Transfer case shifter handle problem

[Dust]

I have a 2020 JTRU auto with the rocktrac 4:1 transfer case. Has 41,xxx on the clock and has been pretty reliable (I’m the original owner). Got A whopping .5” of snow Tuesday morning. While driving driving home I stopped at a red light oil a secondary road and in gauged the transfer case into 4 H. Was a little stubborn at first but placed the transmission Into N, and with force it went in to 4H. Drove about a block and smelled ATF fluid! I pulled over and placed the transfer case back into 2H and drove home thinking I some how cracked the transfer case or transmission…… not a far stretch with all the horror stories floating around! Kept an eye on the trans temp stayed normal. Anyway crawled under it today to investagate and found a golden grease substance flung in a thin line around the transfer case. Did I blow the transfer case shifter cable??? Pics aren’t the best. I have searched and found nothing like this problem. Any help would be appreciated

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[Stan H]

Okay first of all I never seen anything like that.
Second take the upper fill plug loose on level parking spot and check fluid level. Should be red ATF+4 fluid. (Do this while it's cool) if it dont dribble out stick the tip of your pinky in the hole see if it is close to the threads. If so then your good to go. The viscosity and color of that look somewhat like a type if pressure grease. Hopefully someone will chime in .. but it really shouldn't be anything to do with the transfer case. That smell obvious from that pressure type grease.

 

[DylanM]

My first guess is it's grease thrown off from the driveshaft CV joint.

 

[Dust]

Yes definitely strange. Truck operates fine, no clunks or vibration. I was thinking CV joint also but it looks fine and has no movement or visible leaks where that grease would explode out like it did. I am not well versed on CV joints on driveshafts just u joints. I just don’t know? That’s why I thought the shift cable may had high pressure grease in the plastic jacket in casing it and when I engaged the handle, it being below freezing, it blew a seal? I admit, I had not engaged the transfer case in quite a while (2 years maybe), but we have had no measurable snow in that time and no free time to off-road. I truly went against my faithful practice of engaging the FWD at least yearly! Lesson learned. Now I guess it’s a trip to the dealership for the runaround about what’s covered by warranty and what is not…….. Any other thoughts or ideas are greatly appreciated! Again, thanks.

 

[Hootbro]

CV grease is usually dark gray to black in color.

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