Transfer box overheating

[Annee Grenadier_girl]

Hi all !
As I’m now on my African adventure through South Africa, Botswana and Namibia I had the warning orange light come up yesterday for the transfer box overheating, now it has done this once before and I took it to Ineos and Steve at Portsmouth found no issue at all and put it down to a sensor issue, however, I was driving for 6 hours yesterday doing about 110kmh and after 5 hours the warning light popped up again, I checked the temp and it was at 118 so turned the engine off for 5 mins, restarted and it was at 85 and dropped further to 82 if I keep my speed a little lower, obviously oil wouldn’t cool that fast so I’m also inclined to think its a censor issue but with many long roads ahead of me over the next 7 weeks I’d welcome your thoughts, Logsplitter has been great and said his went into the red once so I’m thankful that mine didn’t, have any of you in other hot countries had this issue…The Karoo in SA was 33 degree yesterday and its only hoping to get hotter the further North I go.
Many thanks
Annee

 

[Commodore]

I have been in very hot weather here in Southern California and have not had that problem. Sounds like a sensor to me. Any chance you can pick up a Pyrometer and point it at the transfer case? That would go a long way to verifying the actual temperature.

 

[anand]

Were you driving with the center diff locked or unlocked?

 

[LWA55DAL]

I would suggest a T Case oil change just in case you have other issues in the case and in the event the oil has been overheated. It is about a 5 min job and both the fill and drain plugs are easily accessed without removing anything. I would also be interested to see the temp difference between the T case and Transmision. My transmision runs around 170 deg F and the T case around 120 deg F at normal highway speeds with weather in the 70-80 deg F range. Before I changed the T case oil I was getting to 140 deg F, but not throwing a warning.

 

[anand]

I would suggest a T Case oil change just in case you have other issues in the case and in the event the oil has been overheated. It is about a 5 min job and both the fill and drain plugs are easily accessed without removing anything. I would also be interested to see the temp difference between the T case and Transmision. My transmision runs around 170 deg F and the T case around 120 deg F at normal highway speeds with weather in the 70-80 deg F range. Before I changed the T case oil I was getting to 140 deg F, but not throwing a warning.

If I'm not mistaken this is only a partial drain/fill not a full change of the t-case fluid as it isn't getting the oil out of the cooler/lines, correct?

 

[Clark Kent]

Hi @Annee Grenadier_girl

Some good suggestions above. Possibly a sensor problem, particularly if this is a repeat episode. Less likely but it could also be a low oil level.

I don't know what your driving conditions are like so to eliminate it as a possible cause I suggest you take a look at the transfer case oil cooler located in the left wing, below the headlamp. The cooler is a small aluminium radiator and it should be clean and unobstructed by dirt, mud, grass or rubbish (paper, plastic, etc.). You can see it best from the front but can also see some of the back through the slotted wheel liner.
If the cooler appears dirty or blocked you will need to clean it out. Any reasonable mechanical workshop could assist.

 

[Annee Grenadier_girl]

I have been in very hot weather here in Southern California and have not had that problem. Sounds like a sensor to me. Any chance you can pick up a Pyrometer and point it at the transfer case? That would go a long way to verifying the actual temperature.

View attachment 7883875

I can certainly try whilst I’m here in Johannesburg for the night, Thank you

Were you driving with the center diff locked or unlocked?

Unlocked, was just travelling on very long straight tarmac roads.

 

[Annee Grenadier_girl]

Hi @Annee Grenadier_girl

Some good suggestions above. Possibly a sensor problem, particularly if this is a repeat episode. Less likely but it could also be a low oil level.

I don't know what your driving conditions are like so to eliminate it as a possible cause I suggest you take a look at the transfer case oil cooler located in the left wing, below the headlamp. The cooler is a small aluminium radiator and it should be clean and unobstructed by dirt, mud, grass or rubbish (paper, plastic, etc.). You can see it best from the front but can also see some of the back through the slotted wheel liner.
If the cooler appears dirty or blocked you will need to clean it out. Any reasonable mechanical workshop could assist.

Thank you, I do have a service kit with me and a mechanic is going to service it when I’m further North and before I head into Botswana so will definitely show him this, much appreciated.

 

[landmannnn]

If the transfer case oil were at 105C then the outer casing would be roughly at that temperature. At above the boiling point of water, if you go underneath you would be able to feel that heat with your hand near the transfer case. Squirt some water on it, if it boils off the sensor is right. If not you could gauge the heat by touch, carefully!

 

[bemax]

I had an overheating transfer case once. But I was travelling (at more or less) full speed for half an hour. The temperature rose over 120 degrees. It cooled down within less than five minutes while driving slower (100 km/h). My dealer told me that that had occurred to another customer as well.
while it’s one thing to loose cooling at full speed it is far more annoying to work with it at normal cruising speed.
Did you check whether there is something blocking the air from the transfer case? For example mud or a protection plate that lowers the air flow around it?