4wd shifting issues - transfer case

[307explorer]

Hello old friends (old user, new account here)

I apologize if someone has covered this. I have searched up and down and have not found the thread I am looking for.

To start: 2002 Sport Trac 4.0 with auto 4wd

I had some issues with shifting into 4wd about a year ago, I replaced the transfer case shift motor and everything worked properly.
Last week I took my sport trac on a small road trip (<70mi) and when I arrived, I turned into a parking lot and my 4wd was engaged.
Nothing on dash, didnt hear it engage and felt it only at very end of the drive. At first I thought I had a slipping trans.

Turns out it is just stuck in 4hi.
I removed the shift motor and tried to manually shift back to 2HI, but the selector on tcase is stuck in 2HI. I cannot manually turn it to 4HI(vehicle itself IS in 4HI, selector on tcase is in 2HI)

I put the motor back on the electrical connector and it shifts properly when I change the selector on the dash. (shift motor working as it should)

So i put the tcase shift motor back on the tcase. I drive the truck, the tcase will go into 4HI on the dash and illuminate the light, and even into 4LO.
Also worth noting- It will actually put the truck into 4LO - Meaning the shift motor is working properly and that function of the tcase is working properly.

The one thing I cannot do is get the truck back into 2HI. Not manually, or with the motor installed. (motor, dash light, and relay all seem to be working properly)

Chances are the tcase will need to be replaced but after all the work I have done to this truck in the last few months I would really like to avoid a major repair.

Any ideas???

Also: it will take me a while to get one, and the sport trac is my only vehicle at the moment.
I dont see a problem with removing the drive shaft to the front diff, and driving it for a month or so until I get the new parts. Is there something I am overlooking?


Thank you for reading and replying folks

 

[Mbrooks420]

If it actually shifts into 4hi (the second gens don’t actually do any shifting in high, just the switch to low. The transfer case only has two positions. I think I remember reading here the Tracs don’t have the auto 4wd) I’d just manually turn it to 2wd and unplug the shift motor.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

iirc these are ESOF, which means all they do is just engage the clutch, no shifting is done, only to 4lo as mike mentioned. not sure if these have 4a or not. i wonder if to override you could do somehting liek the BWM to take power away from the clutch.

 

[307explorer]

If it actually shifts into 4hi (the second gens don’t actually do any shifting in high, just the switch to low. The transfer case only has two positions. I think I remember reading here the Tracs don’t have the auto 4wd) I’d just manually turn it to 2wd and unplug the shift motor.

Thank you for the reply
I have already taken the shift motor off, there are 3 positions stamped onto the tcase itself. 2hi, 4hi, 4lo. The selector is kind of arrow shaped and with the motor removed it shows it is in 2Hi, and the truck is for sure in 4HI.

I can manually attempt to turn it to 4hi and it just springs back to the 2hi position.

My problem is that the tcase selector that i would manually turn with pliers, or would be automatically turned by the shift motor, IS on 2Hi, while the truck is not.


**this is an old photo that shows the selector, it is in 4HI in the photo.
The selector is currently pointing towards 2HI and the truck is in 4HI.

 

[307explorer]

iirc these are ESOF, which means all they do is just engage the clutch, no shifting is done, only to 4lo as mike mentioned. not sure if these have 4a or not. i wonder if to override you could do somehting liek the BWM to take power away from the clutch.

That is a really good question.
Im not a total novice but i know basically nothing of the inner workings of the tcase.
When you say "all it does is engage the clutch" does that mean when the tcase motor rotates the selector on the tcase, the tcase then applies power to the internal tcase clutch and then therefore the front output shaft of tcase spins front diff?
Sorry just want to make sure I am reading this correctly.

I suspect that since the selector is showing something different than the actual position that something internal and mechanical must be out of wack within the tcase.

 

[Mbrooks420]

That is a really good question.
Im not a total novice but i know basically nothing of the inner workings of the tcase.
When you say "all it does is engage the clutch" does that mean when the tcase motor rotates the selector on the tcase, the tcase then applies power to the internal tcase clutch and then therefore the front output shaft of tcase spins front diff?
Sorry just want to make sure I am reading this correctly.

I suspect that since the selector is showing something different than the actual position that something internal and mechanical must be out of wack within the tcase.

I don’t believe there is a clutch in your transfer case. That’d be for the BW4405s. I assume yours is more like the BW1354.

Just because it’s shift on the fly, doesn’t mean there’s a clutch. The front axle is live all the time, that’s what allows it to shift on the fly.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I don’t believe there is a clutch in your transfer case. That’d be for the BW4405s. I assume yours is more like the BW1354.

Just because it’s shift on the fly, doesn’t mean there’s a clutch. The front axle is live all the time, that’s what allows it to shift on the fly.

ah shoot, wait they kept the 1354 for the tracs?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

That is a really good question.
Im not a total novice but i know basically nothing of the inner workings of the tcase.
When you say "all it does is engage the clutch" does that mean when the tcase motor rotates the selector on the tcase, the tcase then applies power to the internal tcase clutch and then therefore the front output shaft of tcase spins front diff?
Sorry just want to make sure I am reading this correctly.

I suspect that since the selector is showing something different than the actual position that something internal and mechanical must be out of wack within the tcase.

my understanding of the BW4405 (i dont know if youve got the 4405 or 1354) is that the front axle is live and it rotates at the same rate front/rear, and when 4x4 is needed, the clutch engages sending power to the front, and theyre always spining at the same rate. so yes my understanding is that theres a clutch inside that gives the output shaft power, as opposed to it "free spinning" so to speak,

 

[307explorer]

my understanding of the BW4405 (i dont know if youve got the 4405 or 1354) is that the front axle is live and it rotates at the same rate front/rear, and when 4x4 is needed, the clutch engages sending power to the front, and theyre always spining at the same rate. so yes my understanding is that theres a clutch inside that gives the output shaft power, as opposed to it "free spinning" so to speak,

I am about to jack the truck up and try to determine if its 4405 or 1354.

I think that either way something within the tcase has to be not working properly.
No reason it should ever say 2hi on tcase and it actually be engaged in 4wd.

If i disconnected the front output shaft, I could still drive in 2wd regardless of if the tcase clutch is engaged, correct?
Whether it has an internal clutch or not it is engaged, but i dont see what it would hurt to take that front driveshaft completely off.

Just trying to get this thing a few hundred miles to wait on parts and go to the next town where i have access to a lift

 

[Mbrooks420]

Yes, if you pull the prop shaft you can drive with the t case engaged.

I am about to jack the truck up and try to determine if its 4405 or 1354.

I think that either way something within the tcase has to be not working properly.
No reason it should ever say 2hi on tcase and it actually be engaged in 4wd.

If i disconnected the front output shaft, I could still drive in 2wd regardless of if the tcase clutch is engaged, correct?
Whether it has an internal clutch or not it is engaged, but i dont see what it would hurt to take that front driveshaft completely off.

Just trying to get this thing a few hundred miles to wait on parts and go to the next town where i have access to a lift

 

[Mbrooks420]

my understanding of the BW4405 (i dont know if youve got the 4405 or 1354) is that the front axle is live and it rotates at the same rate front/rear, and when 4x4 is needed, the clutch engages sending power to the front, and theyre always spining at the same rate. so yes my understanding is that theres a clutch inside that gives the output shaft power, as opposed to it "free spinning" so to speak,

There’s no clutch in a BW1354. That’s why it doesn’t have an auto setting.

It doesn’t need a clutch to be electric shift on the fly. The clutch is strictly for automatic 4wd.

 

[307explorer]

There’s no clutch in a BW1354. That’s why it doesn’t have an auto setting.

It doesn’t need a clutch to be electric shift on the fly. The clutch is strictly for automatic 4wd.

That makes sense.
I do not have auto 4wd option, just 2hi 4hi and 4lo.
So I guess my plan is to remove front drive shaft and change out tcase when i find a replacement

 

[Fix4Dirt]

There’s no clutch in a BW1354. That’s why it doesn’t have an auto setting.

It doesn’t need a clutch to be electric shift on the fly. The clutch is strictly for automatic 4wd.

alright, now i see. i forgot the differences between 1354 and 4405. forget anything i said guess this is a good excuze to nowconvert it to manual shuft

 

[307explorer]

Does an

alright, now i see. i forgot the differences between 1354 and 4405. forget anything i said guess this is a good excuze to nowconvert it to manual shuft

As far as removing front driveshaft, I have not torn into it but I am afraid I will need to remove the tcase to remove the front drive shaft. Has anyone tried this???

I am now looking for a replacement 1354. Local junkyard said they would call me back. I have a lead on a sport trac, which would be ideal but still uncertain if it even has a tcase in it.

Any advice on finding a replacement? Specifically wondering if there are multiple 1354 setups or if i can find one from say a ranger or something similar. I have found a few oem on ebay for cheap but they are all for slightly different fords.

There is a remanned part for $700 from carparts dot com, some for more money through box stores... but I would rather not give up my oem.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

on my 4405 at least i removed it without dropping the tcase iirc, but its been a while. the 1354s should be the same as i recall, only difference is manual shift, but iirc it was done away with by the time the tracs came round. i thik rangers and 1st gens came with em too, but not too sure @Stic-o has got a 1354 low mileage, but not sure about shipping to you.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You don’t need to remove the case.

 

[Nctruckman]

When you're trying to get it out of 4wd, you should be Able to hear it shift in or out.

 

[Mbrooks420]

on my 4405 at least i removed it without dropping the tcase iirc, but its been a while. the 1354s should be the same as i recall, only difference is manual shift, but iirc it was done away with by the time the tracs came round. i thik rangers and 1st gens came with em too, but not too sure @Stic-o has got a 1354 low mileage, but not sure about shipping to you.

1354s came in manual or e shift.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

1354s came in manual or e shift.

alright, so i was on the right track of M vs E.

When you're trying to get it out of 4wd, you should be Able to hear it shift in or out.

and i think that only appleis to 4lo. i cant hear a thing going to 4hi

 

[Mbrooks420]

alright, so i was on the right track of M vs E.

and i think that only appleis to 4lo. i cant hear a thing going to 4hi

You have 2 shifting positions, and a clutch. He doesn’t. He has 3 positions, no clutch. His case shifts between 2 and 4hi. And also from 4 hi to 4 low.

Your cases are only similar in bolt pattern. They are entirely different otherwise.