2000 Ranger 4x4not going into high

[Lance9090]

going into high directly if I stop and press clutch with brake I can get it into low temp from low I can put it into high airlines are good it's definitely locking it just won't go directly into High 4 by 4

 

[RonD]

Welcome to the forum

From the comment about "airlines" I assume you have PVH front hubs, which is odd, most of the 2000 Rangers with 4.0ls were Live Axle, but not all, officially 2001 was first year for Live Axle

In any case the "airlines", working or not, wouldn't effect 4high shifting

When you move the shift knob from 2WD to 4High does the 4WD light on dash flash or does it come on and stay on?

Flashing 4WD light means a problem with shift motor
Steady on means Controller(GEM module) thinks shift motor is in the correct position for 4High

Article here on how the shift motor works: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/rebuilding-a-ford-transfer-case-shift-motor/

Picture 4 shows the transfer case shift rod: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/images/rebuild_transfer_case_shift_motor/rebuilding_a_ford_transfer_case_shift_motor-2.JPG
Its pointed at 2WD(2H) in picture

Pictures 5 and 6 show the contact wheel and contacts respectively
When the electric motor is on it turns the contact wheel AND shift rod
The metal traces on the contact wheel then connect and disconnect the 4 contacts as it turns
That's how the Controller can tell how far to turn the contact wheel/shift rod, to get 2WD, 4High and 4Low
So Controller powers electric motor then cuts power when contact wheel is in the correct position for what driver selected on the dash switch, 2WD, 4High and 4Low

And its adjustable..............well the contact plate is, but very very odd for it to come out of adjustment

What I would do is to be in 2WD and select 4High, confirm you are NOT in 4high
Then pull off the shift motor from transfer case and LOOK at where the shift rod is pointed, should be exactly pointed at 4H
If not then contact wheel may be dirty(inside) or out of adjustment
OR
It could be the triangle DRIVE on shift motor's contact wheel is worn down, too much slop, so its not turning the shift rod far enough to engage 4H but if you go to 4L and then come back to 4H it does engage

The shift motor doesn't do 360deg rotation, it moves in both directions, like power window motor does
So it rotates from 2H to 4H then to 4L, and then goes backwards 4L to 4H then to 2H
So if the Drive part was sloppy then you could get what you have now

 

[Lance9090]

Thank you that makes a lot of sense I recently had an oil leak and took it to a lousy mechanic and I know he took the drive shaft off transmission transfer case maybe he put it back and it's sloppy cuz everything was working prior to this work I guess sometime this weekend I'm going to work on it I'll repost my findings

 

[Lance9090]

This is very interesting I'm going to have to read and review this several times before I start working on it you did ask about the light there is no light when I switch it to 4 high I hear a slight clicking sound but if I switch it to 4 Low I'll hear the clicking sound and the light will come on and it stays on steady and locks and then if I shift it again 4high the light stays on for 4 high.

 

[RonD]

Yes, that reads like the shift motors drive connection to transfer cases shift rod is loose
Nothing to do with the rear drive shaft as you mentioned earlier

This is all in the shift motor on the back of the transfer case, you need to pull that off and have a look

 

[SenorNoob]

That's the best description of that process I've ever seen.