can the 4wd selector lever strip/slip?

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:34 am

Sorry if this is posted somewhere and I cannot find it....

I was pulling something slowly with the Jeep in 4wd Lo. Problems started when I took it out of 4wd Lo. When I put it back into 2wd, the dash indicated that (now) the rig was in 4WD part-time. :shock:

Then. when I put it in the 4WD parttime position, it told me it was in in fulltime 4wd. Llastly, when I put it into Fulltime4wd position with the lever, the lights go off and I am back into 2wd. I tested to see if the dash lights are correct (you never know with this beta model) on gravel (so to not cause further damage) and the dash seems to be correct and the selection lever wrong. If there a quick fix or is this something else I just need to live with as the miles keep racking up?

Boiler

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:34 am

Sounds like a bad 4-wheel drive position sensor. See viewtopic.php?f=3&t=59788

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:21 pm

papaindigo, thanks for the reply. It is a good post and one I would not have found. However, I think my problem is mechanical.

The sensor is just for the dash indicator, correct? The reason I say this is because the problem seems to be mechanical and not electronic. When the dash indicates it is in some form of 4WD (part or full), it IS in 4wd....regardless of what the lever may indicate. According to my selector lever, I've been driving in 4wd fulltime for quite some time and it is not in 4wd, the dash light is not lit and the fuel mileage has not taken the hit.

Anyone else had to fix this and how did you do it?

Boiler2

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:34 pm

It's my understanding that the sensor in question is the position sensor that tells the dash what position the 4-wheel drive lever has placed the transmission. The lever is attached to a cable that runs to the transfer case and as far as I know there is no adjustment in that cable although it can become detached from the case in which case the lever just flops.

Bottom line is if the lever is in position X and the dash says it's in position Y then the sensor is the most likely problem point.

Any who knows more than me if free to raise the level of my ignorance.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:52 pm

Maybe I don't understand what you are telling me :banghead:

. Do the electronic selector dictate the 2WD/4WD and it is not a true mechanical hook-up?

Its just that I've driven it with the lever in Full-time 4wd for several hundred miles and it is in 2wd...like the dash indicates. Where the lever attaches to the transfer case, could I have partially stripped the selector so that it is one off (If I ignore N and 4Lo, it is off one selection)

Normal Position: 2WD--->4WDPart--->4WDFull
What I have: 4WDPart--->4WDFull--->2WD

weeks101 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:29 pm **Posts:** 747

boilermaker2 wrote:

Maybe I don't understand what you are telling me :banghead:

. Do the electronic selector dictate the 2WD/4WD and it is not a true mechanical hook-up?

The sensor is only for the indicator. The selector is 100% mechanical.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 3:44 pm

I suggest you test your 4wd at home with all four wheels off the ground.
Start in 2wd, put it in gear, rev the engine and then get out and observe which wheels are spinning. Should only be the rear.
Then, put the transmission in N, push the brake pedal to stop the spinning wheels, put the transfer case in PT-4wd, put it back in D, rev the engine, and then get out and observe the spinning wheels. Should be all four.
Then do the same with FT-4wd. All four spinning.
Then go back to 2wd where only the rears should be spinning.

If your results are different from mine, you probably have a transfer case selector linkage problem.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 3:53 pm

boilermaker2 wrote:

Its just that I've driven it with the lever in Full-time 4wd for several hundred miles and it is in 2wd...like the dash indicates. Where the lever attaches to the transfer case, could I have partially stripped the selector so that it is one off (If I ignore N and 4Lo, it is off one selection)

Wait a minute...

You said you've been driving with the t-case lever in FT-4wd and the dash indicates 2wd???
The dash does not indicate 2wd, nor does it indicate FT-4wd.
The dash ONLY indicates PT-4wd and 4-low.

So, if the lever was in FT-4wd, how did you know, or what made you think it was in 2wd???

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:02 pm

You are correct. When I have the lever pulled up into what should be Full-time 4wd, there are NO 4WD indicator lights on...2wd default. Sorry if I was confusing, it is difficult for me to explain. It should be in 4FWD Fulltime, in that position, it is in 2WD. If I shove the drive selector lever all the way down it is in Part-time 4WD, the light indicator says thus and so does the drivetrain.

weeks101 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:29 pm **Posts:** 747

flash7210 wrote:

boilermaker2 wrote:

Its just that I've driven it with the lever in Full-time 4wd for several hundred miles and it is in 2wd...like the dash indicates. Where the lever attaches to the transfer case, could I have partially stripped the selector so that it is one off (If I ignore N and 4Lo, it is off one selection)

Wait a minute...

You said you've been driving with the t-case lever in FT-4wd and the dash indicates 2wd???
The dash does not indicate 2wd, nor does it indicate FT-4wd.
The dash ONLY indicates PT-4wd and 4-low.

So, if the lever was in FT-4wd, how did you know, or what made you think it was in 2wd???

The dash does indicate FT 4x4. It's green. PT 4x4 is yellow, as is Lo. But you are correct about 2WD, which is not indicated.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:24 pm

I know the colors but thank you for pointing that out. We're getting off topic.

Does anyone know how to reset the 4WD selector lever to where its position indicates reality?
Thank again to everyone for your insights.
Boiler

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:26 pm

Everyone please pause for a moment. There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.

The indicator lights on the dash exist for the following: Part time 4WD (high range mechanical connection - do not use on dry pavement), Full-time 4WD (high range, differential coupling, can be used on all pavement), and 4-LO (Low-range mechanical connection - do not use on pavement)

Neutral and 2WD positions do not have any indicator light.

The selector handle is THE ONLY TRUE INDICATOR of the position of the shift forks. It is connected via a cable to the shift lever on the body of the transfer case.

The light is generated via a plunger switch that is inside the top of the transfer case. This plunger is pressed in by the lever as it moves from place to place, and the farthest-extended position is the 2WD location where the switch should be OFF.

If you have been driving with the selector handle in "Full-time 4WD" (two pulls back from 2WD) and you have no dash indicator... THE DASH INDICATOR IS WRONG. The plunger switch has gotten out of alignment (this happens quite easily) and / or the switch has failed entirely.

From what I understand, the switch is not protected from contamination - another brilliant design choice - and gets full of crap that causes it to jam or fail out. You may be able to access the switch from above, as that other thread should be describing. The main thing to remember: The dash indicator MEANS NOTHING to the engine / car / computer / transmission / or anything else. It is ONLY there to tell you what you have done with your hand lever... IF you are incapable of simply looking down to see it. :SOMBRERO:

Best of luck with that switch. I never replaced mine when it acted exactly the same as yours... Because one day it just fixed itself. It did it again a year or so later... And again fixed itself. Cheap chinese component, probably.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:37 pm

geordi wrote:

The selector handle is THE ONLY TRUE INDICATOR of the position of the shift forks.It is connected via a cable to the shift lever on the body of the transfer case.

Thank you Geordi. Can the shift lever on the body of the transfer case go bad? Have you heard of this? I am 99.9% sure the light/indicator is not my problem. If I put my selector handle anywhere but in FullTime 4WD, it is in 4WD. This is the only position where it acts and behaves like it is in 2WD

Boiler2

flash7210 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:38 pm

weeks101 wrote:

flash7210 wrote:

boilermaker2 wrote:

Its just that I've driven it with the lever in Full-time 4wd for several hundred miles and it is in 2wd...like the dash indicates. Where the lever attaches to the transfer case, could I have partially stripped the selector so that it is one off (If I ignore N and 4Lo, it is off one selection)

Wait a minute...

You said you've been driving with the t-case lever in FT-4wd and the dash indicates 2wd???
The dash does not indicate 2wd, nor does it indicate FT-4wd.
The dash ONLY indicates PT-4wd and 4-low.

So, if the lever was in FT-4wd, how did you know, or what made you think it was in 2wd???

The dash does indicate FT 4x4. It's green. PT 4x4 is yellow, as is Lo. But you are correct about 2WD, which is not indicated.

Weird.
I must have a bulb out on my dash because I have never seen the FT-4wd light come on.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 6:17 pm

Yes. It is green and says "FULL TIME" between 0mph and the Type43 stamp on the speedometer

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 6:19 pm

I went out tonight and tested it again tonight Geordi.

Without a doubt, when the selector is down in the 2WD position it is DEFINITELY in 4WD.

JieselDeep · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 6:54 pm

When you first start the vehicle, ALL lights should come on for about a second, if the green 4wd light does not come on when you first start the car, the bulb is out.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 8:10 pm

caveat about part time 4x4 and 4 low.
the lever pushes a collar which pushes a spring.

if there's any mismatch in the tires - wear, size pressure - the gears won't mesh
and it won't be in 4x4 - no matter what lights are on.

been there, done that.

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2014 10:07 am

ATXKJ wrote:

caveat about part time 4x4 and 4 low.
the lever pushes a collar which pushes a spring.

if there's any mismatch in the tires - wear, size pressure - the gears won't mesh
and it won't be in 4x4 - no matter what lights are on.

been there, done that.

Yeah, I always try to have it in 4wd before I need it. That is a pretty big noob mistake that we all have to learn. In my experience, most 4WD systems are like that. Some are more persnickety than others.

Return to topic. Has anybody fixed the mechanical linkage for 4WD selector going into the transfer case?

Boiler 2

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2014 10:41 am

To the extent I've "seen" the "linkage" from underneath when I repaired the connection to the transfer case (viewtopic.php?f=5&t=57790&p=642668&hilit=options+considering#p642668) the system consists of the 4-wheel drive shift lever which is connected to a cable in a housing which loops forward and then back to where the cable housing is held in place under the vehicle by a metal bracket and a plastic retaining clip and from there the cable fits over a pin on a lever on the side of the transfer case and is held in place by another plastic retainer.

When the shift lever is down I believe the transfer case lever is all the way back and you are in 2-wheel drive. As the shift lever is pulled up then the transfer case lever is pulled forward thru the various 4-wheel drive modes.

I don't know that there is any "adjustment" in the cable but if so it would be toward the lever end. At least I don't recall noticing any adjustment under the vehicle. Also I certainly could be wrong but I see no physical way with the shift lever down that you could be in 4wd and no way you could get to 2wd by pulling up on the shift lever.

FYI this is not a CRD "thing" so any decent Jeep shop should be able to check it out.

can the 4wd selector lever strip/slip?

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