Red paint on diff/transfercase fluid plugs...does it mean anything?

[ree]

I was just checking my differential and transfer case fluid levels on my 2003 H2 and noticed that the transfercase filler plug has red paint on it as does the front diff fluid plug.

Also the front diff plug isn't like the one in the manual's picture. It's got a bolt head instead of a recessed square drive hole.

Is this normal for original equipment on a 2003 H2? I only wonder since I'm the second owner of this hummer.

[ree]

I was just checking my differential and transfer case fluid levels on my 2003 H2 and noticed that the transfercase filler plug has red paint on it as does the front diff fluid plug.

Also the front diff plug isn't like the one in the manual's picture. It's got a bolt head instead of a recessed square drive hole.

Is this normal for original equipment on a 2003 H2? I only wonder since I'm the second owner of this hummer.

[ShortBus]

Ree,
Does the paint look like a previouly painted piece (completely painted) or is it a "paint line" that extends from the nut to the case? A "paint line" is usually a quick visual indicator of a bolt or plug backing off (broken paint line). You see this a lot in the aircraft industry.

[ree]

ShortBus,
Neither really. The diff plug has a splotch of red paint on it and there's a drip near it on the diff, but they're not connected.

The paint on the transfercase filler plug is splotched on too and in the threads near the top. Theres also a glob of paint nearby it too.

Some big pictures are here:

Front Diff


Transfer Case

in this case I couldn't get the camera to a better angle, but I can see that the paint does not make a nice connection from the plug to the case.

It just looks sloppy.

[ShortBus]

That is strange, I will go look at mine tonight. And try to verify the plugs also. I'll Let you know what I find.

[H2 Bill]

My wild guess is that if you bought it from a dealer they marked those with paint to show that they had been checked prior to sale...just a thought.

[ree]

H2 Bill,
I bought it from a used dealer who didn't know anything about H2s...including how to price them right They definitely didn't check the tranny fluid levels.

If I can dig up my car fax report I'll give the original dealer a jingle to see what they have to say.

It was very low miles too, so I'm pretty doubtful that there were any incidents that would have had someone checking the fluids before I got the vehicle.

What's even more odd is that the rear diff's plug has no paint on it. That's the easiest one to reach, so if the original dealer did check them, why wouldn't they have marked that one.

[LasVegas]

Is it paint or LocTight??

[ree]

Maybe it is loctight. If it is, then they totally missed the threads on the front plug.

I've never seen or used the red kind, just the blue stuff (different binding strents right). But it doesn't seem as thick and brilliantly colored as what I've got on my parts.

Is the red stuff sweet like the blue is? Maybe I could go taste it and find out

[tower]

Don't do it if it's below freezing! You'll have one hell of a time getting your tongue unstuck from your transfer case.

[Hummertech]

Having the bolt head on the front diff is normal, the recess 3/8 square on the transfer case is normal. Those aren't factory paint marks. I would bet the previous owner had some fluid changes done somewhere and they probably made those marks. It may be some type of loctite or thread sealant, or maybe just a jiffy lube mark showing they did it.

[LasVegas]

Checked mine tonight when I was under my H2. No red paint/loctight, etc. Just a little red blood where I've skinned myself up working on it.

[ree]

Well, the consensus, as I suspected, is that they are to show (prove?) that the fluid levels have been checked.

If you ask me that's a dumb system unless you only plan to check something once. I guess you'd have to use different color paint each time. And why not mark the oil dipstick, the coolant cap, hell, the tire valve stems... then I could have a polkadotted technicolor hummer.

Thank you everyone who crawled under their hummer to look. Now I can pass my passive suggestive control psychology exam Just kidding. I really was curious.