'98 Moutaineer 5.0 - AWD not working

[Workman]

Both front and rear were jacked up and only the front wheel spun when I turned the front shaft. It wasn't really easy to turn nor very hard, I'd say it had medium resistance. Transmission was in neutral when I did it.

I was under the impression that the AWD was supposed to be engaged at all times. Which made the VC very confusing to me. It makes since if it works similar to a limited slip. So, if there's a possiblity that the VC is worn out, it could cause no power to the front wheels without causing any noises.
I should just buy another transfer case, but I've never had to work on one before so I'm kinda wanting to try a rebuild. I once replaced a differential in a front-wheel drive manual trans just because I wanted to learn how to do it.

 

[jlsparky7]

Both front and rear were jacked up and only the front wheel spun when I turned the front shaft. It wasn't really easy to turn nor very hard, I'd say it had medium resistance. Transmission was in neutral when I did it.

I was under the impression that the AWD was supposed to be engaged at all times. Which made the VC very confusing to me. It makes since if it works similar to a limited slip. So, if there's a possiblity that the VC is worn out, it could cause no power to the front wheels without causing any noises.
I should just buy another transfer case, but I've never had to work on one before so I'm kinda wanting to try a rebuild. I once replaced a differential in a front-wheel drive manual trans just because I wanted to learn how to do it.

"I once replaced a differential in a front-wheel drive manual trans just because I wanted to learn how to do it."

^Thats EXACTLY why I do all my own work. I want to learn how to do it. I dont gain anything by having someone else do the work except debt.

Anyways.....

Its definitely the transfer case.

Heres a 4404 rebuild how to
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218430

Now that I look at it, looks like your chain broke. From what im seeing the rear drive shaft is driven straight off of the transmission while the front drive shaft is driven off of the chain.

If you do some searching you could prolly find the manual 4x4 t-case swap. Im not having any luck right now but ill keep looking.

 

[Workman]

I think I saw the swap you're thinking of, was it swapping an f150 case with a manual shifter? The only thing I don't really like about that is that I would need different driveshafts.

I did find a new chain on ebay for $80 shipped. If I'm bored tomorrow, I might cack the case open to see exactly what's wrong. I would just have to put it back in so I would have something to drive until the chain arrived. Think it would be possible to see the chain through the fill plug hole?

 

[jlsparky7]

I think I saw the swap you're thinking of, was it swapping an f150 case with a manual shifter? The only thing I don't really like about that is that I would need different driveshafts.

I did find a new chain on ebay for $80 shipped. If I'm bored tomorrow, I might cack the case open to see exactly what's wrong. I would just have to put it back in so I would have something to drive until the chain arrived. Think it would be possible to see the chain through the fill plug hole?

I doubt you could see the chain through the hole. If you take it out you can probably shake it and hear the chain.

I would say if your going to go through the trouble of changing the chain you should do a full rebuild with bearings and seals.

 

[Workman]

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Thing does have over 200k miles on it. I think we got it mostly narrowed down to the chain. Thanks for all the help and I'll definetly report back with my findings.

 

[Workman]

Just a little update for the day.
It looked like it was going to rain all day today so I didn't pull the case, but I did pull the fill plug. About 1 quart of tranny fluid came out of the fill plug. So I'm guessing that the seal is shot. I didn't see any shavings though. Could an extra quart of tranny fluid, instead of the proper oil, cause the VC not to work as it should?

 

[storlied]

I personally wouldn't think so, because the unit should be completely self contained. I would Think that the oil is mainly for the chain and bearings.

 

[CDW6212R]

The transfer case takes ATF, and it's more than a quart. You might take it all apart and find that it needs a lot of parts. The viscous clutch I read about being over $350. I'd like to rebuild one some day, but I was hoping that more members would do it first.

 

[Workman]

But I got a quart from just the fill plug, I didn't even pull the drain. I thought the case was supposed to have a special synthetic, like is used in a limited slip rear-end. If I do a rebuild on the VC, I'll be sure to take lots of pics and make a thread on it.

 

[CDW6212R]

Oh, I missed that, you said fill plug. Yes that would put it quite a bit over full. You can get things off by filling with the vehicle not level, but most people don't do that.

It seems like it is dead, and I've never heard of one being without any symptoms. I'd wonder if someone did something to it to have it that way. The TC fluid should be changed regularly, more often than transmissions. A Ford shop foreman told me to do that about once a year, maybe too because people will off road a "4WD" vehicle. Changing the fluid makes sure it's clean, and clear of water.

I think that it only calls for Mercon, just like the trans did. Mercon is no longer available, so Mercon V replaces that. I have Amsoil ATF in my V6 4WD truck, and my V8 truck will get it after I change it to 4WD.

I look forward to another thread about the AWD TC, I do really like the one I've had in my Mountaineer.

 

[Workman]

Yeah, I'm really thinking someone had to have removed the chain or something to cause this. Maybe that's how it got so overfilled, they might have filled the case with it removed. I even had it pointed downhill when I pulled the top plug and it lost that much fluid.

 

[CDW6212R]

There are pumps now to quickly drain and fill the fluids. They are very common at any parts store. You could easily use those and force any amount of fluid in there.

 

[storlied]

I always thought about such a device, but just figured it was a big spendy piece of equipment shops have. Are they affordable?

 

[CDW6212R]

I got one from Amsoil for about $11 to do their fluids. I needed one recently for pumping gas instead of siphoning by mouth.

I got one then for about $7 I think it was, cheap enough to have by everyone. It's really slick for filling differentials, emptying them, and for gas also. Many gas tanks though don't let you get a hose far enough down in them. You need a good stiff small hose for that.

 

[hazmat456]

a cracked v/c would also give you the extra fluid and all of the symptoms that you describe, remember a v/c is like a torque wrench ,if your front tires are on solid ground and the rears are on ice they will spin and the front will only pull you out if you do not exceed the rating of the coupling
edit; a high rpm power brake can exceed the rating and is not a good way to test the system, all four tires in the air and a light power brake, three wheels at least should spin
My transmission shop called ford and they would not give me a way to test to verify that the coupling meets a given toirque rating only a pass/no pass test.

 

[Workman]

But a cracked VC would still transfer some power to the front wheels with no load (all 4 in the air), it would just slip under load, correct?

 

[CDW6212R]

I would also call the transfer case bad if the front wheels don't turn at all while in the air.

 

[pubenemy]

I dont think the statement about the rear being driven straight off the transmission can be true, as I have a 97 awd, and I removed the front driveshaft as the cv end was trashed and now the vehicle will not move. No forward no reverse. Therefore it was only working off the front wheels with the broken drive shaft. With the shaft removed I can't move the truck at all.
:/

"I once replaced a differential in a front-wheel drive manual trans just because I wanted to learn how to do it."

^Thats EXACTLY why I do all my own work. I want to learn how to do it. I dont gain anything by having someone else do the work except debt.

Anyways.....

Its definitely the transfer case.

Heres a 4404 rebuild how to
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218430

Now that I look at it, looks like your chain broke. From what im seeing the rear drive shaft is driven straight off of the transmission while the front drive shaft is driven off of the chain.

If you do some searching you could prolly find the manual 4x4 t-case swap. Im not having any luck right now but ill keep looking.

 

[storlied]

That definitely shouldn't be the case, many AWD owners have removed their front drive shafts for many reasons and their truck is still drivable.

 

[Turdle]

The extra quart of fluid would be the volume of the broken chain sitting in the fluid bed.

My .02