Solved Transfer Case 4x4 Issue

[Fix4Dirt]

no problem! let us know what you find!

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

no problem! let us know what you find!

Just scanned the GEM, PCM, RAP, and ABS, PCM came back with P1729 4x4L switch circuit malfunction (open or grounded circuit), no other codes except the pesky GEM B1834 door unlock code. I guess tomorrow morning I'll rip the shift motor off and see if it's stuck.

 

[Stic-o]

I have a transfer case (1354e) if you need one. Only has 52k on it. Came out of a '05 Ranger FX4 Truck was salvaged a very long time ago and I got it with the Trans. I don't need the Tcase.

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

So I went out and got a new shift motor, after pulling the old one off the transfer case was definitely in low range. The new shift motor doesn't exactly line up (since the t case is in low) with the range selector shaft, I know I'm not supposed to turn the input spot on the shift motor so should I just put the car in neutral and turn the one on the transfer case to line up? Then is there any special calibration I have to do?

 

[410Fortune]

No calibration

Did the shift motor come from similar year and t case?

Put truck in n use pliers and turn t case to 2wd then install shift motor
You may have to rock truck forward and back a little or turn the d shafts slightly to make it easier to shift from low
I would disconnect the battery just for fun while doing this
Then reconnect and turn truck on see what gives
Dash light should go away

I knew the t case was in low it’s bbasically the only way the low range light can come on

Good luck!!

The shift motor is usually the issue with the ESOF systems

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

No calibration

Did the shift motor come from similar year and t case?

Put truck in n use pliers and turn t case to 2wd then install shift motor
You may have to rock truck forward and back a little or turn the d shafts slightly to make it easier to shift from low
I would disconnect the battery just for fun while doing this
Then reconnect and turn truck on see what gives
Dash light should go away

I knew the t case was in low it’s bbasically the only way the low range light can come on

Good luck!!

The shift motor is usually the issue with the ESOF systems

Yeah I've seen they're kinda the weak link, I avoided remanufactured and went with brand new for the motor. But when I was putting the pins for the sensors in the harness one of them broke apart at the crimp, so now I gotta wait like 2 weeks for the new sensor to come in.

 

[J_C]

Well I guess my explorer isn't exactly stock, we have put some oversized tires on it and I've read when you do that it causes the 4wd to kick in and bind up when turning. And according to the official diagram from Ford the ABS and transfer case hall effect sensors do each feed into the GEM but I'm not 100% sure what the ABS controls as far as 4wd goes. And yeah pulsate is what I mean, when it kicks in the car jerks to the right so I can only assume that's which tire it is.

Probably the opposite, that it jerks to the right because it's not getting a LEFT wheel spinning signal, so when brakes are applied, right wheel is braking as it should, left wheel is being ABS'd and spins freely, so it pulls right.

It's unlikely to be the tires. Everything else working correctly, the sensors would just produce a signal suggesting the vehicle is moving slower than it is.

I suspect there is a transfer case sensor, or wiring problem and it's always in 4WD. Check for 12V on the brown wire, in auto 4WD it should not have power if the wheels aren't slipping. Then again I could be wrong, like if the 4WD module keeps power to it by design, as long as it's sensing it's in low.

 

[410Fortune]

Tire size does not really matter other than putting more strain on components

All 4 tires are still the same size, just larger rolling diameter from what it was shipped with
Not going to throw off any wheel speed sensors with that, as they all still rotate together at similar speeds truck just thinks you got slower is all

 

[jr230]

So I have found a few threads on this but nothing quite like the issues I'm facing. So we had the flashing 4x4 high and low lights as well as the O/D off light, come to find out the wiring harness to the transfer case shift motor and sensors was pretty messed up, so we went and got one from a salvage yard and spliced it into the existing one. Everything was going ok until I had my mechanic put in new wheel hubs and the ABS started acting up (kicking in at under about 10mph and locking up the front right wheel entirely). The mechanic blames my wiring being the cause but I've checked and rechecked countless times to make sure everything is ok. I just disconnected and reconnected the harness and drove around and it seems like it's in some kind of quasi 4wd limp mode, the wheels lock up making turns (and makes that god awful noise) and I can't get out of 2nd or 3rd gear, plus the 4wd low light is on constantly no matter what position I have the switch in. Right now it has P1836, 1837, 1846, 1850, 1854, and 1858 codes showing in a scan. I'm hoping it could be one or both output shaft speed sensors has gone out and just need to be replaced, but I'm also fearing the 4x4 shift control module has given up. If anybody has anything to offer on this I'd really appreciate it. The explorer in question is a 1999 4.0L OHV with the 4405 transfer case.

Also wasn't sure whether to post here or in transmissions and transfer cases.

older ford abs was junk best to leave it off and drive like a reg truck. i hand 3 99,03,04 all were broken and in normal mode , skid you pump
my 99 i had 2 minor accidents i drove antilock well they did not puls just slid so when light cam on not even a neer miss fortunatly for the guy who ran red light on me car stopped perfictly 2 inches from him
but unless tires hit just larger will not cause bind what can is 4 wd hubs locked in 4wd or mismatched tire size

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

Probably the opposite, that it jerks to the right because it's not getting a LEFT wheel spinning signal, so when brakes are applied, right wheel is braking as it should, left wheel is being ABS'd and spins freely, so it pulls right.

It's unlikely to be the tires. Everything else working correctly, the sensors would just produce a signal suggesting the vehicle is moving slower than it is.

I suspect there is a transfer case sensor, or wiring problem and it's always in 4WD. Check for 12V on the brown wire, in auto 4WD it should not have power if the wheels aren't slipping. Then again I could be wrong, like if the 4WD module keeps power to it by design, as long as it's sensing it's in low.

From what I've read they went to a live axle with the 4405 t cases, wouldn't that mean that there'd always be some current to the brown wire if the front is getting just a little power from the t case? But either way I'm replacing both sensors, the rear output one had broken and was leaking, and the front output was starting to break.

 

[J_C]

older ford abs was junk best to leave it off and drive like a reg truck. i hand 3 99,03,04 all were broken and in normal mode , skid you pump
my 99 i had 2 minor accidents i drove antilock well they did not puls just slid so when light cam on not even a neer miss fortunatly for the guy who ran red light on me car stopped perfictly 2 inches from him
but unless tires hit just larger will not cause bind what can is 4 wd hubs locked in 4wd or mismatched tire size

It's not as sophisticated as on modern vehicles but I don't consider it junk at all. It only makes you slide coming to a stop, if you don't repair it.

Even so I can see the logic in disabling it until you do, but how do you disable ABS on a '99? On my '98, you can't pull the fuse that powers the ABS module (computer) or you won't have VSS output for the speedometer... guess it'd be the ABS pump, fuse 3 in the power distribution box?

 

[J_C]

From what I've read they went to a live axle with the 4405 t cases, wouldn't that mean that there'd always be some current to the brown wire if the front is getting just a little power from the t case? But either way I'm replacing both sensors, the rear output one had broken and was leaking, and the front output was starting to break.

No, with the 4405 4WD (not the AWD Explorers) live axle in this case would mean it spins because the wheels spin, is just permanently, mechanically coupled till it gets to the transfer case. This allows them to use the TC speed sensor to detect speed mismatch, and it reduces wear by having the shaft moving already, so not at as great a difference in speed (on average over its lifetime) when activated on the fly.

There may be some viscous coupling going on in the transfer case due to proximity, being a wet clutch, but that isn't due to (electrical) power going to the clutch's electromagnetic coil.

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

No, live axle in this case would mean it spins because the wheels spin, is just permanently, mechanically coupled. This allows them to use the TC speed sensor to detect speed mismatch, and it reduces wear by having the shaft moving already, so not at as great a difference in speed (on average over its lifetime) when activated.

There may be some viscous coupling going on in the transfer case due to proximity, being a wet clutch, but that isn't due to (electrical) power going to the clutch's electromagnetic coil.

It has been making kind of a whining noise from the front end but I have yet to figure out what it is. Maybe the 4wd is kicking in all the time, might just do the brown wire mod while I'm under there messing with it.

 

[J_C]

^ Does it seem related more to engine RPM or wheel RPM? If you've never replaced the front differential fluid, it's probably due for that.

Even if you do the brown wire mod, I'd still want it working correctly.... then you can have a switch, to enable/disable A4WD via the brown wire. The switch should have a fairly high DC current rating... not sure how many amps the TC clutch pulls but along with other things, it's on a 30A fused circuit.

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

^ Does it seem related more to engine RPM or wheel RPM? If you've never replaced the front differential fluid, it's probably due for that.

Even if you do the brown wire mod, I'd still want it working correctly.... then you can have a switch, to enable/disable A4WD via the brown wire. The switch should have a fairly high DC current rating... not sure how many amps the TC clutch pulls but along with other things, it's on a 30A fused circuit.

Definitely wheel RPM. Funny thing is it started a little while after we changed the front diff fluid, at first I thought it was the hubs, and the hubs were making noise, but they're replaced now and it still makes noise. I've checked the fluid level and it looks ok, not leaking anywhere, and the fluid we drained wasn't metallic or burnt or anything. It's more of a whirring or humming than a whining noise, my mechanic tried to tell me it was my remanufactured power steering pump but I know that'd be engine RPM based.

 

[410Fortune]

Is it a wheel bearing?

Humming with this front end often a wheel bearing

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

Is it a wheel bearing?

Ya know I had my mechanic replace both sides, but at this point I'm feeling like I have to double check because he's forgotten to do a lot of things.

 

[J_C]

Maybe you have a brake shield rubbing? I'd definitely take the wheels and rotors off to see... what you can see. I assume it's not just worn out brake pads/wear-indicator.

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

Maybe you have a brake shield rubbing? I'd definitely take the wheels and rotors off to see... what you can see. I assume it's not just worn out brake pads/wear-indicator.

Could very well be, poor exploder doesn't get driven often so they were rusted and I ignored the squeaking assuming it was rust, brake job might be coming up.

 

[ThatOneGuy99]

Finally got the other output speed sensor I needed, gonna put everything back together tomorrow morning. There's some grease on the little range selector shaft, anybody have a guess or know what kind of grease?