4x2 and 4x4H but no 4x4L. What's up?

[tweakedlogic]

I can push 4x4 High all day and it works perfect. when I push 4x4 Low, nothing, ever. It used to engauge. but not in about a month. I think it might be the switch. but I'm not sure.
any help?

 

[hermitrl]

I though my low was gone too when I bought mine last year. The truck has to be in neutral with foot on the brake before it will work.

 

[tytanutt94]

Just to echo Herm...

Agreed, the truck has to be in neutral and you gotta have your foot on brake(fully stopped, of course), keep your foot on brake until 4X4 Lo light stops flashing and your good to go... Just make sure you REALLY need to be in 4X4 Lo, for most on-road and mild off road use, you will never use it... Heck, I only need to be 4 Hi to yank a boat out of the water and it wasn't no dinghy! Or maybe the sensor for the shift is burnt out, can you "feel" anything happening when you try, does the lite light up when you start the engine to show you it actually works? I don't know just throwing out some ideas before you start to worry about a tranny job....(Yuck )

 

[Doug]

Ask and ye shall find. This topic has only been covered about eleventy billion times..

 

[tweakedlogic]

I did search and all I found was no 4x4 engauge and people were told to clean the shift motor.
I know about depressing the brake pedel. there is no light (even at start up) and no noises. I am sure it isn't engauging.
I need the low because I still don't have my axles regeared. that comes soon though, after I get the dual friction clutch. The stock one has 160k on it and is starting to slip at high load.

 

[Robb]

I did search and all I found was no 4x4 engauge and people were told to clean the shift motor.

So, did you pull the shift motor and clean it?

 

[ctranger]

I'm having a similar problem with my '92 Ranger 4X4, and I can say with certainty that my problem is not involving the shift motor (already tried a new one, which didn't solve the problem). I've been diagnosing the electronics further and find that I have no continuity from the neutral safety switch (I have an automatic) to the 4X4 control module. I still have some more tracing to do to see if I can find out why the neutral safety switch isn't sending a signal to the control module. I don't think it's the switch itself, because the truck will not start in anything but park or neutral. Probably a bad wire or connection. On you're truck, you might want to look at whether the signal from the clutch is reaching the module.

 

[Xplorer92]

I had the same problem with my '92 X and it was the shift motor located on the back of the transfercase. I picked one up from a junk yard 9 months ago for $30 and it has worked fine ever since. Of course you are taking a risk getting a used one but it is worth it because a new one will run you anywhere between $325-$400 smack-a-roos. Of course it maybe something else wrong but most likely it is the shift motor.

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'92 Explorer XLT 4x4, 3" Trailmaster bodylift, 5.5" Superlift suspension, 33x12.50 Procomp X-Terrains, Warn manual hubs, Infinity 5x7 speakers w/10" sub, Bully hoop steps, going to add 4:10s and lockers, maybe upgrade to a 35" tire

 

[Doug]

I'm having a similar problem with my '92 Ranger 4X4, and I can say with certainty that my problem is not involving the shift motor (already tried a new one, which didn't solve the problem). I've been diagnosing the electronics further and find that I have no continuity from the neutral safety switch (I have an automatic) to the 4X4 control module. I still have some more tracing to do to see if I can find out why the neutral safety switch isn't sending a signal to the control module. I don't think it's the switch itself, because the truck will not start in anything but park or neutral. Probably a bad wire or connection. On you're truck, you might want to look at whether the signal from the clutch is reaching the module.

??????? The truck is ONLY supposed to start in neutral or park...

 

[agzaretzka]

See the following thread, esp. post #14:

4x4 diagnosis