How To: Change The Front Transfer Case Oil, 03-08-awd/4wd

[keithvibe]

First jack the car up and support it using a good set of jack stands.You will need to jack it up quite high in order to get under the car.You will need a 24mm wrench.You won't be able to get in the space with a socket.Here is a photo of the fill and drain plugs. The upper is the fill and lower is the drain.Again don't mix up the plugs. One has a magnet on it to catch metal pieces, that one is the drain plugHere is a photo showing the two plugsHere is what it looks like when you take them out and let it start to drain.Photo of the two plugs.The one on the left is the drain plug as you can see by the magnet in the middle of the plug.Once it's done draining replace the lower drain plug. It says to torque them to 37ftlbs but honestly I don't know how you would get a socket in there to do that with out dropping the exhaust.I just guessed on it kinda like most do when they change the oil and put their oil plug back in.Then get your favorite oil, the same oil can be used in both front transfer case and rear transfer case.You will need a pump to fill the case.Just keep pumping till it comes out the top fill holeonce it's coming out the top fill hole just put the filler plug back in and again it should be torqued to 37ftlbs but I just did it by feel.Wipe up any over flow and put your tools away. Your done

[zionzr2]

Nice!!! Just added to the Maint. Index

[specialbuddy]

I bought a 24 mm wrench just for this job and it didn't fit that well. I think 15/16 is a better fit. I measured the bolt with a caliper and it came out to about .935-.940 in., 15/16 in.(23.81 mm). Thanks for the write up though. I didn't know what to look for until I read your post.

[zionzr2]

I was looking for the same type of drain/fill plug as the rear. no wonder I didn't find them!!This will be my next project.EDIT:Did the front Diff/Transfer Case today!Some notes: a 15/16" wrench is needed.Its a bit tricky because the nuts are really shallow. And I think Superman must have put them on.the top nut (fill plug) has very little clearance with the exhuast.I would recommend you do this on a cool engine. Or you will burn yourself on the transfer case or the exhaust tube.I used Royal Purple 75w-90

[motohockey]

Hi, just bought one(2005) with 140,000kms and your tech info for the front transfer case is great. Is there a rear transfer case that needs to be done as well? As I'm just getting to know this car, do you have any other maintenance tips you'd suggest? Thanks.

[keithvibe]

Quote, originally posted by motohockey »Hi, just bought one(2005) with 140,000kms and your tech info for the front transfer case is great. Is there a rear transfer case that needs to be done as well? As I'm just getting to know this car, do you have any other maintenance tips you'd suggest? Thanks.Yes there is a How to that I did for the rear transfer case. It's in the index.Change the trans fluid and the antifreeze while your at it, because the car is new to you. you won't know what was done if done at all. This way here you know everything is fresh and ready for some more travel time.

[jeffgtx]

how often does the transfer case and differential fluid need to be changed under normal driving conditions? in the manual it says every 15k miles but it always says under heavy towing.thanksjeff

[zionzr2]

I do mine between every 25K to 30K miles.

[knmens]

What pictures?

[SSizler]

Most photos disappeared when Photobucket broke the internet in June 2017.
It may have been something else here, like a board move to a new platform or an update.
Regardless, most photos on older posts on this site are missing.

[joatmon]

What pictures?

Here's a portion of the matrix repair manual, out of a very long PDF on transfer case overhaul. However, this shows the location of the two plugs necessary to change the xfer case oil

remove the #2 plug, which is the fill hole. Remove the drain plug and drain the oil. When drained, replace the drain plug. Fill with oil through the # 2 plug till it runs out, (assuming the car is on level ground) then replace the #2 plug

xfercase.jpg (34.62 KiB) Viewed 1159 times

[SSizler]

Excellent photo addition joatmon.
Great job!