NP208 partial pop out of gear?

[Mastiff]

Cruising down the trail today and suddenly got a horrible high pitched buzzing, like gear grind. I think I've heard it from the T-case before when it wasn't properly engaged when switching to low. Anyway, I thought I must have trashed something at first, but in the end it seemed fine after jiggling the case and trans levers. Any guess what this may have been, and is there anything I should check/adjust to avoid having it happen again? It sure can't be good for the internals.

 

[wheels87k5]

I don't have an answer to your question, but if you need parts for the NP208 I have one just sitting around. It's apart because I was going to rebuild it but found an NP241 to replace it with. You can have whatever you need for the cost of shipping.

 

[diesel4me]

Perhaps the body flexed enough to make the shifter move enough to pull it out of gear ?...I'd check for any loose bolts on things like the cross member and where the T-case bolts to the transmission tail,and the rubber mount on the "foot"..

 

[K5wrench]

There are little plastic guides on the tips of the shift forks.
The wear out over time.
Makes engagement sloppy.
Is this a high mile t-case?

Both times I rebuilt an NP208 I found that after replacing these plastic shoes on the forks the shift became solid and there is minimal slop in the shift handle.

Maybe they are worn out.

 

[Mastiff]

I had it open not too long ago to install the slip yoke eliminator. I didn't have the foresight to replace the guides though. The case is not especially high mile, and certainly not a lot of cycles on the case. It's never really had much of a notice detent or anything though. This might all be nothing, like if I just sort of put it part way in or something...

 

[Justin V]

4 possible culprits here.

Engine/t-case mounts
Body mounts
Internal shift fork or related
Shift linkage

The shifter being attached to the body versus the drivettain is responsible for a good bit of 208's and 241's popping out. Bad mounts result in too much give relative to each other.

Otherwise look at the shift linkage for wear, then internal in the t-case

 

[dyeager535]

I assume 208 shift linkage adjustment is like the 241, but the book method seemed arbitrary and overly complicated to me. I disconnected the rod from the t-case, and manually selected low. Then set the shifter in low, and connected the rod making sure not to disturb the lever position on the t-case.

I want to say there is one rubber grommet used, on the shift lever to shift rod connection, if that was gone it would cause some issues.

Just some things to check, gotta crawl under and look I suppose.

 

[Mastiff]

I'll look closer today if I get free and see what I can see. My body mounts are poly and fresh, so I doubt that's the issue. When I had the case out, I just put it back and reattached stuff without doing any adjustment or calibration. Maybe it's on the edge. I'll also look for the rubber you speak of. Thanks.

 

[diesel4me]

When I first got my pickup I tried adjusting the NP208 shift linkage--if I recall correctly there was a hole in both levers you slid a pin in while it was in neutral to align the levers,then you adjusted the threaded link piece until it went in the hole on the shift lever ,then tighten the lock nut..mine was spot on,didn't have to adjust it---so whatever keeps my transfer case from unlocking the front shaft in 2 HI must be internal..
I have never bothered to find out why,I just leave the front hubs unlocked during street driving and let the front shaft and diff spin..
I actually think the axle u-joints and CV u-joints live longer with them spinning rather than sitting still and rusting..only changed the axle joints once in the 15+ years I've had the truck ,drove it about 15K..most of those miles on the axle joints that were in it..the CV joints are still nice & tight ..

 

[Mastiff]

I forgot to ask, is the grinding noise a common result of "popping out" of gear, or am I potentially barking up the wrong tree?

 

[diesel4me]

It'll usually grind when it pops out of gear at least some...especially if it was under torque and suddenly disengages..remember if it pops out to always shift into neutral (on the transmission) and wait a few seconds for the output shaft on the transmission to stop spinning before you try putting the t-case back in gear..if you leave it in drive you'll grind the teeth off the gears big time!..