'95 XLT Trany and 4wd questions

[jmdinn]

While doing some gentle off-roading last year, I noticed some peculiarities in my 4wd, especially in 4wd low.
1. after driving up and down steep inclines at slow speeds (no more than 8 mph) for a couple miles, I could smell something had been burning. something oil-greese-fluid like, not like burning plastic. especially noticable if I got out and walked around the front end.
2. i almost got stuck in sand! I thought 4wd was supposed to distribute torque AWAY from the slipping wheel?

I had it examined at a couple shops. One told me that after examining the transfer case, my vent (?) needed replacing. The other told me that after a test-drive, everything was tip-top. I've only used the 4wd twice since; both times in the All-Wheel Drive setting on the same day when starting from a stop on a snowy road. It functioned perfectly, but I'm still nervous.

As you can probably tell, I'm a total newbie with off-roading and a rank amateur shade-tree mechanic (with aspirations).

I'm also putting in a rebuilt tranny in a couple weeks. Since it's rebuilt, should I start it with synthetic ATF? She's got 153k miles and her body's solid, so I'd like to put good parts into her.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[EXPLODER1991]

Tranny Issue

While doing some gentle off-roading last year, I noticed some peculiarities in my 4wd, especially in 4wd low.
1. after driving up and down steep inclines at slow speeds (no more than 8 mph) for a couple miles, I could smell something had been burning. something oil-greese-fluid like, not like burning plastic. especially noticable if I got out and walked around the front end.
2. i almost got stuck in sand! I thought 4wd was supposed to distribute torque AWAY from the slipping wheel?

I had it examined at a couple shops. One told me that after examining the transfer case, my vent (?) needed replacing. The other told me that after a test-drive, everything was tip-top. I've only used the 4wd twice since; both times in the All-Wheel Drive setting on the same day when starting from a stop on a snowy road. It functioned perfectly, but I'm still nervous.

As you can probably tell, I'm a total newbie with off-roading and a rank amateur shade-tree mechanic (with aspirations).

I'm also putting in a rebuilt tranny in a couple weeks. Since it's rebuilt, should I start it with synthetic ATF? She's got 153k miles and her body's solid, so I'd like to put good parts into her.

Thanks for any advice!!

FIRST OF ALL, IDEALLY, 4WD SHOULD TRANSFER POWER AWAY FROM THE SLIPPING WHEEL. BUT, BEING THAT YOUR EXPLORER WAS BUILT FOR THE STREET AND MODERATE OFF ROADING, IT HAS OPEN DIFFERENTIALS. WHICH MEANS THAT POWER IS TRANSMITTED TO THE WHEEL WHICH SPINS EASIEST, (THE ONE THAT HAS NO TRACTION). GREAT FOR TURNING ON THE STREET, BUT BAD FOR OFF ROAD. WHEN I FIRST GOT MY EXPLORER, I HAD THE SAME QUESTION FOR THE TRANNY. WHAT I FOUND WAS, IF YOU PEEK AT THE FRONT OF THE TRANNY, YOU WILL SEE AN EXHAUST PIPE THAT RUNS A COUPLE INCHES IN FRONT OF THE TRANNY. MY FIRST SMELL INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE BEACH OF HATTERAS, NC. ALL OF MY TRANSMISSION FLUID DRAINED FROM THE FRONT OF THE TRANNY. I FREAKED! MY BUDDY HAS THE SAME YEAR EXPLODER, AND WE WENT AND JUMPED IN HIS. GUESS WHAT? SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED! SO WHAT I HAVE DONE IS GONE TO AN AUTO PART STORE AND BOUGHT A TRANSMISSION COOLER FOR $80 BUCKS. ABOUT A HALF DAY SELF-INSTALL. NO PROBLEMS SINCE. THE MECHANICS SAID NOTHING IS WRONG FOR ONE BECAUSE, THE SEAL HAD ALREADY COOLED BACK DOWN AND WAS NO LONGER GIVING A FAULTY SEAL, THEREFORE, HE HAD NO REASON TO THINK THERE WERE ANY PROBLEMS. TWO, IN THE SNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S PRETTY COLD, SO YOUR TEMP WAS PROBABLY NOT AS HIGH AS BEFORE CAUSING THE SEAL TO FAIL. HOPE THAT WAS HELPFUL.

 

[IAmTodd]

First Off: EXPLODER1991 No caps dude, please!\

Second, 4WD is dumb. Unless you have a locker or tight limited slip power is going to the wheel with the least resistance(the one slipping) Have you checked all of your fluid levels to make sure they haven't boiled over? Are you sure it wasn't mud just drying on the block or something? Man possibilities. Lemme know if I can help out anymore.

 

[jmdinn]

Thanks for the help!

Conditions weren't muddy. And the '95 comes equipped with a transmission cooler. Unless you're talking about getting a transmission cooler for the transfer case?

Since then, she's been seen and serviced at dealerships, franchises and independants. There's never been a problem with her fluids being low. And the cement floor in the garage is clean.

 

[jared ajlouny]

not all 95s come equipped with a trany cooler, mine didnt

 

[BAYDOG]

A little clarity....... even the stoutest 4x4 , most likely come with "open" differncials. When no wheels are slipping, power goes to all 4 wheels. As a wheel starts to slip, power is transfered to the wheel with least traction. Doesn't matter if its a Explorer, F350 Super Duty, Hummer etc......., and as a truck gets stuck, then you'll have only one wheel in front and one wheel in back spinning. Lockers change that by locking the axel together, and allowing both wheels to get power. So if you ahd front and rear lockers, then all 4 wheels would get power, true four wheel drive!! Now in a 95 Explorer with control Trac, in 4x4 auto, it is almost like AWD, where the power is split like 80% rear , 20 front, till you loose traction, the the trasfer case adds more power to the front till it is even front and rear. In 4x4 low, equal power is sent front and rear. , and the gearing is lower! As for a tranny cooler, most Ex's came with them, but are fed into the Engine radiator for cooling. So if the engine is running hot, your only as cool as the moter. What most people do, is add a Aux. cooler after the radiator, to add a extra true cooler. Thats what I did, this way, even if you over heat, like I did on the way home from a mudd run, the Tranny still gets cooled and does'nt over heat. I also added a aux. filter/magnet, with cooling fins!

 

[IAmTodd]

Correction, In Auto mode 95-96% is sent to rear rear with 4-5% being sent to the front. Making it almost seen like its rear wheel drive and being able to be ran on dry pavement. Once the GEM senses slipping it increases the amount of tourque until a 50/50 split is reached. This is what you feel as it grabs. From driving mine I think it goes straight to 50/50 with the bang it makes.

I was only suggesting that you check the fluid level incase one has boiled out, leaving it below operating level. If you smelled something burning, there had to be less of one of the fluids.