Explorer 1996 only 2WD and 2WD Low - V6 4.0 Controltrac

[Mexplorer]

Well, some years ago i did not posting something here....since my explorer has been a very reliable vehicle for the last years, i rarely have a problem, other than routine maintenance.

My truck is a 4 Door Explorer 96, V6 4 liter, Automatic transmission, 4WD.

Dad had the truck over a year and barely used it, like one time every month. I told him that i wanted to use the truck some time, make a proper tune-up and another small fixes. I drove the truck a hundred miles and worked ok, a little sluggish (i think i need spark plug wires and newer platinum plugs-changed them the last time in 2006)but nothing bad actually. Something i noticed that the speedometer needle was a bit shaky when traveling more than 50 MPH, but i can live with that.

Yesterday i got a phone call of dad telling to me that one time he got stuck in a small beach near where he lives, even when he put a brand new set of tires (Euzkadi all terrain 31x10.5R15) and of course, had 4WD. He was in doubt that the 4WD system was not working at that time, even when he did the right procedure and got the light in the dash, it appeared that the front axle wasn´t putting any power.

Well, i decided to test it. Went to a small hilly area near from house, put the selector in 4WD AUTO, light on, and floored it......and got a bunch of wheel spinning from the rear, and not the normal "front pull" from the front axle kicking it. Put the selector in 4WD LOW, both light indicators were on, got the normal noise from the transfer case shifting, floored it.....and GOT even more wheel spin ! i had 2WD low ! the front axle did not put any power. Tried like 4 or 5 times more, with the same results.

I need to add, that if i try to shift to 4WD AUTO from 2WD "on the fly" with the vehicle running, the light indicators simply doesnt work, and after 10 seconds they start to blink, both 4WD and 4WD low. I if shift from a complete stop in D to 4WD Auto from 2wd, the light works as normal, but, of course, no 4WD action.

I hope i have been clear. My english is not the best. Any help would be very appreciated. Im right now starting to read the stickies in the tranny forum.

Greetings from Mexico.

 

[Mexplorer]

Today has been my day off, and i tried to find what is the problem with my 4wd system.

I read this:

"
95-96
Your control knob should say 2wd, 4auto, 4low.

First, we need to narrow it down to a transfer case issue, or a front axle issue.
Step 1) Jack up the front end and place it securely on jack stands.
Step 2) Verify that the front driveshaft turns by hand. When turning the front driveshaft by hand, the front wheels may or may not turn. Do not be alarmed if they don't turn. This is normal for your vehicle.
Step 3) Start the vehicle and let it idle. Place your foot firmly on the brakes, place the transmission in NEUTRAL, engage 4low, then place the vehicle back in park. DO NOT ENGAGE ANY GEAR!! The lurch as the transmission engages could cause the vehicle to lurch and potentially fall off the jack stands.**If you can turn the front driveshaft, the transfer case is not locking. This could be due to a mechanical issue with the transfer case itself, or an electrical gremlin with the control system. Start a new thread with the results of your checks, and we'll go from there.
**If the front driveshaft does not turn, the transfer case is locking properly and we need to continue searching.
Step 4) With the front wheels in the air, engine idling in PARK, spin one front wheel. The other wheel should spin the opposite direction. If both wheels spin in opposite directions, then the front axle *should* be properly engaged. Take it for a test drive (after safely lowering it to the ground, of course). If the front wheels do not spin in opposite directions, there is a problem with the front axle. This could be due to a mechanical problem with the diff, or a failure of the center axle disconnect to engage the passenger side axle shaft. Start a new thread with the results of your checks, and we'll go from there.

Troubleshooting the CAD on a 95-96 is a bit more involved than I want to get into here, and the problems can vary widely. This'll get you started.
...."

My results:

With the front end lifted, i put in 4wd Auto and both wheels spin if i turn them by hand. Same results if i put in 4WD Low.

In that secuence, i tried to turn the front driveshaft by hand in 4wd auto and 4wd low, and i did that easily. It offered to me little resistance. If i move the front driveshaft by hand the front wheels spin at both ranges.

So i think the problem is at the transfercase? what should i do next? thanks in advance....

 

[Mexplorer]

A year away from my original post, i decided to give another try, since it was not repaired.

Removed all the dashboard to try the brown wire mod,cut the wire that goes up and left, and tried to apply directly 12 volts, like the BWM thread said. No luck, got a blown fuse inmediately at the circuit i made it. I am suspecting some sensor or even the wiring is shorting somewhere, because with the DMM i got a negative value.

Which sensor could be the culprit so i dont have front power to the driveshaft ?

Front diff is good and CAD is locking.

Both CV axles are working properly.

Still only have 2wd and 2wd low . Thanks.

 

[Mexplorer]

Still fighting this problem.

I bought a new TOD Relay. Installed. Still the same. No 4wd in any position.

Applied directly 12 volts to brown wire FROM AND EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY to the harness from the transfercase and got front driveshaft locked. Could not move by hand. I t appears that im getting the electromagnetic clutch at the tc engaged.

But i found that that the brown wire it is shorted to ground, im having 0 ohms.

Checked all the way of the brown wire from the GEM to the TC connector and it appears its not shorted.

Checked the small portion of brown wire from the TC connector to the Transfercase and i have 0 ohms continuity.

With this i understand that i have an internal short to ground at the transfercase because the brown wire its not grounding.

What would be the causes to have the brown wire shorting to ground ? time to transfer case replacement ?

Thanks.