if it's temperature sensitive.  

[TXSquirrel]

16 hours ago, Scott Black said:

i used to get a bad metalic burning smell with white smoke in the car before i blew my transfer case, yet mine failed and the mesh over the oil pickup in the transfer case had disentergrated and therefore wasnt filtering as it should.

also the reason people are suggesting front diff/cv even thou the noise goes away when pulling the awd fuse is because the load on the front diff changes when turning corner, and also by removing the awd fuse you actually remove the load on the front diff, so that can change the noise if it is from the diff,
if it was the transfer case i dont imagine it changing much by removing the fuse, and most of the components are still moving like normal anyway just the clutch packs are not engaged. so the diff drives the chain rather than the chain driving the diff

I look through service manual and this is what I find.  

The input shaft of transfer case is permanently driven by the gearbox through a chain.  The clutch pack within however deactivates when 4WD fuse is pulled, because the ETS motor becomes inactive and therefore no hydraulic pressure.  So with the fuse off there is no load on either transfer case or front diff., so the problem could still come from either component.  

By the way my 4WD warning lamp is not on, and it's not because of a burnt bulb because it lights up when ignition is on.  That tells me most of the sensory components are working, speed sensors or G-sensors and what not.  What that doesn't tell me is if the relays are working, but I don't know where they are located.  So can you folks please kindly point to me where are the ETS motor and ETS actuator relays?

[Duncan]

The pump and accumulator for the transfer case are on top of the rear diff and a real pain to get to. The relays are in the boot under the rear trim next to the boot lock (a pair of black relays together). You may simply have a bleeding issue, there are 2 bleed nipples on the attessa line (one at the rear of the transfer case, one hard to find one above the rear axle); start the car and open the nipple it will bleed through (remember to fill the reservoir in the boot first)

[MrStabby]

On 11/13/2016 at 10:06 PM, Tomak said:

Hi,

Is this normal that during the hard accelerations on weather temperatures around 32 Celsius the smoke coming out from transfer case inside the car? I can actually see the white smoke.

The smoke is in white colour and very light and not every time. 

My mechanic said its just burned oil and its very hard to break transfer case or burn the clutch.

 

It might be gearbox oil breathing - check the shifter to gearbox boot, which is under the shifter to body boot.

[TXSquirrel]

16 hours ago, Duncan said:

The pump and accumulator for the transfer case are on top of the rear diff and a real pain to get to. The relays are in the boot under the rear trim next to the boot lock (a pair of black relays together). You may simply have a bleeding issue, there are 2 bleed nipples on the attessa line (one at the rear of the transfer case, one hard to find one above the rear axle); start the car and open the nipple it will bleed through (remember to fill the reservoir in the boot first)

Thanks for the tip!  Do both bleeding points have to be done, or are they connected and can get away with doing only the easier one on transfer case?

[Duncan]

In my experience, bleeding at the transfer case resolves 80% of 4wd hydraulic problems.....but it would still be easier to do them both at once than to find out you were in the 20% and had to start again

 

 

[TXSquirrel]

5 hours ago, Duncan said:

In my experience, bleeding at the transfer case resolves 80% of 4wd hydraulic problems.....but it would still be easier to do them both at once than to find out you were in the 20% and had to start again

 

 

Got it.  Thank you for the recommendation!  I will bring my car to a shop to get that done.

I never suspected any issue with hydraulic lines because the reservoir is still at full mark and there isn't any leak.  But I will definitely try all the simpler tests/fixes before taking apart transfer case or front diff.

[Duncan]

well that's the thing about bleed related problems.....everything in the system sensor-wise thinks it's working OK and it tries to send pressure to the actuator, but none arrives. So generally no errors but no 4wd = bleeding issue