hi all need some help with a 4x4 problem!

[jerryp40055]

i have a 98 xlt a/t and the auto type 4x4. my truck seems to go into 4x4 as soon as i try to make a turn(worse if in reverse). any thoughts? i just had a 4whl brake job including new rotors as the truck was shaking bad when i used the brakes. also replaced the rear seal on the t/case as it had a slight leak(turned out the seal was in backwards). also had the shift motor replaced in nov(wish i had found some of these forums then, i may have tried the shift motor repairs i have read). the t/case is a 3.5 year old rebuild(when i bought the truck it would make a bad popping noise when i turned tight). the rebuild fixed the problem. the truck has always seemed to be touchy when turning(would feel like 4x4 was engaging but never seemed to stay in 4x4) now it does. disconecting the battery seems to work for a short time then when i turn tight it happens again.
thanks
jerry

 

[IZwack]

Try completely disconnecting the transfer case's electrical connectors and taking it for a spin with tight turns -- if that disengages the 4wd problem, then the culprit is an electrical device (sensor?). If it doesn't, then the problem is mechanical.

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

i was just outside trying that. it does not seem to have solved the prob. i am wondering if the t/case is still in 4x4 and i need to drop the shift motor and make sure(not sure if all the posts about the shift motor apply to all years or just 1st gen. iwill prob try driving it easy with as few sharp turns as necess.
thanks for the advice
jerry

 

[IZwack]

It can be the transfer case thats locked up mechanically OR (there is a slight chance that) maybe the rear axle is destroyed internally.

But as for the shift motor, dont worry about it, its not involved in 4wd engagement in your vehicle -- it only moves or does anything when you're trying to engage 4LO.

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

can i force the t/case to stay in 2x4?

 

[IZwack]

Yes -- in a normally operating transfer case on your vehicle, you can simply disconnect the transfer case's electrical wiring -- which you've already done. So what this means, as stated earlier, is that the transfer case is locked in 4wd mechanically -- which means it must be opened.

If you want to find out whether or not its the rear axle or the transfer case, you can remove the front driveshaft (unbolt from the transfer case and then the front axle) and do the same tight turns. If it still makes the noise, then its probably not the transfer case (and quite possibly the rear axle). On the other hand, if the noise goes away, then you are 100% certain its the transfer case that is causing the problem.

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

my local mechanic thinks it might be the fork in the t/case(behind the shift motor) is broken, which is a bad coincidence since he replaced the motor in nov.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! You would have problems going into reverse if the shift fork is broken.

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

reverse seems fine. while reading old posts i am now wondering if i have the correct t/case i see mention of 4405 and 1354 mine is 1354 according to the paperwork from the trans shop that put it in 3 yrs ago
thanks

 

[IZwack]

If you have the 1354, I dont think you would have been able to install the front driveshaft as the output flange/yokes are different between the two. The 4405 is a true "CV" where as the 1354 is a double-cardan.

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

not sure what you mean by true cv but i will crawl under in the am. i just remembered something the mech told me when i asked him if anything he did(brakes and rear t/case seal) could be causing my prob he said he marked the flange and shaft but he also mentioned he had to move my truck twice while waiting for the correct seal(store sent the wrong one twice) could moving the truck foward and backward while the rear shaft is disconected cause any problems or if he did not mark the shaft and just said so would that do it? how can i check. i think i am learning alot reading all these posts or at least enough to be dangerous.
thanks

 

[IZwack]

not sure what you mean by true cv but i will crawl under in the am.

By a "true CV" i mean a true constant velocity joint with a ball-and-cage design. The driveshaft will look like this on the end that bolts to the transfer case:

i just remembered something the mech told me when i asked him if anything he did(brakes and rear t/case seal) could be causing my prob he said he marked the flange and shaft but he also mentioned he had to move my truck twice while waiting for the correct seal(store sent the wrong one twice) could moving the truck foward and backward while the rear shaft is disconected cause any problems or if he did not mark the shaft and just said so would that do it? how can i check.

Well to be honest, I would not move a vehicle if the rear transfer case seal is removed because that probably means that the rear output flange is not in and therefore main shaft isnt being supported properly.


My advice, stop messing around with these shops, purchase a transfer case (either new or used) and swap it in yourself -- it wont take you more than a day to do. But first verify that its the transfer case by taking that no-front-driveshaft test I mentioned.

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

fyi i would have responded sooner to some of your replys but some not all of the notification emails went to my spam. i will check the t/case in the am for #s and will attempt to remove the frt drive shaft.
will let you know thanks for the help

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

the front shaft looks like the pic and the only #s i can see are AZ91D in one spot and 907 in another as soon as it dries out some i will attempt to remove the shaft,can i drive the truck that way for a few days or will it cause more probs?

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

i have 2 doc appts to take my wife to 1 15miles 1 35miles away BTW i don't have any noises other than the front tires diging into the gravel or the pavement when i turn it just feels like it is in 4x4. i have driven it in 4x4 many times just not on dry pavement so i am not certain

 

[IZwack]

Yes you can drive the vehicle w/o the front driveshaft. I'm somewhat confused by your last reply, does that mean you've removed the front driveshaft and there is no noise?

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

no i have not dropped the shaft yet just got a call back from a guy i know at a dealership and he feels it is a sensor issue most likley exciter ring? in front since i disconected the wiring harness and that did not help he says that model senses wheel speed from that ring on the front cv joint he also says not to drive without front shaft but agrees it is ok to drive in 4x4 says to bring in and they would test drive with a laptop to check the sensors, does he just want my money i did not have any noise when i first contacted you guys just the feeling(after driving this truck for 3yrs on road and off)that i was in 4x4. the dealership guy also says i can take the shift motor off and shift the t/case by hand to 2x4 again the auto reply went to my spam any ideas about that? i sometimes hate computers

 

[IZwack]

Okay never go to that dealer again because the 98 XLT can not be shifted back to 2wd from 4HI -- you can only do so if the vehicle is stuck in 4LO because the shift motor only controls HI-range and LO-range, not 2wd or 4wd engagement (see image below). Assuming you have a 4.0L engine (and not the 5.0L which came with a different transfer case), drop the front driveshaft and take it for a spin.

If you told the dealer that you unplugged the transfer case's electrical connectors, then they should know that it can not be an issue with one of the sensors because w/o electrical power, the transfer case (that comes with your 4.0L 98 XLT) will default back to 2wd -- unless there is a (internal) mechanical problem with the transfer case.

 

[gijoecam]

Jerry,

I got your e-mail last night but did not get a chance to reply directly. I figure I'll keep it on the boards here and help everyone out.

IZWack is right on the money here for all the reasons he's already mentioned. Whomever you spoke with at the dealership is incorrect (as usual). They are either unfamiliar with the system on a 98 Explorer, or just plain uninformed. If you unplug the connector on the transfer case, you have effectively eliminated all 4wd function. If you unplug the transfer case connector and the binding while turning persists, there is a mechanical issue with the transfer case (and it's not the shift fork).

Furthermore, contrary to what the mechanic may have written on the work order, you do not have a 13-54. All second-gen V-6 4x4s have a 44-05 transfer case.

Good luck!

-Joe

 

[jerryp40055]

4x4 prob

as i read more threads i see i failed to mention my 4x4 lights are not on while in auto and it feels like 4x4hi i know it is not in low because that is what happened before the shift motor replacement(the rpms were real high when i tried to drive it then) no noticeable change to rpms now just that feeling of being in 4hi it does shift into 4low now