[Assi]

Hey Assi,

• No, I didn't do it. Several reasons (been busy recently working on a Chrysler 200) but also as I noted in my post, "Drill in to this and it's Game Over PTU ", there's a risk. While it should be a straight-forward operation, if something does go wrong, it's a big-bucks replacement.
• Note @Skidmark is correct. The drain plug in the photo is not the one to use. Would need a much smaller one (the guy in the video actually just screwed a screw into the hole with some RTV to seal it. Since it's not something done regularly, it can just be RTV w/ a screw each time. The PTU oil is not under pressure.
• Regarding metal from drilling, the idea is you drill the hole with the oil still in the PTU so when you break through to the inside, stop right away, back-out, and let the draining oil take out any metal shavings from the drilling.
• Note when you mentioned what you saw in your PTU as "thick gray sludge", I think you're referring to metal paste that's accumulated on the magnet of the fill plug. That's not much a worry (just wipe it off). This is the same as when the metal paste bulids up on the tone wheels on the ends of the camshafts, the fill plugs on the RDM or magnets attached to the transmission filter (though no one usually removes and opens their transmission to change the filter since its an invasive job). The 1 cm piece does sound like a chip from one of the larger gears, probably broken off during a hard mesh. What's done is done about that and as long as it's not a bunch of pieces, it probably won't be an issue.
• Unfortunately on the AD2 PTU, there's no other way to take the oil out as the large ring gear to the left of the fill hole blocks getting a hose into the sump to pump it out. Only removing the PTU or drilling a drain hole are the only options.

I manged to pump a bit of oil from my PTU.
It looks like this, what do you say? bad? Reasonable? Leave it? Drill ?????

 

[Gary Kline]

I manged to pump a bit of oil from my PTU.
It looks like this, what do you say? bad? Reasonable? Leave it? Drill ?????
View attachment 236254 View attachment 236255

Is the black the PTU fluid?

What's that mass in the center that looks like grease/tar? Did that come from inside the PTU? Is it liquid?

What's the silver part on the left hand side. Looks like that terminator movie where the silver stuff shape-shifts into a T-1000!!

 

[Assi]

Is the black the PTU fluid?

What's that mass in the center that looks like grease/tar? Did that come from inside the PTU? Is it liquid?

What's the silver part on the left hand side. Looks like that terminator movie where the silver stuff shape-shifts into a T-1000!!

The grey black stuff on the plate is the oil from the PTU. You can also see it in the pump pipe (it is a transparent pipe).
I saw in youtube that pepole get black oil from the PTU, but this looks more grey and sludgy.
It is liquid, feels like oily water - but the new oil also feels thin.
I put the pipe of the pump in the filling hole, blocked most of the hole and pumped fast, and I got some of the oil - not much, but enough for checking the oil.
And, the silver part, sorry to disappoint 😁 is not the terminator, it is just from the camera.

 

[Gary Kline]

The grey black stuff on the plate is the oil from the PTU. You can also see it in the pump pipe (it is a transparent pipe).
I saw in youtube that pepole get black oil from the PTU, but this looks more grey and sludgy.
It is liquid, feels like oily water - but the new oil also feels thin.
I put the pipe of the pump in the filling hole, blocked most of the hole and pumped fast, and I got some of the oil - not much, but enough for checking the oil.
And, the silver part, sorry to disappoint 😁 is not the terminator, it is just from the camera.

Wow, my PTU fluid looks just like thin brownish gear oil. Definitely not black and absolutely not sludgy/solid enough to form a shape....

 

[Flybynightcru]

Wow, my PTU fluid looks just like thin brownish gear oil. Definitely not black and absolutely not sludgy/solid enough to form a shape....

Ya, that don't look good at all...🤔😎

 

[Assi]

I manged to pump a bit of oil from my PTU.
It looks like this, what do you say? bad? Reasonable? Leave it? Drill ?????
View attachment 236254 View attachment 236255

This is what I found attached to the PTU magnet plug.
It is a round holow cylinder, 1 cm long.
Do you know what is it? Is it just a chip?

 

[Gary Kline]

This is what I found attached to the PTU magnet plug.
It is a round holow cylinder, 1 cm long.
Do you know what is it? Is it just a chip?
View attachment 236375 View attachment 236374

WOW! Shaggy, it's a mystery . There are only three round/cylindrical items on the PTU at all that I can think of and none could be it either physically or without you noticing because the PTU wouldn't work...

1. There's an aluminum vent tube but I'm almost 100% positive it doesn't extend into the interior of the case
2. There's the round pinion pins in the differential but those would be thicker (though it's hard to base the scale of that item in the photo without another object for size reference). And more importantly, you'd be having serious issues driving if it was one of them.
3. The actuator has two rods that the collars move back and forth on however, that would mean your actuator wasn't working and you'd have all sort of SCV 4WD and messages trying to engage anything but FWD.

Wow, I'm stumped. Can you post a photo with something else in the photo (like a shekel) for size reference? This way we can also see the relative thickness.

Anyone?

 

[Gary Kline]

Two more things...

• This line running along the long axis makes me think it's a pin, like what I mentioned in #2 above where it's punched in to hold a gear or similar on a shaft. But what it could be at that size I'm not sure.

• Here's what I'm referring to in #3 above but I would think the actuator armature wouldn't be working if so. That torn end on the object in the photo looks like it broke violently, easily enough that the actuator collar wouldn't be working if so.

v

 

[Assi]

WOW! Shaggy, it's a mystery . There are only three round/cylindrical items on the PTU at all that I can think of and none could be it either physically or without you noticing because the PTU wouldn't work...

1. There's an aluminum vent tube but I'm almost 100% positive it doesn't extend into the interior of the case
2. There's the round pinion pins in the differential but those would be thicker (though it's hard to base the scale of that item in the photo without another object for size reference). And more importantly, you'd be having serious issues driving if it was one of them.
3. The actuator has two rods that the collars move back and forth on however, that would mean your actuator wasn't working and you'd have all sort of SCV 4WD and messages trying to engage anything but FWD.

Wow, I'm stumped. Can you post a photo with something else in the photo (like a shekel) for size reference? This way we can also see the relative thickness.

Anyone?

About 1.5 cm long.
Next to a toothpick.

 

[Gary Kline]

Hey @Assi,

Last thought... The shafts have bearings on them and the right side are tapered roller bearings. The only thing that leads me think it couldn't be an escaped roller is;

(a) While the photo below is of an AD1 unit and you have an AD2 in you TH, any escaped metal would need to be coming from the right side of the case because the big ring gear blocks the left/right sides. There's only one bearing on the right side and it's wedged between the shaft and the casing cavities that hold them. I can't see how a free roller bearing could escape without being thoroughly destroyed in the process.
(b) Bearings wouldn't generally have a split running along them as shown in your photo.

Just mentioning it though since there's not a lot else that's cylindrical in there..

 

[Gary Kline]

About 1.5 cm long.
Next to a toothpick.
View attachment 236379

Just saw your photo. Looks from the new photo like it's a pin to hold something else in (you know, that you wedge or punch in). Does it look like that from what you see? (but again, I can't imagine what uses a pin like that. The only thing I can think of would be the differential pinion shaft perhaps uses a pin to hold the shaft that the two differential wheels inside the 'cage'. I wonder if one came out and the shaft is moving (and the black/gray you're seeing in the fluid are the pinion gear residue as they wear against each other combining with the oil)

 

[Flybynightcru]

Looks like a very small "roll pin" to me...🫤😎

 

[Gary Kline]

Looks like a very small "roll pin" to me...🫤😎

Thank you! I couldn't come up with the actual name to save my life. All I could think of was "the pin that holds something else in"

 

[Flybynightcru]

Thank you! I couldn't come up with the actual name to save my life. All I could think of was "the pin that holds something else in"

It's definitely a roll pin. We know it's steel, and roll pins are made of steel. Now, to figure out where it came from. Looks to small to be used to like hold a gear on a shaft, or something like that...🤔😎

 

[Gary Kline]

It's definitely a roll pin. We know it's steel, and roll pins are made of steel. Now, to figure out where it came from. Looks to small to be used to like hold a gear on a shaft, or something like that...🤔😎

Hope it's not the roll pin for one of the differential pinion gears. The differential is directly inside the fill-plug and of one got flung off, I could see it getting caught on the fill plug magnet. Either way, almost positively needs to be from the right side of the case. I don't think something from the left side could get past that big ring gear in the center.

 

[Assi]

It does look like a roll pin. But from where? Maybe from the half shaft? But that has a ring clip.
And then to the question, what to do...

 

[Assi]

My Jeep is currently standing. With the gray oil, my thought was to drill and change the oil. But now, thinking of this roll pin... should I take the ptu off? Or what do you suggest? Maybe I can save it, or maybe it is already doomed, or maybe it will be fine just changing the oil?
Or maybe I should find out first where did this roll pin got from.
🤔

 

[Gary Kline]

My Jeep is currently standing. With the gray oil, my thought was to drill and change the oil. But now, thinking of this roll pin... should I take the ptu off? Or what do you suggest? Maybe I can save it, or maybe it is already doomed, or maybe it will be fine just changing the oil?
Or maybe I should find out first where did this roll pin got from.
🤔

Question... do you have the tools, capabilities (you need a lift and a helper really) etc. to take the PTU off? On one hand, it's a big job. But on the other, that oil is completely the wrong color. I'm guessing the dark grey/black color are top layers of gears no longer aligning and starting to wear down. The roll pin should not be just hanging out in there short of it being an accidental dropped-in piece during assembly).

Question... any driving issues? Especially, any grinding/roughness going around turns or curves? And do you have the tools, equipment, assistance/help to do a PTU drop?

 

[Gary Kline]

If it were me, I'd probably do it IF I had the means (resources) and capability. (for disclosure, I don't have a lift or helpers so this is a big determining factor for me).

Something is already wrong with the PTU by the color of that fluid and won't get better. It's an expensive component but on the other hand, if caught early, opened up, pin location identified and a new one installed, cleaned and filled with fresh fluid, you may be able to avoid any long term issues.

 

[Assi]

Question... do you have the tools, capabilities (you need a lift and a helper really) etc. to take the PTU off? On one hand, it's a big job. But on the other, that oil is completely the wrong color. I'm guessing the dark grey/black color are top layers of gears no longer aligning and starting to wear down. The roll pin should not be just hanging out in there short of it being an accidental dropped-in piece during assembly).

Question... any driving issues? Especially, any grinding/roughness going around turns or curves? And do you have the tools, equipment, assistance/help to do a PTU drop?

I don't have a lift, but I believe I can do it, slowely, will take me days, and then weeks waiting for parts, but I can do it.
But do I have to?
And can I fix it? Are there any parts for it?

Everything drives well, also on 4x4 (Sport mode), and 4 low.
I do have sometimes (lately) some noises when stopping or so, but it sounds like a rough gear change.