4wd stuck

[james-r]

After leaving my transfer box in neutral last night by accident i came to go to work in the surf this morning and now its stuck in 4wd, tried just driving forwards and backwords a bit to see if it frees anything off but its still in 4wd with the light on the dash too, could this just be a dirty contact somewhere or something more sinister.
cheeers, james

[Albannach]

Pull the selector backwards.

[Predictable Bob]

Sounds like you've managed to wind up your 4wd ...

Don't drive it any more until you get it out of 4wd - from what I remember you need to jack up one side of the Surf and release the handbrake

Make sure that you're on the flat and chock the wheels

[Sancho]

Have you pressed the button on the selector?

[stormforce]

try the gear selector in P and N to see if that works

[james-r]

tried moving the lever backwords and forwards, button pressing etc, it just wont click out of 4wd.
whats this jacking up one side thing?

[Vultch]

Mine did that, took a day or so to free itself, I drove up a lane with passenger side wheels (front & Back) on grass verge to allow them to slip... it seemed to work

[Justbrad]

Just make sure your wheels are straight if you decide to move it in 4WD, it should go into 2WD as long as there isn't any friction by turning.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Are all the vacuum lines secure?
Are the VSVs clicking that are next to the fuse box when you press the button on and off on the transfer lever?
Can you hear the 4WD ECU ( behind the plastic panel in front of the gear lever, below the radio)clicking when pressing the button also?
Is the AT/P light illuminated below the tachometer?

[james-r]

I can hear the clicking when i move the transfer lever from low and high and into neutral but the 4wd button does not click at all, just had the centre console out to check for loose wires etc.
Just had the truck in the air on the stands to keep it in reverse and its still doing it.
It was running fine last night, around a 40mile trip, left the transfer box in neutral and now its stuck in 4wd the bugger.
anymore advice apprieciated.
cheers, james

[james-r]

Ive checked the vac lines on the transfer box and front diff, one was perished at the end so replaced it.
Im getting clicking from behind the radio area but no clicking from near the fuse box, the button in the transfer lever is not doing anything, ive checked and there is power there and no power when switched off.
Where is the vac control unit on the surf? i dont think there is any "sucking" from the vac pipes, is this a common problem with them? and can it be replaced?
cheers, james

[BUSHWHACKER]

Vacuum is generated by a pump on the alternator, it's then stored in a small tank under the wheel arch. From there the vac lines go to the two VSVs (Vacuum Switching Valves) that are attached to the inner wing behind the main fuse box.
It's thses VSVs that activate the diaphragm on the front diff to lock the front drive shafts together.

[james-r]

Well thats a bit funny, i changed my alternator a few weeks ago because mine had packed in on me.
On thursday night my belts groaned a bit on the way home, could this be anything to do with it?
Come to think of it the truck did stick in 4wd before not long after i changed the alternator but it switched off after a few presses of the 4wd button.
Can the vac pump on the alternator be changed over from my old alternator? because this was fine it just stopped charging.
cheers, james

[BUSHWHACKER]

There's only enough vacuum stored in the reservoir/tank for roughly three presses of the button on the transfer lever. Seems like it ran out of vacumm to disengage 4WD.
The green 4WD light on the dash is activated by a position switch on the ADD and the transfer case.

Can't help with removing/fitting vacumm pumps on the alternator because I've never looked into it.
I have an alternator here you can have (if it's the correct type) for 30 plus post.

[james-r]

I will have a look at my old alternator tomorrow, i know the vac pumps on older ford transits could be removed and refitted i'll just have to keep my fingers crossed it can be done on surfs.
I will post up the results, luckily ive got alternator removal down to around 10 mins and refit 15 mins.
cheers again, james