Electric 4wd on low range knob is a bit dicky

[tomgraver91]

Hi folks, I've tried looking online for advice on Gen 3 Surfs but not much comes about, mostly Gen 2's, anyway the electric 4wd button on the low range knob, great idea and worked almost instantly engaging and diassengaging when I got it, however this after noon went out for a quick off road blast, 4wd engaged fine but when went to get it out back to 2wd it didn't want to play ball. Had to coast in neutral a few times, could hear the mechanism trying then eventually slotted back into 2wd. The dash lights showing four tyres(green) and centre box (orange) flash when in 4WD and just the tyres stay green when in 2WD. Is this a solenoid issue and where do I look? I think on Gen2 the A.D.D was located on the transfer box and they could fill with dirty water etc and damged the internal motor and sensor. Not really sure what to look at as Google is a wash with earlier models and what to do. Mine is a 1996 KZN185 Auto by the way. Hope you guys might have some answers. Tom

[Triv]

Assuming you're talking about the multimode lights on the dash, I'm pretty sure they work as follows:

If the orange light is flashing, it's not in 4wd. It's either stuck trying to go into 4wd or stuck trying to come out of 4wd. Stop, put it into neutral then back into drive. That sometimes frees it up and let's it go into or come out of 4wd.
If the four 'tyres' light up green with no orange light, that's 4wd with the diff open. You can only get that with the push button. Four green lights = 4wd. No green lights = 2wd.
If the four 'tyres' light up green and the orange light comes on without flashing, that's 4wd with the diff locked. High or low ratio. You can only get that by using the transfer box lever.
No lights on at all, that's 2wd.

Now that I've written all that, I'm going to have to go and check in the morning!

[tomgraver91]

Assuming you're talking about the multimode lights on the dash, I'm pretty sure they work as follows:

If the orange light is flashing, it's not in 4wd. It's either stuck trying to go into 4wd or stuck trying to come out of 4wd. Stop, put it into neutral then back into drive. That sometimes frees it up and let's it go into or come out of 4wd.
If the four 'tyres' light up green with no orange light, that's 4wd with the diff open. You can only get that with the push button. Four green lights = 4wd. No green lights = 2wd.
If the four 'tyres' light up green and the orange light comes on without flashing, that's 4wd with the diff locked. High or low ratio. You can only get that by using the transfer box lever.
No lights on at all, that's 2wd.

Now that I've written all that, I'm going to have to go and check in the morning!

Morning Triv ahh I didn't realise with the flashing orange it was the open diff. I'm a bit cautious about using the low range box as when I bought the truck the only issue was that the low range box has trouble switching back to Hi mode when moving the the low range box lever into L4 or H4L which is apparently due to a faulty or sticking solenoid. She works fine in H4 just would like to feel confident using Low box and be able to get it out when back on the tarmac.

[Triv]

The orange light flashes when the electrical selector/ solenoid can't engage / disengage successfully. Sometimes if the transmission is under any strain, the solenoid can't click into place. That's when I stop, put the gearbox into neutral, take my foot off the brake and click the switch a couple of times until I hear the solenoid clunk properly and the lights go out (or come on depending on what I want it to do). If it doesn't work first time, I've found cycling through reverse, neutral, drive, neutral will jog it's memory.

I'm not sure that the 4wd button has any effect whatsoever if you're using the transfer lever to put it into h4l or l4l because the lever locks the diff. That's what the 'l' stands for.

The handbook describes all this much better than me.
I strongly suspect that I can't put pictures of it up on here due to copyright rules (which is daft because you can buy them second hand and even buy photocopies online) but if you give me an email address I might be able to let you have a look at it so to speak...

[tomgraver91]

The orange light flashes when the electrical selector/ solenoid can't engage / disengage successfully. Sometimes if the transmission is under any strain, the solenoid can't click into place. That's when I stop, put the gearbox into neutral, take my foot off the brake and click the switch a couple of times until I hear the solenoid clunk properly and the lights go out (or come on depending on what I want it to do). If it doesn't work first time, I've found cycling through reverse, neutral, drive, neutral will jog it's memory.

I'm not sure that the 4wd button has any effect whatsoever if you're using the transfer lever to put it into h4l or l4l because the lever locks the diff. That's what the 'l' stands for.

The handbook describes all this much better than me.
I strongly suspect that I can't put pictures of it up on here due to copyright rules (which is daft because you can buy them second hand and even buy photocopies online) but if you give me an email address I might be able to let you have a look at it so to speak...

Thanks for replying, I had a look at the A.D.D on back of transfer box which selects 2wd and 4wd on button and found one of the electrical connectors was cable tied on so not clicked in so guessing that might have been a dodgy connection. Also the vacume hose between ADD and box had slight splay on the end connecting to ADD so re trimmed and put a small tie round to hold it on nipple better. She seems to select between 4wd and 2wd much better now, can hear the solenoid working properly doing a few test runs but will try it next time I head off road. I've read some people turn the truck off sometimes to reset the solenoid to get back to Hi mode from Low but that sounds like a faff. My email is tomgraver91@googlemail.com, any advice, tips and help
I gratefully accept. Cheers

[NiftyNev]

Thanks for replying, I had a look at the A.D.D on back of transfer box which selects 2wd and 4wd on button and found one of the electrical connectors was cable tied on so not clicked in so guessing that might have been a dodgy connection.

Thats the Transfer Case Shift Motor. ADD is on the front diff.

Also the vacume hose between ADD and box had slight splay on the end connecting to ADD so re trimmed and put a small tie round to hold it on nipple better. She seems to select between 4wd and 2wd much better now, can hear the solenoid working properly doing a few test runs but will try it next time I head off road.

It's a vent hose for the Transter Case Motor, not a vacuum hose. When these split or come off, dirt and water can enter the motor.

Nev.

[tomgraver91]

Thats the Transfer Case Shift Motor. ADD is on the front diff.



It's a vent hose for the Transter Case Motor, not a vacuum hose. When these split or come off, dirt and water can enter the motor.

Nev.

Hi Nifty Nev, well I'm learning more by the day, can the ADD get a build up of crud on the inside causing selection issues then, noticed there was a vacume hose on it when had a quick look so guess water or dirt would find its way in. I've got the truck going in to my place of work Saturday for a bit of work so might have it off the front axel and check. Cheers for the help guys