and got it home ....got it next to nothing right ...


well low and behold i left it upside down for the day and i come back and oil is everywhere ...to be expected....the guy i got it from said it was rebuilt like 10 grand ago ..no biggie....but guess what color the oil is...and guess what it smells like.......do the math im pissed <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

When I got my jeep from my dad, I know the T-case fluid had not been changed in at least 80K miles. I changed it and.... it was clean and not burnt. My fluid has never come out dirty or burnt, a t-case in good shape doesn't generate much heat or particulate.

I would believe he rebuilt it and messed something up. Now there is a ton of friction burning the fluid and getting it dirty. Since it is already out, disassemble it and inspect it. Maybe it never was rebuilt and that is the factory oil. Either way no damage, and you got a dirt cheap case.

Buyer beware eh? Ok I'll play, uh, brown? gear lube? Or what? Black? Doo doo? So flush it and make it the color you like, No big deal. Open it up and check it out, it might be alright. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

well heres the deal it has an SYE so it was opened at one point(AA SYE HD) so not a hack n tap.. i got it in a trade ....jusy never seen a t/c with this color lube...it smells like diff oil and looks like it but its really thin

im used to a red color...not black ...just concerned..i have a spare t/c im continplating on just swaping the shafts with my good working t/c to be safe ....and the guy also waid somthing about a plastic shift fork (wtf) going out on post 95 231's ...... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Well here's what I would do. Since it's so much eaiser to work on out of the Jeep, take out your original, open them both, and compare. You might find the "new" one to be in better condition in spite of the funky fluid. use whever one looks the best as far as wear and tear. Keeping in mind the time you'll save if you don't need to swap out OP shafts. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

my thoughts exactely......i guess my point to posting was the fact of the fluid color i wasnt expecting to see.....my old case is perfectly fine ...so worse come to worse...ill swap the sye into my old case and call it done...just wondered what would cause the fluid to be black and not pinkish red like im used to seeing

If it smells like gear lube it probably is. It could be a mix of gear lube and ATF. Someone may have topped it off with gear lube, not knowing it calls for ATF, during routine maintainence. It happens all the time, I did it to a Ford transmission once and didn't know the difference till I noticed the shifter getting stiff when cold. Later I got a manual and sawe where Ford calls for ATF in a T-5 Mustang transmission. Funny, AMC says use 80w-90 gear lube in the T-5. Thats what I use in my CJ. Anyway I drained the lube and refilled with ATF in the Ford. Good shifting returns, no harm done. Some folks will say you have to use ATF in a T-5 in a Jeep or the needle bearings will go out. I say poppycock! It's gone 150,000 miles with gear oil (and sometimes water) and is still going strong. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Sunder has been nudging me to get mine fixed, but I confess that I put gear lube in mine when I topped it off once and then changed the oil and put just gear oil in.... I don't know what it is going to be like to flush it and eventually use nothing but ATF.

Do the internal inspection that keeps being pushed. It won't hurt anything and you will get to see the inside of your 231. You are lucky to have a spare in case it is tore up inside, right?

It isn't all that hard to flush. If it feels/smells like gear oil, nothing too big to worry about. If it feels like transmission fluid and smells like burnt ATF, then you may have to worry and wonder why it was pulled in the first place.

Good luck!

well tore it apart looks good so i flushed it with some cheap ATF...installed it in da heep ..lord that was a mess...but its all good now ...just gotta get the axle in and measure for a new drivshaft...then its good to go...now i have a t/c for sale!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />