WaH! My 4x4 System is Screwed :sad face:

[ihpj]

OK, I should have listened to my Good Lady and left things well alone

But I had the urge to fix something and thought what could go wrong with replacing the transfer shift motor on my truck (ever since I bought it, it wouldn't shift into 4x4 low). As it was, the truck would go into 4x4 high and back into auto just fine; no other issues, no warning lights no problems.

So...after a quick PM exchange with ChrisQ, he kindly sent me a used motor. I watched some videos and read some threads and figured easy process

Managed to swap out the actual motor itself and rewired everything back up and then - WaH! My 4x4 system is screwed

*deep breath*

Right, when stationary the truck will shift from Auto-4x4High-4x4Low and back fine. I can hear the motor clunk between the different modes and the relevant lights illuminate on the dash.

However, when I start her up, she feels as if she is in LOW - I can feel this as I have to turn sharp right out of my drive and she makes groaning and grinding type noises from the rear end almost as if the handbrake was on. But the truck will be in Auto. I can then stop, manually flick truck into LOW then AUTO, I hear clunking and relay clicking etc. but she still feels in LOW. But as I drive more and increas speed, she feels as if she shifts into HIGH and then into RWD - all this without me touching the switch.

However around 50MPH the 4x4High and 4x4Low lights will begin to flash 6 times and truck feels driving RWD only. I have searched the forum and the 6 flashes suggest failure of the 4x4 system and fault codes stored, but solutions range from speed sensors to transfer case itself and everything in between

I know it's generic information and clutching at straws, but I don't have the money to spend on even an hours diagnostic on the truck, so this has to be a self fix...

My thoughts are since the truck was working fine before, I am hoping I have one/couple/some wires in an incorrect order; worst case being I have damaged one of the wires leading from transfer case whilst trying to remove them and refit them in the pin housing.

So the inevitable question; with the generic symptoms described and background information, any ideas guys?



(Howard has very kindly offered to let me photograph his pin arrangement and plus positions to help me figure this out)

 

[janolsson]

My first thought would be the alignment on the motor when you fitted it. I'm sure i have read it is possible to put it in mis-aligned and as such confuse the system.

 

[ihpj]

Thanks for the post Jan, but as ever I think the answer lies in the use of the SEARCH function of this forum. I took pictures of my wires tonight and compared the wire layout to THIS pin diagram and I reckon I have 2 pins out of order.

I will try and post pictures of my wires but looking at that diagram I can see (I reckon) pins #3 and #2 wrong way round on my truck. Possibly another pin in the wrong location; so no wonder my 4x4 system is having a fit. Howard and I surmised that its a sensor problem and with incorrectly wired pins it would seem to support this theory.

I'll try and post a picture of my current pin layout and the errors should be evident.

 

[janolsson]

Thanks for the post Jan, but as ever I think the answer lies in the use of the SEARCH function of this forum. I took pictures of my wires tonight and compared the wire layout to THIS pin diagram and I reckon I have 2 pins out of order.

I will try and post pictures of my wires but looking at that diagram I can see (I reckon) pins #3 and #2 wrong way round on my truck. Possibly another pin in the wrong location; so no wonder my 4x4 system is having a fit. Howard and I surmised that its a sensor problem and with incorrectly wired pins it would seem to support this theory.

I'll try and post a picture of my current pin layout and the errors should be evident.

hope its a simple fix for ya

 

[ihpj]

Further to my work under the truck last night and thanks muchly to the thread I found on here giving PIN positions, I attach a picture of my CURRENT wiring set up: HERE and HERE.

So this morning I am going to print out the diagram, and rewire my pins according to this diagram and see what happens. I am confident that my shift motor works, I knew my system worked prior to swapping of the motors (albeit it did not shift into 4x4Low) so I am applying common sense (Ha! famous last words!) in that it must be the wiring/pin order.

If anyone has any ideas, please shout up!

 

[ihpj]

WOOP! WOOP! All sorted! So very happy - have staved off divorce as Mrs ihpj tells me everytime I 'get that look in my eyes' that if I break her beloved truck, it'll be grounds for divorce

Thanks in no small part to the pin diagram, I was able to rewire my pins correctly and voila - the truck switches between Auto-4x4High-4x4Low like a champ. Been out road testing her (managed to persuade Howard to join me - thank you!) and no warning lights unexpected noises or other unsavoury issues. SHE WORKS!

I have saved a copy of that pin diagram for future use and suggest a few others do the same Given my experiences I can now say I am confident I could swap a transfer motor out in 30 minutes. I'm therefore happy to help anyone with help/advice if they should need it.



...now onto my next project: fluid changes

 

[Shooteruk]

So what was the grinding noise as I get that from mine and I haven't messed around with any wires and all of my lights work okay and so does switching between all modes?

 

[ihpj]

So what was the grinding noise...

I guess that's the rear diff. trying to compensate for the inner and outer wheel turning at different rates.

When in 4X4 HIGH or LOW, it locks the drivetrain and there is no give in the chassis to compensate for going round corners. That's why the manual urges owners NOT to go round corners when in these settings, or if you do, go slowly.

Well that's how I understand it



...and for those following the saga, my 4X4 system has been fine since I fixed it - no issues or complaints although I do intend to change the diff. fluid sometime.

 

[Shooteruk]

Trouble is mines doing it in a straight line. I think I may have to drop the front diff oil and have a look at it and maybe replace the front hubs.