Cold weather stuck in 4-hi

[larrydog25]

I have a 1996 eddie bauer and I live in Ohio. The tempatures have been around 10-20 degrees for the past week. I've cycled through 2wd and 4hi multiple times and have now noticed that I think the 4wd is still engaged in 4hi even thought the indicator is not illuminated. I've tried letting it thaw out in a heated garage at 70 degrees for about 10 hours with no success. any suggestions before I ruin my transfer case? ..it definately kicks down into 4low with no problem...getting it out of 4hi is another question.

 

[Hoppy]

I would suggest going under the truck and tapping the shift motor a bit with the handle end of a screwdriver, or a small ball peen hammer while having an assistant ON THE BRAKE, with the engine running and in Drive, switch the selector switch back and forth between all the ranges while tapping the motor assembly lightly. If the lights start changing from 4 hi to 4 lo and so on, you have it operating again.

After the shift motor gets old, they usually give trouble. There is a dielectric grease in the housing that typically dries out and causes bad connections on the contacts of the shift motor. I have had the same problem on my 92 ex and am anticipating it on my 2000.

 

[gijoecam]

The shift motor has nothing to do with the problem. There are a few things we need to look at first on a 96.... First of all, I need to know what exactly it's doing.... What exactly makes you feel like it's stuck in 4wd? -Joe

 

[Blee1099]

Ahh.. a 96 has 2WD, 4Auto, and 4Low.. Are you by chance stuck in 4Low? If so press the brake pedal shift it into 4Auto and then 2wd.

 

[larrydog25]

Hey guys, thanks for the input. After having an extra set off hands I've determined that the 4wd is operating correctly but I notice that I have a large humming sound coming from the front end at high speeds. I distinctly here the noise which get its louder with a increase of speed (usually over 45mph). I don't have any play in the drive shaft around the U-joints. I'm not sure if this might be a axle going bad. I did replace the driver side axle approximately 4 years ago. If anybody has any suggestions please drop me a line. I appreciate everyones input and help thus far. Thanks Larry

 

[chrisis]

you are not suppost to use 4wd over 45mph and 4wd low over 35mph.

 

[Hoppy]

There is no reason why you cannot use 4wd over 45 mph. I also have to say, there would be no reason why you would want to or have to use 4wd above 5 mph. 4wd is only to get you moving from a stop, but using it over 45 mph will not harm the vehicle, unless you are shifting in and out all of the time.

 

[Blee1099]

Its actually not recommended to run it in 4HI at speeds around 45 MPH.. Use of 4WD is for situations where speed is not needed rather for situations where you have no traction, using 4wd in speeds above 35-40 MPH will lead to breakage of the 4wd components. Use only 4wd to get moving but shift it into 4auto once you are moving at a good constant speed. If you have the 97-01 consider the brown wire mod to disengage the front axle.

 

[gijoecam]

Its actually not recommended to run it in 4HI at speeds around 45 MPH..

By whom? According to Ford, you can engage or disengage the system at any speed on a 97-up, and on the pre-96s, it can be engaged at any speed up to 55 mph, used at any speed once engaged, and disengaged at any speed.

Use of 4WD is for situations where speed is not needed rather for situations where you have no traction, using 4wd in speeds above 35-40 MPH will lead to breakage of the 4wd components.

And it is quite possible to have reduced traction at speeds in excess of 45 mph. Nothing is going to break just because you're driving in 4wd at 45 mph as long as you're not doing so on a high-traction surface. Snow-covered roadways, sandy beaches, dunes, and loose gravel all come to mind as situations where 4high is quite appropriate at speeds in excess of 45 mph.

Use only 4wd to get moving but shift it into 4auto once you are moving at a good constant speed. If you have the 97-01 consider the brown wire mod to disengage the front axle.

Uuuuh, why? What's the use of the brown wire mod if you need 4wd in the first place? 4Auto cuts the power to the transfer case unless wheel slippage is detected, at which point the computer can respond and engage the front axle way much quicker than the operator can. The 4wd can be used at ANY speed that the truck is capable of driving. I hear the 'don't use 4wd in excess of XXmph because it will break' argument all the time, but the fact of the matter is that the system is capable of being operated at any speed the vehicle is capable of driving. 4low is also capable at any speed you're capable of driving it with the low range engaged. (red-line is somewhere around 60 mph on OD with low range engaged depending on the tire and transmission selection). The use of 4high versus 4auto should be based on the traction conditions, not the vehicle speed alone. -Joe

 

[Hoppy]

I agree,

The way I see it is that many people have different views of how things should be operated. I do too. I think if you have a working knowledge of how something works, and why it performs the way it does, you can use your own judgement and use it however you wish. Including 4wd.

I will use 4wd whenever I am accelerating from a stop if on slippery surfaces, or if on a deeply snow covered road.