4wd Grimlins

[Skibug]

Title should read gremlin, I can't spell.

My 4wd seems to acting funny. I have 96 Explorer sport 4wd. I have the 2wd, 4wd auto, 4wd low option.

I go to put it into 4wd auto because of slick roads and nothing happens. I come to a stoplight and my 4wd light finally comes on.

When I take off from the stoplight, I imediately feel the front wheels are engaged. It's like I have 4wd hi instead of 4wd auto. I continue to play with it all the way home and even went on a dirt road to test the 4wd low and it works correctly.

So something is stuck and is keeping the front wheels engaged when the switch is in 4wd auto even while the back wheels are not slipping.

I actually have always wanted to turn the 4wd auto into 4wd hi and it seems my truck gremlins have finally listend without me doing a thing.

My question is, should I be worried or just enjoy my 4wd hi for the time being. Or is something being damaged?????????????????

 

[gijoecam]

It sounds like a vacuum disconnect issue with the front axle. The system uses a center-axle disconnect to break the passenger side halfshaft when in 2wd mode. It sounds like the system is failing in some way (generally a bad solenoid, cracked vacuum line, or sticking actuator).

Then, once it's engaged, without a diagnostic scan tool watching the GEM PIDs, it's tough to determine why it's operating the transfer case clutch at a high duty cycle (4high). It's likely detecting (incorrectly) slippage in the driveline and engaging the t-case when it shouldn't. That can be caused by a bad transfer case output shaft speed sensor, or other electrical gremlin. Without a good scanner, it's tough to pin that down.

-Joe

 

[dynamite196]

i thought after 1994 they got rid of the vacuum disconnect and made it all electrical

 

[IZwack]

i thought after 1994 they got rid of the vacuum disconnect and made it all electrical

gijoecam is correct (as always ), the vacuum was available in the 95-96 vehicles.

 

[Skibug]

Thanks

I will try and get under there tomorrow and check things out. I kind of like having 4 High though.

Why would the 4wd not kick in till I came to a stop if it was a vacuum leak? Let me explain. I can turn my switch to 4wd auto and nothing happens while driving, no light or anything. I leave the switch in place and when I come to a stop my 4wd light comes on and then it's stuck like 4 hi until I switch it back to 2wd. It disengages immediately while driving. It almost seems like a 4wd module problem to me. Any ideas about that?

 

[IZwack]

BTW, where do you ski in FL :

 

[Skibug]

BTW, where do you ski in FL :

Well I grew up skiing my entire life. WATER skiing that is. Now old age, having kids etc... is setting in and I have gotten myself addicted to fishing and I can't stop. So no more skiing for me. I've done sold my ski boat and got a fishing boat.

 

[IZwack]

Ah that makes sense

 

[dynamite196]

i missed the fact that he had the 2wd option, now it all makes sense!