... Begins with a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Good Kwanzaa, and otherwise all-around happy Friday to everyone. I am not a man who discriminates based upon the beliefs of another. I try to accommodate every faith. I make no secret of my Mormon faith. It's no secret that I was a pretty lousy Mormon for a long, long period of time, either. My decision to become a Mormon was based on a personal quest to find which religion was right for me, and I've looked into as many Christian based faiths as I have non-Christian. I've read translations of enough of the Koran to know that "true Islam" is a quest for peace, I've learned to respect the faith of others, and I would hope to be treated in kind.
That being said...
The verdict on 2015 is in... it sucked. It was on it's way to being "Ho-Hum," and almost got there, until the transfer case on my 2002 RAV4 goes out on me on I-80, coming home from a Stake Temple Assignment. Fortunately, I was able to navigate my way onto the shoulder of the road, and no accidents or near-misses occurred. We were safe, it was cold, and we really weren't dressed for it. We weren't far from home, and by the time the tow truck driver had the RAV safely secured, daughter Tyffany showed up to take us home. I did the fastest "Temple-dress-to-working-clothes" change ever recorded, was out the door, and on my way to Toyota. As I drove up, a security guard was approaching a locked gate, at which our driver was sitting. He said he called me, but my phone was still in the RAV (one of the things I was intending to retrieve), so it was lucky that I got there when I did.
Long story short, need new transfer case. No such thing in USA, however there were two available in Japan. Part should be here on, or before December 24, and depending upon when it arrives, the work should be done by December 26 at the latest. Estimated cost: $5700 parts/labor/taxes/etc.
No one, however, can explain HOW my transfer case came to be, as Ray (at Toyota Service) told me, "dry as a bone." The way I understand it is that there is a front seal, and a rear seal, neither of which showed any signs of leaking, and yet a mostly closed system of 90W gear oil is suddenly dry? I asked. Ray started sputtering, trying to go on about the people maintaining my car (Firestone), but I had had this conversation with Firestone a few minutes earlier, and noted that Toyota was the only one's even near the transfer case, particularly when they did a transmission system flush two years ago. I have a idea of how it might have happened.
Scenario One:
During the transmission system flush, oil was drained from the transfer case, either mistakenly, or intentionally. Not totally, the vehicle wouldn't last very long with no oil. Taking a portion sufficient enough to allow heat to build, over a period of time, it took time to manifest, but the oil eventually burned out on the inside of the transfer case.
Scenario Two"
During the transmission system flush, something was, either mistakenly, or intentionally, introduced into the transfer case an agent that might have adversely impacted the viscosity of the oil in the case, burning it off over time.
I'm actually leaning towards the second scenario. Particularly if a de-greasing agent is introduced during the transmission flush. I am going to stand fast on this one, because I didn't F anything up. I'm going to ask them who worked on the transmission in 2013, if he/she is still employed, how long had they been on the job in 2013, any other complaints about this persons work?
Until last Tuesday, 2015 was just another year to forget, too.
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