4x4 stopped working - coincidence?

[Big_ben]

Hi all,

Thoughts welcomed on this one......

I don't often use 4wd on the surf - don't have the need often. I know it worked at one point, and the light on the dash used to come on. Hadn't used it in a few months, but now it doesn't seem to be working. (Atleast the green light on dash doesn't come on anymore.) When I press the 4x4 button on transfer lever in Hi-2, or when I select L4.....I hear what sounds like relays clicking, but I don't get a 4x4 light.

So, what's changed since the last time I knew it was working? Well there was an accident with a poorly run live wire for an aftermarket horn. Whoever installed it ran it through the footwell, it had some slack and got pinched by clutch pedal, shorted out and melted. It melted the wire all the way from footwell back to the battery. The wire touched the wiper sprayer hose at one point, and melted a hole in that too.

Is there any chance that that wire could have melted anything in the footwell or under the bonnet that would effect 4wd? Otherwise I'm thinking it might be a vacuum issue on the A.D.D??? I'll probably try Vince's how-to on removing the vacuum aspect of the 4wd......but does anyone have any thoughts?

Could the melted wire be related - or is it just something that happened in between the last time the 4wd worked and when I noticed it didn't?

Thanks,

Bernard

[BUSHWHACKER]

The 4wd wiring runs along the passenger side of the transmission and joins the engine wiring loom, nowhere near the driver's side.

The 4wd relays are behind and below the ashtray section of the dash, that's where the clicking is probably coming from. You should hear a faint whirring and clunk sound coming from the transfercase when selecting 4wd.

Could be a sticking vacuum valve or the actuator motor on the transfercase.

Find a long straight road, press the 4wd button and drive the truck to see if you get 4wd/green light.

[Big_ben]

Yep I hear clicks when turning it on or off.... But don't get a light after 50 metres

[Big_ben]

If I remove ADD, engage both driveshafts via diff, add jubilee clip, reinstall add, and remove vac lines..... Will that resolve ALL potential issues?

[BUSHWHACKER]

It'll remove the vacuum side of the ADD system. As long as the actuator motor on the transfercase is working ok you'll get 4wd.

To check the green dash light is working, pull off the white electrical connector from the front diff and bridge the terminals.

[Big_ben]

Thanks Vince.....I will try both when I get a chance.

Is the transfer case motor that you mentioned a big/difficult/expensive job?

[BUSHWHACKER]

Not a big job, just three bolts and two electrical connectors.

Shokenore is the man to ask about the motors, he recently got very intimate with his!

[Big_ben]

Intimate.....hmmm not sure whether I like the sound of that?!

@Shokenore If you see this, have you any thoughts on transfer case motor? Likely faults? If there are 2 electrical connectors...is there any chance a problem could be as simple as a fuse?

I will rule out vacuum and 4x4 light before I start to worry about transfer case motor!

[shokenore]

I did indeed get very intimate.

It wasn't a relationship that in the start was good for either party, skinned knuckles head scratching and plenty of lube.

But I persisted and now the at the flick of a button the motor purrs into life and effortlessly engages 4wd.


But enough of that.
Have a read of my 4wd occasionally thread up in the 2.4/2.8 section.
Can't give a link from this device .

Like Vince says link the white plug at the front diff first, that'll take the vacuum part out or the equation.

Crawl under the truck and unplug the white connectors at the transfer case motor.

Get a mate to either flick it into 4wd on the button or via the transfer lever and listen or feel for movement.

Mine was full of Salisbury Plain and all the contacts on the timing disk were heavily corroded.

Pull off the breather pipe on the motor and see if any crud comes out.

I will have a look in my notebook to see what and where you should have continuity.