Should I buy a Lancruiser dripping transmission oil?
Discussion
OK, sounds a daft question - and in fact may well be 
We're (re)entering the 4x4 world and been searching for a Landcruiser as a reliable tower and found an unusually immaculate '03 one locally today (via PH, of course). On my final inspection (this was at a Lexus dealer - I don't think Mr Pinstripe is used to folk turning up in jeans and crawling under) I found what seemed to be a pretty big oil leak around the back of the transmission where the end of the shaft to the front of the vehicle connects. Oil was spread about a foot up the shaft and was dripping from the guard plate underneath.
Pinstripes's reply was "oh, we'll fix that before we hand it over". I pointed out that damage may already had been done. Quality salesman, instead of dropping the price he tried to sell me extended warranty cover which "includes recovery". Thanks.
So what I was wondering was: Why does a "bulletproof" Landcruiser have a gusher at 61K/5 years? Is it already stuffed (run without enough oil) and is there a way of finding out? If they fix it, is there potential for a cheap bodge - for example just tightening the bolts on a knackered gasket instead of replacing. There are caravan electrics on the 'bar so it's probably spent a lot of the 61K towing 1600Kg, is this irrelevant or a probable cause? Should I not touch it or is this an easy quick fix that everyone but me knows about
The only thing I can find on Google suggests (and not on this model) that extreme torque loads can cause repeated microscopic movements between the two halves of the transfer box case weakening it and it aligns with an oil splasher inside. Solution: replace gasket.
Your advice would be really very much appreciated - ones this tidy at this price are rare. And will be even rarer after we've had this for a bit
Edit to fix grammar - shame I can't fix typo in subject!
We're (re)entering the 4x4 world and been searching for a Landcruiser as a reliable tower and found an unusually immaculate '03 one locally today (via PH, of course). On my final inspection (this was at a Lexus dealer - I don't think Mr Pinstripe is used to folk turning up in jeans and crawling under) I found what seemed to be a pretty big oil leak around the back of the transmission where the end of the shaft to the front of the vehicle connects. Oil was spread about a foot up the shaft and was dripping from the guard plate underneath.
Pinstripes's reply was "oh, we'll fix that before we hand it over". I pointed out that damage may already had been done. Quality salesman, instead of dropping the price he tried to sell me extended warranty cover which "includes recovery". Thanks.
So what I was wondering was: Why does a "bulletproof" Landcruiser have a gusher at 61K/5 years? Is it already stuffed (run without enough oil) and is there a way of finding out? If they fix it, is there potential for a cheap bodge - for example just tightening the bolts on a knackered gasket instead of replacing. There are caravan electrics on the 'bar so it's probably spent a lot of the 61K towing 1600Kg, is this irrelevant or a probable cause? Should I not touch it or is this an easy quick fix that everyone but me knows about
The only thing I can find on Google suggests (and not on this model) that extreme torque loads can cause repeated microscopic movements between the two halves of the transfer box case weakening it and it aligns with an oil splasher inside. Solution: replace gasket.
Your advice would be really very much appreciated - ones this tidy at this price are rare. And will be even rarer after we've had this for a bit
Edit to fix grammar - shame I can't fix typo in subject!
Edited by FamilyGuy on Sunday 7th September 04:15
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