'93 Sport - Won't Shift in 4-wheel. Lots of Snow!

Don't Despair I have been down the same road as you..

When you say the "motor" works when engaged manually I am assuming you mean you removed the electronic shift motor and turned the Transfer case selector from 2H to 4H and it worked (Am I correct)? In my experience 99% of the time it is the electronic shift motor and it's geared selector which are the problem. Did you verify the shift motor worked? If not I would:

1) remove the shift motor
2) mark the position of the geared selector cover.
3) remove the shift motor's geared selector cover (held in by security screws)
4) remove the geared selector. (verify the stop hasn't fallen apart) if so remove the broken pieces and replace with a small piece of 5/16" hose over the stop bolt.
5) apply voltage to the shift motor to verify the worm gear moves. There are 2 wires coming from the motor, apply + to one and - to the other (doesn't matter which way). Do this for 30 secs and stop, wait a minute and then repeat... This will help unstick a shift motor that is binding from lack of use. Reverse the +/- on the motor (it will now run in reverse) and run repeat the above.
6) Verify the T-Case selector is in 2H and re-install the shift motor (without geared selector in place).
7) Install the geared selector and clean the electrical contact area with some rubbing alcohol to remove any oxidation that has formed.
8) Install the geared selector cover (clean its contacts). This step is where the motor will fail to work if not installed 100% correctly. The cover contains electrical fingers which need to line up with the contacts on the geared selector. If they don't the 4x4 module in the trunk will have no idea what position the T-case is in and will nothing (as a safety precaution). This is the problem I originally encountered. I basically installed the cover to the position I had marked when it was removed. I then used a meter to verify the continuity of the wiring harness. Some wires didn't have continuity and I had to rotate the cover 1/8" to achieve it. If you don't have a meter you can install the cover to the position you marked and try pressing the 4x4 button. If nothing happens, loosen the cover and slightly rotate it 1/8" in one direction and retest. If still nothing then after 1/2" of rotation then return the cover to the position and repeat the above but rotate the other direction.

I will dig up the wiring pins tonight when I get home.

Even though the motor may turn when direct current is applied, if there is a problem that is causing it to take to much juice to turn it, the controller in the back will not let it work. I believe there is a way to test how many amps is necessary for the motor to shift.

As I previously mentioned the shift motor is comprised of 2 components a) the electrical motor b) geared selector. I have read your post and it appears your husband has correctly verified the electrical motor works, but has failed to remove the geared selector cover to diagnose it. This geared selector contains electrical sensors that tell the 4x4 controller (computer in the hatch area) which position the transfer case is in. If the geared sensor travels outside its operating range it will get lost and not know what position the t-case is in. When this happens the 4x4 controller will run in safe mode and do nothing.

English translation: The geared sensor is a round dial like a clock. When you press the 4x4 button it will move from its starting position of 10am (2 Wheel High) counter clockwise to 7am (4 Wheel high). Pressing the 4x4 button again will reverse the motor and move the geared sensor from 7am (4H) clockwise to 10am (2H). A common problem is for the plastic bumper stop at the 10am position to deteriorate and fall apart. When this happens when you disengage 4x4 and the shift motor moves from 7am to 10am the geared sensor moves beyond 10am and looses electrical contact (the metal contacts no longer touch). Any future press of the 4x4 button will do nothing since the electrical contact has been lost.

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Please see this thread with lots of info and great pictures of the entire shift motor. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542&highlight=shift+motor

Hello,
I have a 1992 Ford Explorer XLT 4X4. Well, right now, i push the electric 4x4 button(s) and nothing happens. No lights come on. According to some threads, my problem lies within the shift motor( 99% of the time?).
Last night i detached the shift motor along with the wire harness. I have read many threads on here, including the main shift motor rebuild thread, and it says to take apart the shift motor, clean it up, and see if its all OK. ANyway, i have the shift motor on the kitchen table, but i dont know how to open the gear lid to get in the gear section of the shift motor. i took off the T-20 bit screws, but the lid seems glued shut. I tried prying it open witha screw driver, but that did not work.

How do i get inside the shift motor?(i havent been able to find a thread on getting the shift motor OPENED) Thanks!

Welcome to the site...
Before removing the cover make some marks on it and the side case so it can be re-installed in its original position. Once you remove the security torx screws the cover should come off. There is a cork gasket on the cover that maybe holding it together. In any case I'd use a screwdriver and hammer and tap it off...i

Yeah. i actually figured it out and used a shizzle and mallot to get it off. not too hard at all. I Used alot of the threads on this website. and Successfully Rebuilt my shift motor ! sure enough, the plastic stopper was a peice and was broken in pieces! so lame! so i fixed that. cleaned everything up, put it back on the transfer case. and i went from the 4x4 buttons not doing anything, to perfect performance.

I have had never worked on a car before. That proves that anybody could fix their 4x4 on explorer if it has to do with the shift motor! EASY. THANKS EVERYONE.

thank you

that was a good tip, it took about five minutes and it worked beautifully! i was wondering if it would be possible to get rid of the automatic stuff like the hubs and electronic shift in favor of a shift lever like in some of the xl models. i have a 1992 4dr explorer with warn manual hubs and would like to have the manual shift lever. thank you trey

The Touch Drive transfer case cannot be easily converted to manual operation. You'd have to swap out the entire case, and convert the hubs.

However, do note if it wasn't posted before: if the shift motor fails and you really need 4 wheel drive, you can remove the motor and turn the little thingy on the transfer case with pliers or something similar to make it engage. Has been done before without problems.

Fused!

The fuse for the shift motor is located in the power distribution box under the hood. 20 amp.

SeattleMike said:

The hubs are automatic and I thought knocking on them would help. I took a 2x4 and a hammer and gave them a few whacks. It's been unseasonably cold here, in the low 20's, and I thought the coldness might have something to do with it.

It's warmed up though and it still won't shift into 4-wheel. I'll try knocking the motor though. I haven't see it before, but assume it will be obvious somewhere on the transfer case. I'll also check the external electrical connection.

Does anyone have any experience with the switch itself being an issue? Or possibly a blown fuse or breaker of some sort?

Mike

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definatly knock on the mortor very lightly. it worked for me.

AlaskanJack said:

FYI guys the best place to go for the Hub conversion is a salvage yard. I find these things laying around all the time and they don't charge me a thing for them. I have also picked up manual hubs from Salvage Yards for around $75 for both.

Oh and that tire shop you mentioned is I believe Les Schwab. Always giving away free meat.

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here's a neat trick. Go to the junkyard, find a pair of warn manual hubs for your sploder (if you have ones that require the spacers/etc remove these too)

Then package up the just the hubs and send them off to warn, and tell them "I was driving in the snow and they just stopped working"
A few weeks later, you get a brand new pair of hubs. Warn = Lifetime warranty = the only company I deal with for hubs, forever!

There is a thread about a solution to your problem. If your 4x4 indicator lights work its the hubs if they or maybe just one doint work it is your shift motor. Theres a small piece in it thats been getting alot of attention from alot of people around here. Paste and copy this thread to go straight to your solution. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542

4x4 won't engage

I am just going through the non-working 4 x 4 issue. Thank you to everyone who submitted to this thread ! I'll be pulling my motor out and fixing it myself. I already went through the hassle of removing and checking the switch in the dash ( it's fine ). I had a hunch this was easier than the $500 Can it would cost to have it done at the dealership.
Whoever posted those photos of the motor removal and rebuild has me grateful as can be !!
Thanks again
Albie
Victoria, BC

HI Guys
just wanna say thanks for all the great info.I'm going through the 4x4 problem on my 94 mazda navajho. sure as hell, it was the stop bushing in the shift motor. unfortuneitly the dash says im in 4wheel but i'm not.so I,m going to pull the cover and clean the contacts to see if that cures the problem. if any one has been stuck at this point drop me a line .thanks RipKruse

Thank you

I found this thread a while back while searching the internet for how to fix my 4x4 engage motor. Thank you all for all the helpful tips and pictures, you guys saved my ass.

93 XLT Fixed

Thanks to all who posted this thread. Fixed my 93 XLT today in a little under three hours. Once the motor was on the bench I took my meticulous time, with a trip to the store in the middle. About @*%! my pants when I thought one of the brush springs rolled off the bench and disappeared, but actually only fell into the brush housing assembly cap. BE CAREFULL WITH SPRING HANDLING. When reassembled, I used the method of plugging the wires in and letting the motor and board cycle to “find” the 2H position before bolting the motor back on. Worked like a charm!

I know what your talking about. I have a 92 4dr and I got 96k miles, and mine wont shift into 4wheel either. There is a fuse for mine, is a 20 amp fuse under the hood. The fuse is good, i put a ohm meter to it. I have found out whats wrong with it though.

I found this thread while searching the internet for how to fix my 4 wheel drive. Thank you all for all the helpful tips and pictures. I found it to be that little 5/16"s plastic guy he was broken in pieces and i fixed it by stealing a pieece of tubeing from my vacuum hose. Thank you all for all your help and i would also like to mention im a new member as well and :exp:needed help to fix my EX.

Feonix1123 said:

I found this thread while searching the internet for how to fix my 4 wheel drive. Thank you all for all the helpful tips and pictures. I found it to be that little 5/16"s plastic guy he was broken in pieces and i fixed it by stealing a pieece of tubeing from my vacuum hose. Thank you all for all your help and i would also like to mention im a new member as well and :exp:needed help to fix my EX.

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Welcome to the Forum and glad to hear you've fixed your 4x4