White smoke, Towing up long steep grade in 3rd.

I have a 2013 6spd manual and recently bought a 2018 RPod, about 3100 lbs dry. I live in super mountainy British Columbia and have found the truck handles the load really well
Today up a long climb front kelowna to Merritt I was hauling 3600lbs up a steep, long, grade at 90km/h around 3000 rpm in 4th gear. At one point I had to gear down to 3rd and climbed to 3500 rpm and 80km/h. I noticed white/grey smoke out the back. Concerned I eased up and when able to went back to 4th and smoke went away. The rest of the trip, no issues. Coolant temp was good and I had no such smoke on steeper climbs (albeit shorter distances at slower speed) before

Any ideas or thoughts as to what caused the smoke? Oil and coolant levels are good, can’t check manual transmission fluid atm. Was I just hauling too fast? Perhaps tranny was hot and it was burning fluid? Truck has been flawless.

I have a big hill home but will be 400lbs lighter by then.

Cheers.

 

Curious about this too. Can't wait for an answer, cause i don't have one. Sorry!

 

Was it like this?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/smoking-while-on-a-incline.511373/

 

So that being said, I have done the same with no smoke. But i wasn't rev'ing at 3000 rpm either. I wonder what your spark plugs look like now.

 

So, set up at a camp site and crawled underneath. There is some kind of oil leak underneath. Oil splatter underside of truck including exhaust pipe that may have been the cause of the white smoke.

Looks to be a leak between transfer case and rear of transmission. Not actively leaking now. Will check again tomorrow.

Backstory, Toyota changed my transmission at 15000k under warranty. Had to go back due to a leak that they determined was a gasket issue on transfer case from transmission change.

Leak is brown in colour, not red, so I’m assuming transfer case fluid?!?

Not sure how much has leaked. I’m about 250km from home up a big mountain pass. Not sure if it smart to chance it or what to do at this point.

 

light brown, definitely transfer case oil. Unless the transmission fluid is burnt or something. hell, I dont know...lol. I just know that I checked my transfer case oil yesterday for the first time and it is light brown. almost honey color.

 

Pics.

 

Transfer case is my bet. Same as last time I saw a leak. Dealer replaced gasket under warranty

Yesterday up a logging road it would not engage 4 hi until I depressed clutch. Perhaps an early symptom

So... I’ll be staying in 2 hi rest of trip. Any harm going with low transfer case oil? To say can I limp home?

 

It depends on how low. TCase is moving if the truck is moving.

 

Yes. This is potentially harmful. Add some oil if necessary, as soon as possible. I would bet the 4x4 engagement is not related though, these things are very temperamental when switching into, and out of, four wheel drive.

 

I take it that the transfer case is the same on a manual as an automatic. Very easy to add oil...as long as you have a 24mm socket

 

I don't have trouble at all going into 4x4. I did at first, but I didn't know that I was doing and I think it had been awhile since it had been engaged. I do at least 10 miles a month on purpose in 4x4 as recommended and haven't had issues since.

 

No. Not so severe.

Almost looked liked when there is water spray kicked up more than anything but white.

When I went back to 4th gear no smoke returned the rest of the trip. Only when I looked underneath did I sss the evidence of the leak.
No drips over night so I’m not sure if heat and such at the time forced some oil to leak out or if I’m now just out of oil in the transfer case completely

I’ll call a shop today and see if they can look at. If nothing else top up the oil and see if it’s leaking. Then limp it home and get fixed next week

 

Thanks for all your comments.

Turns out the TCase was over filled at some point and the seepage and resulting spill was as per design. Sort of what was expected but piece of mind was worth $50 for a shop to take a look. Even with the overflow Valve dropping some oil the tech said when he opened the plug about 1/2 quart drained out. Everything was tight and good so he mopped up the spill and sent me on my way.

 

Insteresting. I had the same issue yesterday with out 6spd towing 3500lbs up a steep grade. No smoke but upon arrival I noticed the same oil spread all under the belly and onto my trailer. Same location on the transfercase. As always its hard to tell where the oil is exactly coming from. Im hoping just from the vent cap and it leaked down the sides and the seals are fine. I will check the levels today and wipe down the oil.


Any updates on this issue from your end?

 

No issues ever since. Pulled up many mountains since and no return of the issue.

 

Just got the same problem on my 2013 4x4 automatic. Was hoping It wasn’t something crazy cause I can’t afford to be out of commission. I’ll pull the plug tomorrow and see what leaks out of the t case

 

Good Luck; hope it's nothing major.