Viscous Coupler in the t-case??

[IAmTodd]

Just a pic of what I'm referring to:

 

[Kevlar7R]

Oh really? My bad! I have more experience with the Viscous Coupling and 4406 cases. Never actually had my hands on one of these.

I suppose then Todd is right, the clutch inside your transfer case is seized. You can take your front Drive Shaft off, and have a 2WD truck, or go get your Tcase rebuilt.

One more way to confirm I suppose would be to jack the front end up, Truck in park, engine off, and see if you can rotate the front driveshaft by hand. If you can, then we're back to some electrical problem (though I can't imagine how with the brown wire disconnected), if you can't, then the clutch is seized, and you're up for a rebuild.

 

[inkjunkie]

I will crawl under it today and grab the driveshaft to see if it turns. Apparently the GEM is fried as well, wonder if the failures are related in some way? Will driving it with out the front shaft tear anything else up? If not, when I visit my friend that owns a trans shop in AJ in a few months I will have him go thru it......

 

[inkjunkie]

If its still spinning the front you either don't have the right brown wire or your clutch in the transfer box is seized.

The brown wire is not in the plug, it is alone running into the rear of the case, on the bottom, correct? Will take my camera with me today and get a picture of it......

 

[inkjunkie]

Front drive shaft......it no turn. Looks like we will have a 2wd Explorer for a while.....

 

[Kevlar7R]

Front drive shaft......it no turn. Looks like we will have a 2wd Explorer for a while.....

Thats with the front tires off the ground, right? If so, then yep, go 2wd. I don't think you'll have the problem with that truck, but just incase, make sure you use your parking brake in addition to putting it in park.

 

[IAmTodd]

Thats with the front tires off the ground, right? If so, then yep, go 2wd. I don't think you'll have the problem with that truck, but just incase, make sure you use your parking brake in addition to putting it in park.

Parking brake isn't necessary with the 4405. The rear stays locked all the time unlike the AWD box.

 

[inkjunkie]

Thats with the front tires off the ground, right? If so, then yep, go 2wd. I don't think you'll have the problem with that truck, but just incase, make sure you use your parking brake in addition to putting it in park.

Yes sir, front tires are off the ground, truck is in park. Just checked the local wrecking yard, they have several them, 120k or so miles on them. Is this clutch a high failure item? If so, I will have my buddy go thru the old one when I go visit him...

 

[Kevlar7R]

I don't have personal experience with this tcase, but I haven't heard other people talking about it.

That being said... It's a clutch... It's a wear item.

For the cost of pulling and rebuilding, going used might not be a bad idea.

 

[inkjunkie]

There is another option Todd, What if it has actually shifted in to 4high (a problem with the ESCM)?

Next thing to do is take off the shift motor. It will be on the back of the transfer case, right next to where you unplugged the brown wire. I belive it's just 4 bolts that hold it on. Then you can take a pair of pliers, and manually shift the transmission. I can't remember which direction to turn it, but I think it would be to the left.

That will put it back in it's AWD position. So, manually shifting the transfer case to AWD, and with the brown wire disconnected, you will be in 2 wheel drive only.

Drive it like that, and see if it's spinning the front. Hopefully it doesn't.

If it doesn't, plug the brown wire back in, and then it should spin the front.

If it behaves like this, then you know it's the ESCM.

I will try this in the next chance I get. It is sitting on the trailer, I have an appt. tomorrow to get it aligned. I live 35 miles or so from town and do not want to drive it that far with it in 4wd, just my luck I would toss the drive shaft. Not to mention with the fried GEM don't want to take a chance. I did take a picture of the brown wire, but have no clue how to post pictures here.

 

[snoranger]

I don't have personal experience with this tcase, but I haven't heard other people talking about it.

That being said... It's a clutch... It's a wear item.

For the cost of pulling and rebuilding, going used might not be a bad idea.

Its not a clutch in the normal sense... Its an electro-magnet that pulls in a plate and forces 3 balls up a "ramp" to lock it in 4wd. They really dont wear out. (Something else usually goes bad long before that could happen.)

 

[Kevlar7R]

I will try this in the next chance I get. It is sitting on the trailer, I have an appt. tomorrow to get it aligned. I live 35 miles or so from town and do not want to drive it that far with it in 4wd, just my luck I would toss the drive shaft. Not to mention with the fried GEM don't want to take a chance. I did take a picture of the brown wire, but have no clue how to post pictures here.

No, Todd already schooled me on your transfer case. No need to pull the shift motor. Your case is fried. Somehow, the clutch is stuck engaged.

Snoranger. I know how it physically works. I can't exactly picture how it is siezed up, but that is the only explanation.

 

[inkjunkie]

Thanks....

 

[inkjunkie]

"The Brown Wire"

Just want to make sure this the right one......

Not very brown on the picture but I hit it with some brake clean and it looked brown to me....

 

[inkjunkie]

Clunk......

Took it out for a drive the other day just to satisfy my curiosity. Had the selector in auto and was doing slow figure 8's. Put it in 4 high, wanted to see if it acted any differently, which it did not. Put the selector back in auto and heard/felt a very audible thunk. Driving on the ice covered dirt road that we live on I put my foot in it while hanging out the window and observed the left front spinning. Hmmmm.......Went out to pull the front driveshaft so we can drive it til I get around to swapping the t-case and the front driveshaft now turns when the truck is in park. Prior to the clunk the front driveshaft would NOT turn while in park. Wondering if the clutch is somewhat functional now???? I have another case to put in it, just not feeling up to it......

 

[IAmTodd]

Sounds like it was jammed and it unjammed itself? Are you spinning the driveshaft with all the wheels on the ground? Or is the front jacked up?

 

[inkjunkie]

All 4 wheels in the air as it is the only way I can get my fat a** under it, with the trans in park.....

 

[IAmTodd]

Haha! Sounds like it's fixed itself for the time being.

I'm not sure if that clutch is submersed in fluid but it might not be a bad idea to drain the fluid and put in some fresh Mercon.

 

[Kevlar7R]

might want to do a couple of fluid changes. Fill it, drive it for a an hour, change it again.

Glad to hear it "healed!"

 

[inkjunkie]

Quick update..pulled the front drive shaft...dumped the fluid....was black as coal, smelt like old gear oil and was about as slickery as water. Drove 200 miles with fresh fluid, dumped it again.\& put the driveshaft back in it. Dumped it once more after another 200 miles. All seems well. Truck in park, not running, front wheels off the ground & the front driveshaft turns. Lesson learned about lack of maintenance........again.........Thanks for the help guys......