Transfer case fill screw

[randymorris]

I’m trying to open my transfer case fill plug before opening the drain plug, but I can’t get the screw out. I’m using a 10mm allen and it’s just stripping the screw, but not budging at all. I’ve sprayed some pb blaster on it to see if I can get it to break free, and I’m letting it sit for a while. Any other suggestions for getting it out?

 

[turblediesel]

Heat. Chisel a notch on the outer edge and use a punch and hammer to get it turning. Drill it and use an ez-out.

Once it moves a little it should come easily since it's a tapered plug. Might want to replace it with a square headed tapered pipe plug. At least they'll take a wrench.

 

[randymorris]

Sounds like this job is going to wait for a day when I have more time and money then. This sounds like it’s gonna be a real pain.

 

[uss2defiant]

yup. if you haven't done it in a long long long time.
I had the same issues like my first time doing it so i brought it to a shop for them to deal with it.
I use high temp thread sealant for the plugs so they don't get stuck in the future.

The shop had to use heat and an extractor to get it out.

 

[randymorris]

yup. if you haven't done it in a long long long time.
I had the same issues like my first time doing it so i brought it to a shop for them to deal with it.
I use high temp thread sealant for the plugs so they don't get stuck in the future.

The shop had to use heat and an extractor to get it out.

Maybe I’ll do the same. I’ve never done it in this Jeep, and I don’t know when it was done last before I bought it.

 

[uss2defiant]

here's my documented ordeal

https://www.jeepkj.com/threads/transfer-case-plug-replacement.56660/

P/N is 68001627AA

 

[turblediesel]

Go at it with patience, take breaks, use a left handed drill bit. Sometimes the heat of drilling and "grabs" will be enough to loosen it, or at least not make it tighter.

The tapered threads on the plug should seal liquids in without using any goop of any kind. It's just a fill plug anyway so you'd only get a tiny trickle. If the drain plug seeps try a new, non-chinesium, plug or use some wimpy blue silicon gasket sealer to fill the threadspace. Do NOT use your brute strength to make it seal. Chances are they're all overtight wherever the previous ape worked on it. A great reason for doing your own work instead of paying the quicky-lube for the blues and wrong lubes.

Ask me how I know this...

 

[randymorris]

Yeah, I’m slowly learning to do all my own work on it. With the exception of my normal mechanic, every time I bring a vehicle anywhere else in town they screw it up. On Friday I get to fix my transmission lines, and I’ll give it another go at the transfer case. Hopefully I can get it to budge and just replace it with a new one. I’m hopeful that I’ll start a new job next week, so I’m trying to get my truck back into service from quite a while of just using my wife’s Honda Civic, which is a hell of a lot lower than my lifted Liberty.

 

[turblediesel]

One of the greatest things about trucks is just being able to get under them and keep up with maintenance and breakage without having to go through the process of jacking it up. Be safe.

 

[randymorris]

My jack stands and 3 ton floor jack have proved invaluable. I bought both when I owned a Ford Explorer and had to drop the fuel tank to replace the pump, and I’m gonna pick up a second set of jack stands to help make it easier and safer to work on my wife’s Honda.

 

[renegade 04]

Just go to harbor freight and get a set of pipe nipple extractors. Hammer it in and then get out a breaker bar.