3rd Gen Transfer Box Motor Problem Solved

[wightsurf]

After a few months of trying I got my 3rd gen 2/4wd working again, and thought it might help others to know the story. The transfer box motor would work ok when not fitted on the transfer box, but not when reassembled. I found the factory service manuals 80Mb and spent several days of checking vac pipes sensors and ECU's etc.

I bought a 'nearly new' motor/solenoid assembly and fitted it ok, so my car is good for 2/4WD. I have a RZN185, although this is clearly a common part. This gave me another opportunity to look at the old one. The motor magnets had slipped around in the housing, (see pics: motor housing; magnets before; and after). If I had superglued them back in place, I wouldn't have needed the replacement.

I hope this helps other with motor issues! As result I do have a spare reconditioned motor assembly, and the manuals. If either of these can help I you can contact me at riperkesATgmail.com

[andyverran]

Interesting, who would have thought that could happen!

[danielsprague]

Hi

If you're still around on the site, could you perhaps help me with my 4WD actuator motor? I was testing it and the rod came out of the motor!

When it winds the rod in (shifting into 2WD), there is a limit switch which stops the motor.

When it winds the rod out, there seems to be no limit switch built into the actuator unit itself, I assume it must be done via the 4WD computer once one or more switches tell it that the transfer box is in 4WD. This is just my assumption however.

So, when I was testing it, winding the rod out, the damn thing pops itself clean off the shift rod and out of the transfer box extension housing.

I took the small triangular access cover off the unit, took out the pinion and installed the actuator back on the rod.

Then, I wound the actuator rod in until it was on the limit switch, made sure the rod was in the fully retracted 2WD position, and dropped the pinion back in.

My assumption is that this is how it should be set up... do you concur??

Thanks!

[wightsurf]

It sounds like it should work the way you describe, I was able to mark the position of the accuator wheel before disassembling. It was a while ago, I don’t remember where the limit switch was situated, you probably know more than me on than one.
Good luck with the rebuild.

[danielsprague]

Well it all went back together as I described above and (after initially getting the sensor switches the wrong way round), works perfectly now.