Late 96 early 97 Explorer 4x4 issues.

[fatalerror]

So here's the background. I'm working on my mothers truck. It's a Late 96 so it's really a 97. Last year it started blowing the control circuit fuse for the 4x4 system. (10 amp down by the door) Replacing it would get maybe another week of driving with 4x4 before it would blow again. By spring the fuse would blow immediatly after starting the vehicle, this disabled the 4x4 function as well as the little console above the mirror with temps and direction etc. It's driven fine all summer but going back into winter, there's really no better time than to fix this.

I was speaking to another guy who had the exact same issue, he said he replaced the transfer case shift motor, not a huge deal; and it fixed it.

I called down to lordco to get one, they have one, but not for an all wheel drive. This truck has a selector knob in it for Auto, 4x4 high, 4x4 low. It will engage the 4x4 if it detects wheels not rotating as much as the others, does that make it an awd? or is it still a 2wd with a 4wd option? I can always take it off and match numbers, but I'd rather not do that until I have the replacement in hand...

<EDIT> I'm thinking that if it was an all wheel drive, there wouldnt be a shift motor on the transfer case, as it would always be in 4x4. Am I wrong? </EDIT>

Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

 

[gavin]

yours would be A4WD.
Automatic 4 wheel drive.

The only AWD Explorers are those with the V8.

So yours will have a shift motor.