Amsoil ATF, 48K, 04 Duramax TCase

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
263
Location
Texas
During this drain/fill I went ahead and install the TCase Pump Upgrade Kit from Merchant Automotive. Hoping this will help ensure a long and healthy life for my transfer case. The Amsoil seems to have held up better than the Maxlife, although the numbers are still not quite as good as I'd like. Hopefully next round will be better.

Make/Model: GM Transfer Case
Vehicle: 2004 Chevy 2500HD

Code:


OIL Ams ATF Maxlife

MILES IN USE 48,337 49.981

MILES 148,629 99,996

SAMPLE TAKEN 8/14/13 7/19/11



ALUMINUM 12 23

CHROMIUM 0 0

IRON 57 89

COPPER 38 50

LEAD 39 84

TIN 0 0

MOLYBDENUM 0 1

NICKEL 3 9

MANGANESE 28 37

SILVER 1 0

TITANIUM 0 0

POTASSIUM 3 2

BORON 261 109

SILICON 8 14

SODIUM 8 10

CALCIUM 260 271

MAGNESIUM 131 246

PHOSPHORUS 614 328

ZINC 6 21

BARIUM 0 1



SUS @ 210 49.8 44.9

cSt @ 100 7.21 5.68

FLASHPOINT 455 385

WATER % 0.0 0.0

INSOLUBLES % 0.1 0.2

TAN 1.9


Oil Analysis Comments: Lead improved in this most recent sample from your GM transfer case, and insolubles look a lot better too. Neither of them are quite where we want them to be yet, but any improvement is a plus. All the other wear metals look great -- also dropping a lot since last time. This was a slightly shorter run, but those decreases are too big to say it's just from fewer miles on the oil. The mechanical parts did wear better this time. The TAN was 1.9. With the improvements here, it's probably okay to run the oil out to 55,000-60,000 miles next.
 
Amsoil ATF in the Transfer Case. Interesting.

Did it come with GM Auto Trac II from new?
 
No, The HD's don't come with the auto track. That is only on the 1/2 ton's and full size suv's.

ATF is all that is specked for most transfer cases.
 
Dhellman- did you notice any "pump rub" when you got inside your t-case? I have the NP 261 in my 1500. I don't know if I'm in danger.
 
Originally Posted By: simplistic
No, The HD's don't come with the auto track. That is only on the 1/2 ton's and full size suv's.

ATF is all that is specked for most transfer cases.


Excellent, thank you. That's what I was wondering.
 
Regarding the lead and copper, What kind of Metallurgy is in the transfer case?

I thought the only bearings were ball and or roller bearings, not journal bearings.
 
It does have a gerotor type oil pump in the case in addition to the typical ball bearings. I am not sure of the metalurgical make up of that portion of the system.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: hisilver
Dhellman- did you notice any "pump rub" when you got inside your t-case? I have the NP 261 in my 1500. I don't know if I'm in danger.


I certainly did, but looks like it had not yet damaged the case too badly. My wife's tahoe has the NP-8 which failed due to pump rub at 130K miles. If you own a GM with an affected transfer case I'd recommend you install an upgrade kit before it's too late. I used the one from Merchant Automotive, although I know DNewton mentioned at least one other popular model that costs a little bit less.
 
Last edited:
Yes there are less expensive fixes for pump rub.

Here is what I used:
http://www.riversidegear.com/transfer-ca...ump-update.html

Here is another one:
http://www.kennedydiesel.com/detail.cfm?ID=511

Here is the M/A unit:
http://www.merchant-automotive.com/transfer-case-pump-upgrade-kit.aspx
The M/A kit used to be around $300, which made the other kits much cheaper. But I suspect M/A was experiencing lost sales to the cheaper alternatives, and so they greatly reduced their price.




They all get the job done equally well. I do not sell or benefit from these brands. There may be others; these are the ones I'm currently aware of. I personally used Riverside Gear, but I have no loyality to them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top