Well guys I just bought the disco to move across country with ( Idaho to Minnesota). Along the way the drivetrain started getting really loud. I crawled under it and found it dumping oil from the t-case it was down to .3 qts or so After filling it up I made it the rest of the way but she never quieted down and then I started to get a transmission temp light, so I drove easy the last few hundred miles. once i arrived to my new home I found that I had snapped a u joint on the front prop shaft ( by the grace of god I made it all the way).

So my real question: is it possible the reason I was dumping oil was damage to the front prop seal due to vibration and heat from a damaged joint? also I believe the heat generated by the t-case was heating up the trans to the point of throwing the light. I know that when the gears are run dry they heat up and become brittle so should I just say the hell with it and replace the t-case or just go after the seal???

Any thought are appreciated

 

Probably substantial damage. Clean it all off and inspect it. Look carefully at the gearbox where the propshaft could contact it after it broke. Looks for holes, cracks, etc.

 

you need a new front shaft and what sounds like a new tcase. check the tranny for damage as well.

 

The joint was broke however it was mashed together.. 3 of the 4 legs of the joint were intact and kept it from flopping around.. so no damage from the ol' flying prop shaft.. my main concern is if a major out of balance would do damage to the output bearing of the t-case and if the low oil wold render the gears useless. bummer of the situation is the complex I live at does not allow you to wrench on your rigs even if your in your stall.

 

oh and major thanks for the input guys.. as always keep it coming till one of you say its probably fine.. LOL.. no honest opinions are always the most valuable.

 

some damage had to be done if your prop failed and then your TC was pissing oil out of the seal.

 

Not sure on the DIIs, but can you remove the prop shaft and drive it around the block to see if the noise was coming from the tcase or from the pro shaft?

 

just have to lock the cdl,.. if he can.

 

Open the inspection plate on the bottom of the t/case looking for metal in the oil or broken parts.
I have to think you fried the t/case, that is why the tranny light came on, either the tranny or the t/case will turn it on.
What year is your Disco?

 

whoops, sorry for the lack of info guys, its a 2000 disco II. I have the cdl cable in the rig and as soon as I can get the last damn bolt off the front prop shaft I will try to take it up to speed and see how it sounds. it did make it probably 700 miles after the light came on and it only showed up a couple of times durring that.. btw the 700 miles was one day non stop.