Re: Transfer Case Leak Suddenly Much Worse After Service
I believe LippCJ hit the issue with the leaks...
Lack of use will cause the seals to dry-out/crack. Now the rear seal I'd say I'm more surprised as it's what drives the vehicle all the time, but the front seal is probably not used enough? How often do you use 4 wheel drive? In most manuals it recommends putting the vehicle into 4 wheel drive once a month, to get fluid moving around all the parts (to include the front axle). I would agree with most that you should do all the seals at the same time to avoid the duplication in costs of re-pulling/teardown should you develope add'l leaks?!
In the end the one thing I have learned over the years is if it's mechanical, it'll fail. That's not to say it should not perform as per designed, but sometime things fail prematurely and its just the luck of the draw.
As far as a competent shop and possibly issues with your particular vehicle/transfercase, I'd check some Ford specific forums and see if there are similar issues popping up? It very well could be a bad design issue, bad parts or maybe just the poor installation from the factory? I would contend that most dealerships hire competent mechanics and have a vast amount of technical information available; however, that doesn't mean they are perfect and beyond mistakes...If possible, get a second opinion? The only real downside from my experiences in using dealerships is what they charge?!
My guts says the leak was always coming from the front seal and the way it traveled once it exited the case was down to the lowest point of the transfer case (where the two halves meet?). Changing the fluid exacerbated the issue (maybe the new fluid get hotter and creates more internal pressure? or maybe it being newer means it flows more freely?).
In the end, the real question in regards to spending your hard earned money is determining value!?
The value of something is not how much you have into it, but rather what you get out of it! So, spending an add'l $650 to have a relatively low mileage vehicle worth it after all is said and done?
Good Luck, I hope this is the end of the leaks?!
That's why I buy Toyota (I couldn't help taking a stab!)
~Brett