transfer case clutch ????

[benford]

front wheels have no drive wondering if its my transfer case clutch
the 4wd light comes on when i push the button on the dash and it goes in to low range no problems but no action at the front wheels.
is there any way to determin the problem whithout taking it to mechanics as im low on cash

 

[gijoecam]

Unfortunately, the fact that the lights come on and the t-case shift motor changes from high to low and back tells me that the system is working properly. (just not engaging the front end) I'd put it on jack stands, lock it into 4high, and see if you can spin the front driveshaft (key on, engine idling in park). Now, drop it in 1st and let it idle. If the t-case is failing to lock, it should be pretty obvious (freewheeling in park, little to no movement in drive). In that case, I'd say it's an internal transfer case clutch assembly issue... Not sure what without opening the case though...

 

[joecrna]

Don't forget, before we can completly rule out electrical, we need to make sure the Brown wire is sending current to the TCCC. After doing the above dignostics first. If you then want to take apart the TC and fix mechanical yourself, we can help with that too.

 

[gijoecam]

Don't forget, before we can completly rule out electrical, we need to make sure the Brown wire is sending current to the TCCC. After doing the above dignostics first. If you then want to take apart the TC and fix mechanical yourself, we can help with that too.

Unlike the second-gens, on a 3rd gen, the ground feed from the transfer case clutch coil comes back to the GEM instead of going to a chassis ground. If the t-case clutch coil was not receiving power, it wouldn't be getting the signal back to the GEM and the GEM would recognize that, disable the system, and store a trouble code. The fact that we're not getting the trouble code stored tells us for sure that power is getting to and through the transfer case clutch coil. Applying power directly to the clutch coil isn't going to change anything.

 

[joecrna]

If the TCCC was bad shouldn't this too "alter" the signal coming back to the GEM and through a code? My point being the through the coil part.

 

[benford]

i checked the driveshift

i checked the drive driveshaft whith the wheels up of the ground and it span freely whith the it in 4wd
any ideas

 

[gijoecam]

If the TCCC was bad shouldn't this too "alter" the signal coming back to the GEM and through a code? My point being the through the coil part.

Nope. Think of it like an electromagnet. The GEM monitors current through the electromagnet and back to the GEM, but it has no idea if that magnet pulled the ball-ramp clutch assembly into place or not. It just knows that the circuit is completed, but it doesn't know if there's a mechanical failure of the system inside the case.

Unfortunately, I suspect it's time for a replacement t-case. Won't know until you open it up.

-Joe

 

[benford]

that sounds hard and exspensive i was reading about the bwm and it sounded to me like it was not getting power on the brown wire could it posibly be that ?

 

[benford]

is it possible to power the clutch manualy and if so how would i go about it ?

and how much would it cost if i needed a tc fixed

 

[benford]

i put a multimeter on the brown wire coming out of the tc and it is reading at 0.63v when engine on and 4wd high ingaged i thought that that was low is it?

 

[gijoecam]

i put a multimeter on the brown wire coming out of the tc and it is reading at 0.63v when engine on and 4wd high ingaged i thought that that was low is it?

Not necessarily. The output from the TOD relay to the TCCC is not a constant 12V... It's a pulse-width-modulated output... multimeters will read a lot of weird readings when trying to interpret the voltage of a PWM signal.

Once you start moving, the voltage should jump to 12V. If it jumps to 12V and the front shaft is not forced to turn with the rear, the t-case has an internal issue.

-Joe