does the brown wire mod?

[nathansmith50]

I have a 96 explorer sport.

I'm wondering if the brown wire mod will get my 4x4 working if it currently doesn't do anything at all in 4auto?

or does the brown wire mod only put it in full time 4wd if it's already working?

 

[koda2000]

it will not help you.

 

[Flash]

The brown wire is what activates 4wd. The mod is an interruption of the brown wire with a switch so you can turn it off and on.

You don't say if you have AWD or 4wd.

If you have 4wd and it's not working the first place to look is the shift motor.

 

[nathansmith50]

it's a 4wd. the switch says 4auto.

i changed the shift motor today to no avail. i'm going to the pick and pull tomorrow to pick up a couple of hall sensors...anything else that could be the culprit aside from the Tcase itself?

i was getting the flashing lights in the cluster 4x4 and 4low...but then i changed the cluster and i haven't seen them...not even sure they are in the new cluster to be honest.

 

[sanjez5]

Honestly I thought about doing a Brown wire mod of sorts myself to fix my 4x4 (still working on why it's not working also). The idea was to interrupt the power from the computer to the brown wire and run a wire to a switch from a 12v supply directly to the electromagnetic clutch. In theory bypassing the computer and any issues from the computer on. I haven't done this outside of simply testing that the clutch did in fact work however because if the computer isn't sending voltage to the clutch then there must be a valid reason for it. If however you aren't so worried about all that and just want the clutch to engage it should work. In my case I have no dash lights and I can hear the tcase engage when put in 4lo. On jack stands and in gear all 4 tires spin and when checking the voltage at the Brown wire I get 1-13 volts in 4Hi and 13+ volts in 4Lo but when on the ground the front has no pull. No odd sounds either, Im at a loss.

 

[Flash]

i changed the shift motor today to no avail.

Did you check the new shift motor for operation before you fitted it?

Undo the shift motor but leave it wired up and check to see if it operates correctly.
Then try to operate the transfer case manually to see if everything mechanical works.

 

[corkey]

is your Explorer an XL by any chance ?
if it is that is a whole other animal,

being a 96 it may also have the vacuum front disconnect and that could be affecting the 4wd , easy to figure out cause off the big vacuum diaphragm on the axle tube,,
check them and find out,
let us know,,

 

[nathansmith50]

is your Explorer an XL by any chance ?
if it is that is a whole other animal,

being a 96 it may also have the vacuum front disconnect and that could be affecting the 4wd , easy to figure out cause off the big vacuum diaphragm on the axle tube,,
check them and find out,
let us know,,

No it's not an XL...it's a sport. 5 speed.

the shift motor does function...at least when i shift into 4 low. i can hear it turn over and clunk and i can feel it buck a little bit but if i lift the rear wheels off the ground and try to move it doesn't go anywhere in low or auto. i was working on it at my shop and lifted the rear with a forklift...needed to replace a leaf shackle anyway.

 

[Justme63]

is your Explorer an XL by any chance ?
if it is that is a whole other animal,

being a 96 it may also have the vacuum front disconnect and that could be affecting the 4wd , easy to figure out cause off the big vacuum diaphragm on the axle tube,,
check them and find out,
let us know,,

Does your heater floor/defrost selection switch work properly? I lost my vac lines somehow and didn't realize it until my 4 wheel wasn't working properly (I was sliding around way to much in the snow) Had me a little baffled until I looked and saw the y connector for the 2 and the line to the reservoir (big black ball shaped thing on pass. side fender) now everything is as it should be. The brown wire mod isn't hard but take your time and do it correctly and you will love it more than I do because I have an auto trans and you have a manual. Just a little bit of jealousy here. good luck

 

[nathansmith50]

Does your heater floor/defrost selection switch work properly? I lost my vac lines somehow and didn't realize it until my 4 wheel wasn't working properly (I was sliding around way to much in the snow) Had me a little baffled until I looked and saw the y connector for the 2 and the line to the reservoir (big black ball shaped thing on pass. side fender) now everything is as it should be. The brown wire mod isn't hard but take your time and do it correctly and you will love it more than I do because I have an auto trans and you have a manual. Just a little bit of jealousy here. good luck

i think so but now i'm going to have to check closer.

 

[nathansmith50]

As it turns out no the heater vent selection does not work either.

 

[Turdle]

You need to check the vacuum lines going to the front diff ( on passenger side shaft area) and along the inner fender on the passenger side. These all converge into a vacuum reservoir hidden in the inner fender area under the air filter box. A break in these plastic lines will cause no 4x4 and no vent control .

Here is a thread to help get you started

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192842

Note, your 96 will have an additional vacuum line from reservoir to CAD (central axle disconnect) not pictured in the above thread.

Please report back

 

[nathansmith50]

You need to check the vacuum lines going to the front diff ( on passenger side shaft area) and along the inner fender on the passenger side. These all converge into a vacuum reservoir hidden in the inner fender area under the air filter box. A break in these plastic lines will cause no 4x4 and no vent control .

Here is a thread to help get you started

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192842

Note, your 96 will have an additional vacuum line from reservoir to CAD (central axle disconnect) not pictured in the above thread.

Please report back

I'll check it out tomorrow and report back.

 

[nathansmith50]

Ok so i checked it out tonight. I found the source of the leak. the fitting on the vacuum reservoir ball that goes to the t sensors behind the passenger headlight was off. put it back on and now the 4x4 low definitely works...and i think the 4auto worked for a minute or two but then i got the flashing lights.

so i'm guessing it's the driveshaft speed sensors? and if so would the brown wire mod bypass this?

 

[Justme63]

I hope someone who has had this issue replys as well but doing the "Brown wire mod" would be worth a try. I would suggest however you seek out the issue just to make sure it isn't something more serious. Even if it doesn't fix your problem it will be one less thing to do in the long run. Good hunting

 

[nathansmith50]

Well if it is something more serious it's not going to get fixed. i paid $400 bucks for this thing just to have something to bang around in the winter. i do like it though and plan to keep it unless someone offers me like 1k for it or something.

I guess unless someone tells me otherwise there's no reason not to try it. if it doesn't work i can always undo it.

 

[nathansmith50]

i did get it fixed...but i sold it.