Took my xterra into a place I usually never go for an oil change and got what appears to be the good ol' "come in for an oil change and then they want to flush your engine, tranny, diff cases etc....."

I generally don't believe folks at this type of shop, but I still want to investigate. One thing that I did want to investigate was that they said I had a leak from the transfer case.

Background: Got the truck in August with 28,xxx miles on it. New fluids in the transfer case, front and rear diffs, and tranny at ~35,000 done by my mechanic. Now at 43,000 miles.

Transfer case:
Where is it? I took a quick look but couldn't find it. Right now it is raining and snowing and I did not want to spend too much time on the wet ground, in nice work clothes, while I am supposed to be inside working. I took a few quick looks from sliding under the front of the car and behind each front tire...maybe I didn't get far enough underneath to find it. I just want to verify that I do or don't have a leak.

Differentials:
Would the factory ever use Teflon tape on a differential plug threads? That just seems absurd. Of course they were telling me that the original Teflon tape was there and that the mechanic never changed the fluids.

Thanks!

Your TC is directly under its shifter (2H-4H-N-4L)
There might be an OEM skid plate covering it, I don?t remember.
This;

is the TC, peeking out just in front of the cross-member that holds the T-Bar adjuster.

This;

is the TC with that cross member out.



This is it out of the truck;


You?re front and rear drive shafts are attached to it on ether side. I doubt it is leaking but would still look.
It seldom leaks unless you crack it by smacking it or someone has been in there and did not seal it up properly.

I doubt your mechanic did not change your diff fluid (it is an easy job so a shop still makes good money doing it) and agree that it would not have ?tape? from the factory.

Sounds to me as if this ?oil change? place is trying to rip you off, why didn?t you go to the original mechanic for this?

Thank you! that helps a lot more than some of the other stuff i saw on the internet.

Didn't go to him because his hours suck: M-F 8-5 no weekends. No second ride, no time off. I generally don't use him for oil changes anyway.

The only T-case leaks I have seen,
have been from the rear output/ drive shaft seal possibly weeping or leaking.
you would see the fluid on the bottom of the dust shield around the front of the drive shaft.

Like BklynX said, they maybe working you for the money.
If it was recetnly serviced you should be all set.

told my mechanic today. going in tomorrow before work just to check it all out. be good to get a good look at the bottom of my x.

thanks again

Drain plug was loose.......???????

Looks like I need to start finding a new place to take my truck for oil changes..

The plug on the TC?

Yep, the transfer case drain plug was loose. I watched them drain the transfer case and refill and such. We all agreed (shop owner, me, tech) that with the amount drained it couldn't not have been leaking long (aka the other shop caused it on Monday) or it was an extremely slow leak.

So you?re thinking the ?rip off? oil change shop loosened the plug to fake a leak?

Scum?.

Glad that it was something small regardless of how it happend
and that it was easily fixed.

hummmm.... lucky for you you had it checked else where!