I recently freshened my entire driveline. New original Mopar AX5 transmission, rebuilt the NV231J, front and rear drive-shafts, clutch, flywheel, master/slave, exhaust, new front hubs.
Being a 4 cylinder, the transfer case had an easy life as this model can damn near take the power of a V8. Since it sounded a bit noisy, I rebuilt it anyway with a Novak Master kit w/chain. After 200,000km (125,000mi), the transfer case looked like new inside. All shafts, bearings, chain, and planetary were pristine. Probably wasted my time but it wasn't a lot of coin. Refilled with ATF+4 Mopar.
Here's the issue. The driveline was dead quiet at first. By a few hundred miles, I was getting the familiar gear growl I had before. The higher the gear and torque load, the more pronounced on the highway. In the driveway - T/C in neutral, idling, let the clutch out in 5th - there's gear noise eminating from the T/C. The question is; how much is normal? Novak's literature suggest some use straight 30 or 5W30 in the NV231J to quiet it down and promote longevity. So what does yours sound like?
Being a 4 cylinder, the transfer case had an easy life as this model can damn near take the power of a V8. Since it sounded a bit noisy, I rebuilt it anyway with a Novak Master kit w/chain. After 200,000km (125,000mi), the transfer case looked like new inside. All shafts, bearings, chain, and planetary were pristine. Probably wasted my time but it wasn't a lot of coin. Refilled with ATF+4 Mopar.
Here's the issue. The driveline was dead quiet at first. By a few hundred miles, I was getting the familiar gear growl I had before. The higher the gear and torque load, the more pronounced on the highway. In the driveway - T/C in neutral, idling, let the clutch out in 5th - there's gear noise eminating from the T/C. The question is; how much is normal? Novak's literature suggest some use straight 30 or 5W30 in the NV231J to quiet it down and promote longevity. So what does yours sound like?
