1995 Explorer in 4-High for 10 miles on pavement!

[slsnut]

YES I Should not have loaned it to my mother-in -law. But now the 4 Hi and FWD lights flash and I can hear a relay behind dash clicking. Not still in FWD physically. Vehicle seems to drive OK, trans shop said to remove battery cables and join them together for 5 minutes. That smoothed out the trans shifting that got rough after this happened. It also shut off the lights but they now come on intermittently. What am I looking at here? Any lasting damage? This Explorer is the Eddie Bauer and has less than 90K miles on it and in very nice condition.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Hard to guess at the problem. The flashing lights mean there should be a code stored. Get it scanned, and report back with the code.

Seeing as you have a 95, I’m not positive that’s OBDII?

 

[slsnut]

Thanks for the reply here. It's an OBDI and I have the reader. Haven't done it yet but am taking it to trans shop for a look tomorrow because we were planning to take it to Colorado on Monday for a week... Will ask them and report back.

 

[410Fortune]

is this a control trac?
Likely time for some t case repairs

 

[slsnut]

No not a control trac. At the trans shop today tranny oil totally scorched and dark as was the oil on the X-fer case both smelled like burnt varnish. Fluids in these systems completely changed. Trans old pro says bands needed a bit of adjustment but everything in the tranny and the case did not show any signs of damage or abnormal wear. New filter installed with in and out o-ring seals which the previous mechanic who performed service left out! 4WD lights and door ajar lights flash occasionally but stop after a while. Unit will not go into 4 HI or LOW, which is either the switching motor or its relay. More to come when I resolve that issue.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’m pretty sure all 95 v6 Explorers are Control Trac. 2wd, 4auto, 4low?

 

[slsnut]

I stand corrected, yes it is. Just didn't notice it printed under the Explorer badge on the gate. So what kind of repairs to the T Case are you suggesting?

 

[Mbrooks420]

It has 4 high? Are you sure it’s not 4 auto? I’d guess that the clutch is damaged. There is no shifting between 2wd and 4 high/auto.

 

[slsnut]

Again you are correct, the straight up position 4 Auto was where it was when it was run on pavement. It would not go into either after the trans service today. As I said the trans and 4X guy who has been in business since 1972, suggested that it was either the relay which controls the shift motor or the shift motor which might be fried. This guy did business with my dad and I am 61!

 

[slsnut]

Also if the clutch which resides in the T case is damaged, would it not leave some trace metal in the bottom of the case or oil? Oil although dark and burned smelling did not have any particulate to speak of when it was strained through filter media nor did a magnet extract any larger pieces from the case. Trans shop owner indicated that it all looked to be normal wear and that we seemed to have caught it in time before any damage was done to the transfer case, same for the tranny.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’m not certain. There is no shifting between 2wd and Auto. The clutch is just powered and is cycled when there is a difference detected in wheel speed. The only shift occurs from high tonlow range. Do shift into low you need to be stopped, in park or neutral, and have your foot on the brake.

Do you have an ABS light on by chance?

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

I can almost guarantee if the vehicle was lent out to someone knowledgeable about the 4wd system (control trac), that the 4wd switch was turned to 4L while the vehicle was moving, and this can/will cause damage. Just simple little turn of the switch is all it takes to ruin a perfectly once good unit.

 

[slsnut]

No ABS Light on. Here is how we attempted to engage 4WD. Stopped on gravel road with car in N and brake on. turned switch from 2WD to 4 Auto, shifted to D and moved off with no engagement, tried reverse and same. Then tried same procedure turning to 4 LOW with same results. 4 Auto, FWD and Door Ajar lights flashed like a blinker while this was going on and when they went out after a few minutes we tried all this again to no avail. While the lights flash a relay can be heard behind dash clicking in sync with the flashing. Sometimes the door open chime would accompany the lights. Noticed that turning the car off while the flashing and chiming is occurring the relay continues to click and the chime still sounds lights go out though. It eventually all goes away and the car operates normally during this entire annoying scenario.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I can almost guarantee if the vehicle was lent out to someone knowledgeable about the 4wd system (control trac), that the 4wd switch was turned to 4L while the vehicle was moving, and this can/will cause damage. Just simple little turn of the switch is all it takes to ruin a perfectly once good unit.

They will not shift into low while moving, while not in park( or neutral) and not with your foot on the brake. This isn’t what damaged this case.

As far as shifting into 4 Auto, it can be done at speed. No need to stop, or be in neutral. I’ve shifted mine many times up to 65mph without any issue. You almost surely have a wiring, computer module, or clutch issue. The door ajar lights blinking is suspicious, as this shouldn’t happen with anything to do with the 4wd system.

 

[Mbrooks420]

2nd gen issues? Try this first!

Try this just to rule it out.

 

[slsnut]

Hey thanks for spending the time here with me. Did the connector re-seat-no-soap... I agree it's one of those issues or the shifting motor. Driving it to golf course today so will see if the problem persists...

 

[Mbrooks420]

It’s not the shifting motor. Again, there is ZERO shifting between 2wd and 4wd Auto. Nothing is moved. At all.

 

[slsnut]

Ok so what is it that actually engages the front driveshaft through the T Case? A band clutch using a solenoid?

 

[delexploder]

The 95 also will have the vacuum operated disconect on the front passenger side axle tube ,

 

[Mbrooks420]

Ok so what is it that actually engages the front driveshaft through the T Case? A band clutch using a solenoid?

It uses an electromagnetic ball and ramp clutch. It locks up when it detects wheel slippage, until the slippage is resolved. It locks 100% in low range.

Great point on the vacuum disco, I completely forgot about that.