1998 EB 4.0 4 x 4 transmission not shifting into gear

[rogueexplorer1]

The silicon is just to keep moisture out of the area where the t case motor bolts up.. that’s it

To align the motor just shift it into the same position that the t case is in, should be 2wd and then bolt
It up with 4ea 10mm bolts

If the t case is physically in 4 hi then you can simply plug in the shift motor, choose 4hi on the dash, the motor should rotate, now they match and you can bolt it on

Sorry 410! I didn't read your whole last post! A little frustrated right now but will do what you suggested.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

I hooked up the motor & shifted it through all 3 of 4 hi, 4 low & back to Auto & the motor didn't move! I didn't have the 2 sensors in their positions but didn't think that would matter just to shift the motor. Could this be that a relay may be bad (the one behind the dash I've heard several people mention) or possibly wiring to the motor?

 

[rogueexplorer1]

I hooked up the sensors & no difference. Addition is 4 lo dash light still doesn't come on when I switch the knob to 4 lo.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Gonna post this on a new post so anyone needing the info can see it. Maybe you guys can make a sticky out of it.

Went back & forth from old motor to new after the new motor wouldn't go in even after connecting it & cycling the 4WD switch. Checked the main 20 amp fuse & the relay. Switched the fuel pump relay with it & still woudn't work. Remembering someone saying something about the Power Control Module under the dash, I pulled the one from my parts car, hooked it up & the new motor worked!! Then switched the old motor back & it worked too! So as the new motor still wouldn't clock right to install, I put the old motor back in. I did have to spin it (putting pressure on the internal spring) a bit to get the holes to line up to mount it. Took it for a drive & it works perfectly! The only thing I am worried about is that when you shift into 4 lo, it bangs pretty hard & bangs like that shifting back into 4 hi, but no noise going back to auto. Glad I have another donor car to take the transfer case out of, check it & fix (if it needs it) if this tc goes bad. No more binding when steering & shifted through the gears great. I did see some super fine metal on the sensor when I was taking the old motor out initially so I'm gonna change the gear oil, showing there may be some extra wear on gears or clutches. I'll do that new post soon. Thanks for all the help guys! So good to have a car again & not have to borrow from friends!! Til next time!!

 

[Turdle]

Shift to 4 lo , and back, must be while not moving in neutral.

From 2 hi to 4 hi and back should be while moving.

 

[wollimann]

I have the transfer case shaft all the way clockwise to H.

Are you able to switch the shaft manually (witch a vice grip) to L (transmission in N)?
If not, there is something wrong inside the transfer case.

The new motor won't rotate at all & the motor is not going onto the tc shaft! It's a reman so it had paint in the hole but I removed that.

Better to choose a new shift motor for the BW4405.

https://www.rockauto.com/de/catalog/ford,1998,explorer,4.0l+v6+sohc,1304413,drivetrain,transfer+case+motor,10323

Rem. parts often not the best solution. The end position switch (blue or gray plastik cover) is not serviceable.
You can disassemble the shift motor but i am doubt someone can remannufactured it.
If you decide to get a new shift motor, you have to get the brown wire and both sensor wires out of the plug.
Wires are secured by a red plastic clip which must be released (very small screwdriver) to came out. (Note before where the wires go in!)
After the red clip is out you can pull the wires out of the backside of the plug.

Is there any way of rotating the motor a little more to the correct position? I loosened the 3 tore screws on the face of the motor thinking that would allow it to rotate but it doesn't.

There is no way by rotating the shift motor by hand. With the motor attached to the harness, igniton on, foot on brake, activating the 4x4 dash switch the motor must run in the correct position (H is the normal drive position 4x4 high).
Never loosen the 3 torx screws, thats an alignment for the end position of the motor.
If this alignment do not match, the lights in the dash will blink.

Inside there is a end position screw with a rubber ring on it, if this rubber ring goes away
the switch could not work properly.

How to: - Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

This is a general how-to thread for fixing the transfer case shift motor for the 4X4 models. Many posts on this site have been great sources of information, but pictures are worth thousands of words. I wanted to put something up for people to point others to when they have 4X4 problems. So...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Shift to 4 lo , and back, must be while not moving in neutral.

From 2 hi to 4 hi and back should be while moving.

I was switching from 2 hi to 4 hi n& 4 lo stopped in neutral. Still a novice @ 4WD so didn't want to take any chances. I hardly ever use 4WD.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Are you able to switch the shaft manually (witch a vice grip) to L (transmission in N)?
If not, there is something wrong inside the transfer case.


Better to choose a new shift motor for the BW4405.

https://www.rockauto.com/de/catalog/ford,1998,explorer,4.0l+v6+sohc,1304413,drivetrain,transfer+case+motor,10323

Rem. parts often not the best solution. The end position switch (blue or gray plastik cover) is not serviceable.
You can disassemble the shift motor but i am doubt someone can remannufactured it.
If you decide to get a new shift motor, you have to get the brown wire and both sensor wires out of the plug.
Wires are secured by a red plastic clip which must be released (very small screwdriver) to came out. (Note before where the wires go in!)
After the red clip is out you can pull the wires out of the backside of the plug.
View attachment 460663


There is no way by rotating the shift motor by hand. With the motor attached to the harness, igniton on, foot on brake, activating the 4x4 dash switch the motor must run in the correct position (H is the normal drive position 4x4 high).
Never loosen the 3 torx screws, thats an alignment for the end position of the motor.
If this alignment do not match, the lights in the dash will blink.
View attachment 460660

Inside there is a end position screw with a rubber ring on it, if this rubber ring goes away
the switch could not work properly.
View attachment 460659

How to: - Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

This is a general how-to thread for fixing the transfer case shift motor for the 4X4 models. Many posts on this site have been great sources of information, but pictures are worth thousands of words. I wanted to put something up for people to point others to when they have 4X4 problems. So...

www.explorerforum.com

Yes, the shaft moves freely. The reman motor will not line up to mount it. I tried connecting it tot he harness & shifting it to 4 hi & it didn't work at that point. That was before I swapped the control module. I did loosen the Torx screws to see if it would move the shaft receiver but it didn't & I aligned the screws exactly where they were, using the paint marks on the cover. It may not be exact but is very close. It didn't line up to be able to mount it even before I loosened those screws. Now that you say it moves the end stop position, I may have moved that end point a little. I put the old motor back in after I found out it worked after switching the Power Control Module that made both the Reman & old motor work. I still have the reman (Cardone) motor but thought I'd keep it in case the old one goes out. A Dorman new motor is $45 more & not an option at this point as money is very tight. The thing I'm concerned about is that the tranny shop guy said that if you have to turn the motor & put it under spring tension to mount it, it could mean the motor may already be going bad. I think it was the module that went bad & that's what kept it in 4WD this whole time. Now I don't get any binding when I turn.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Are you able to switch the shaft manually (witch a vice grip) to L (transmission in N)?
If not, there is something wrong inside the transfer case.


Better to choose a new shift motor for the BW4405.

https://www.rockauto.com/de/catalog/ford,1998,explorer,4.0l+v6+sohc,1304413,drivetrain,transfer+case+motor,10323

Rem. parts often not the best solution. The end position switch (blue or gray plastik cover) is not serviceable.
You can disassemble the shift motor but i am doubt someone can remannufactured it.
If you decide to get a new shift motor, you have to get the brown wire and both sensor wires out of the plug.
Wires are secured by a red plastic clip which must be released (very small screwdriver) to came out. (Note before where the wires go in!)
After the red clip is out you can pull the wires out of the backside of the plug.
View attachment 460663


There is no way by rotating the shift motor by hand. With the motor attached to the harness, igniton on, foot on brake, activating the 4x4 dash switch the motor must run in the correct position (H is the normal drive position 4x4 high).
Never loosen the 3 torx screws, thats an alignment for the end position of the motor.
If this alignment do not match, the lights in the dash will blink.
View attachment 460660

Inside there is a end position screw with a rubber ring on it, if this rubber ring goes away
the switch could not work properly.
View attachment 460659

How to: - Rebuild 4X4 Shift Motor

This is a general how-to thread for fixing the transfer case shift motor for the 4X4 models. Many posts on this site have been great sources of information, but pictures are worth thousands of words. I wanted to put something up for people to point others to when they have 4X4 problems. So...

www.explorerforum.com

That link to rebuild the motor is from a different model than mine. Mine has 2 speed sensors that attach into the rectangular wire connector. BW 4405 transfer case with electronic controls. When you take the motor off there is H, N & L on the transfer case not what it shows with 2H, 4H & 4L. Very thorough article though.

 

[wollimann]

Sorry for the not matching rebuild link, it should be only to imagine how the shift motor looks inside.
I know you have a BW4405 with two sensors, and your TC case looks different.
The newer shift endposition switches are not serviceable, they work or not.

That you can turn the shaft freely is good, but i do not understand (sorry) what is the momentary status.
You have a dash switch with "Automatic" "4high" "4low" ?
You put in a new Power Control Modul and now the shift motor works?

If you put the dash switch to automatic the shift motor should run in that position that the alignment
of the triangular shaft and its female opposite should match exactly.
Maybe not 100% exactly, but you can rotate the shift motor housing a little bit to match the 3 bolts.
(I have rebuild 3 of the BW4405 and in every case the shift motor fit to the shaft.)

If the shift motor didn't go in its matching position (if dash switch is on automatic), maybe the position switch is not assembled
correctly, gives wrong informaton to the Power Control Modul which controls the motor.

Now I don't get any binding when I turn.

With the shift motor installed? I do not get that, sorry for my misunderstanding.

 

[wollimann]

The thing I'm concerned about is that the tranny shop guy said that if you have to turn the motor & put it under spring tension to mount it, it could mean the motor may already be going bad. I think it was the module that went bad & that's what kept it in 4WD this whole time.

There is no spring or spring tension and the motor did not going bad. Its a simple electic motor which runs in two directions.
It stops if the position switch tells the PCM to shut off if postion H is reached.
Dash swith to 4low (transmission in N and foot on brake) and the motor runs to L.
I don't think the PCM went bad.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Sorry for the not matching rebuild link, it should be only to imagine how the shift motor looks inside.
I know you have a BW4405 with two sensors, and your TC case looks different.
The newer shift endposition switches are not serviceable, they work or not.

That you can turn the shaft freely is good, but i do not understand (sorry) what is the momentary status.
You have a dash switch with "Automatic" "4high" "4low" ?
You put in a new Power Control Modul and now the shift motor works?

If you put the dash switch to automatic the shift motor should run in that position that the alignment
of the triangular shaft and its female opposite should match exactly.
Maybe not 100% exactly, but you can rotate the shift motor housing a little bit to match the 3 bolts.
(I have rebuild 3 of the BW4405 and in every case the shift motor fit to the shaft.)
View attachment 460672

If the shift motor didn't go in its matching position (if dash switch is on automatic), maybe the position switch is not assembled
correctly, gives wrong informaton to the Power Control Modul which controls the motor.

With the shift motor installed? I do not get that, sorry for my misunderstanding.

Yes, Auto, 4 hi & 4 lo.

I have the same "old" shift motor back in now & it shifts into 4 hi & 4 lo again & in Auto there is no more steering binding like it was before when the whole tranny went out & it was in quick shift "limp" mode, from what I've read. Now it shift fine with no steering binding & shifts into both 4WD modes fine, but it does have a pretty hard clunk going from 4 lo to 4 hi.

And yes, I pulled the module from my 97 Limited parts car that made everything work correctly. So that's what I believe was the problem all along.

The picture is what mine looks like. There was some very fine metal in the old that was on the rear shaft sensor when I 1st pulled the motor & sensors out. I feel it was because the tc was in 4 hi the whole time I was driving, hence the steering binding whenever I drove & turned.

Hope that clears things up! Thanks for all your help here Wolliman!! I'm gonna return the "new" reman shift motor as it still dent fit. If the motor goes bad @ some point, I'll get the new Dorman instead of a reman. And gone get another power control module in case that ever goes out too! What a learning experience!!

 

[wollimann]

Thank you for the light in my darkness.

The loud clunk ist pretty "normal" if the TC has some miles on it.
Has nothing to do with the shift motor, responsable parts are
- the range slider

4405, Range Slider (U315645A)

Welcome to Cobra Transmission, based in Sebring, Florida! We are Mercedes Benz and BMW Transfer Case Specialists, and your best source for transmission parts, both automatic and manual, transfer case parts, transmission tools and differential parts. Get the transmission parts you need for any...

cobratransmission.com

- a lengthen chain
- worn out range slider plastic guides

More Information for USA STANDARD GEAR ZTBW1356235001

- the pump, which rotates inside the lock, back and forth

Borg Warner BW4405 BW4406 Transfer Case Pump Assembly (4400-508-004)

Restore your BW 4405 transfer case with our Pump Assembly. Quality replacement for reliable performance. Order now from Cobra Transmission!

cobratransmission.com

There was some very fine metal in the old that was on the rear shaft sensor when I 1st pulled the motor & sensors out.

Very fine metal came from the pump itself (inside) and

a worn out rear output bearing seat. A mashine shop put a sleeve in it.

BW4405 Rear Case Repair from Omega Machine & Tool Inc.

BW 4405 transfer cases repair by Omega Machine & Tool Inc., we are pleased to announce the immediate availability of remanufactured BW4405 front case halves.

www.omegamachine.com

front case repair

BW4405 Front Case Repair from Omega Machine & Tool Inc.

BW 4405 transfer cases repair by Omega Machine & Tool Inc., we are pleased to announce the immediate availability of remanufactured BW4405 front case halves.

www.omegamachine.com

IOMEGA sells a updated shift fork with longer nub (left one).

Bearings and bushings worn out too.
After a rebuild with a rebuild kit and repaired/updated parts the clunk is still present, but not so loud anymore.
(the range slider is the most worn out part, dubious cause its working not so often, only in 4low)
The clutch pack is pretty reliable if oil changes (MerconV) will done sometimes.
The lower oil plug could crack the TC case if its torqued too tight.

What a learning experience!!

I like that and love my 28 years old friend.

 

[rogueexplorer1]

Thank you for the light in my darkness.

The loud clunk ist pretty "normal" if the TC has some miles on it.
Has nothing to do with the shift motor, responsable parts are
- the range slider

4405, Range Slider (U315645A)

Welcome to Cobra Transmission, based in Sebring, Florida! We are Mercedes Benz and BMW Transfer Case Specialists, and your best source for transmission parts, both automatic and manual, transfer case parts, transmission tools and differential parts. Get the transmission parts you need for any...

cobratransmission.com

- a lengthen chain
- worn out range slider plastic guides

More Information for USA STANDARD GEAR ZTBW1356235001

- the pump, which rotates inside the lock, back and forth

Borg Warner BW4405 BW4406 Transfer Case Pump Assembly (4400-508-004)

Restore your BW 4405 transfer case with our Pump Assembly. Quality replacement for reliable performance. Order now from Cobra Transmission!

cobratransmission.com

Very fine metal came from the pump itself (inside) and
View attachment 460688

a worn out rear output bearing seat. A mashine shop put a sleeve in it.

BW4405 Rear Case Repair from Omega Machine & Tool Inc.

BW 4405 transfer cases repair by Omega Machine & Tool Inc., we are pleased to announce the immediate availability of remanufactured BW4405 front case halves.

www.omegamachine.com

View attachment 460689

front case repair

BW4405 Front Case Repair from Omega Machine & Tool Inc.

BW 4405 transfer cases repair by Omega Machine & Tool Inc., we are pleased to announce the immediate availability of remanufactured BW4405 front case halves.

www.omegamachine.com

IOMEGA sells a updated shift fork with longer nub (left one).
View attachment 460690

Bearings and bushings worn out too.
After a rebuild with a rebuild kit and repaired/updated parts the clunk is still present, but not so loud anymore.
(the range slider is the most worn out part, dubious cause its working not so often, only in 4low)
The clutch pack is pretty reliable if oil changes (MerconV) will done sometimes.
The lower oil plug could crack the TC case if its torqued too tight.

I like that and love my 28 years old friend.

This will be good for when I pull the tc from the parts car & can rebuild it. Thanks!!

I have only switched into either 4wd gear once or twice since I've owned the truck so not so worried about the clunk.

My other question is; if the motor has no spring action in it, why then when I put the old motor back in did I have to rotate it upwards about 70 degrees to line up the bolts holes & if I let the motor go it would spring back down to the bottom. As I rotated the motor it felt like spring tension holding it back. Was that in the tc?

 

[wollimann]

Was that in the tc?

The shift shaft has a spring (not the red arrow), maybe that's the tension you feel, but 70 degrees to lign it up is too much.