4x4 Issues

[Danger Ranger 4.0]

Hey Guys, I have a 1992 ford ranger 4x4 that i just bought and the 4x4 dont work. My Dad has a 1992 explorer that i take parts off to test. When i hit the 4x4 button...nothing happens....i first replaced the switch and fuse.....nothing, so i replces the 4x4 control box behind the back seat....nothing....the light on it dosnt flash either...also you cant hear the transfercase motor either...Please Help!!!!

 

[2813josh]

The t-case motor is the most common failure I believe. I've already had to replace the one in my explorer. If the motor is bad the lights on the switch will not come on either. There is a writeup in the Tech Library on pulling the motor and cleaning it. Apparently this sometimes will clear up the issue. It's pretty easy to remove/replace, but it's usually a good idea to do some testing before you just throw parts at it.
Check the tech Library under transfer cases, there is quite a bit of info on the subject. Welcome to the site. Use the search button man this is common, lots of info to be found if you search. Good luck.

 

[Geeshik]

4WD don't work.

Use the above title as a search. It will bring up some information on how to diagnose the 4wd systems.

If you look around, you will find a writeup on the '94 and older transfer case diagnosis. It made my week. I have a '93 ext cab 4x4 with a 3.0 and i have been fairly happy with it operating in 2wd for a year or more now because I haven't had time to look into it, but with the snow just around the corner, I thought I would finally make time, so I looked for some information on here.

It made complete sense to me as I have been a mechanic, and saved me bundles in time and money. My problem, it turned out, was in the constant power feed to the 4wd shift controller. I checked the fuse and it was good. Under the dash was good, but when I checked power at the controller pigtail, I had nothing. (It was a dark green wire with a light green stripe that goes into the 4x4 controller and should have constant power from the 20A fuse under the hood.) So I jumpered a temporary wire from the fuse to the pigtail and I was able to get the module to selftest (The little white button on top of the control module: If you disconnect two of the connectors with the key off, and then turn the key, you should be able to get the LED on the controller to light up).

That was the easy part. The hard part was trying to determine where the break in the wire was. I pulled up the carpet and right away I saw green coming from one of the wire harnesses. I ended up having to cut out about a foot of the wire and heat-shrink butt-connect a replacement section due to all of the corrosion in just that one wire. I think that over the years of having tool boxes, and kids going in and out on the driver's side had taken their toll on the harness. So I re-wrapped and re-secured it, tried it out, and everything worked as it should again. Start to finish, i would say it took me about 5 hours of my time and no money (I had spare wire and butt connectors in my garage) to repair something that I've really missed having.

 

[Earl43P]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/transfercasetroubleshooting.htm

 

[Danger Ranger 4.0]

Now i got a solid red light on my 4x4 pcm when i puck the white button...no 4x4 yet??

 

[Danger Ranger 4.0]

And what tells the auto hubs to lock?

 

[Danger Ranger 4.0]

another question.....does the clutch petal have to be pressed to be ablue to shift into 4x4?

 

[Geeshik]

Well i hope you have this resolved by now, but if not, yes, I do believe the clutch pedal needs to be pushed in for at least the low range. I don't know much about the auto locking hubs because I've never had them, but I don't think they lock electronically, I believe they are mechanical.

 

[adsm08]

The auto hubs are spring-loaded mechanical units. If all is operating properly they are locked by the action of the axle shafts rotating inside the hub. They are highly prone to failure and, at an age of 20 years, not worth their weight in cow feces though.