98 4.0l 4wd acting up!!

[speedfreak87]

Removing the battery cable works for the ecm, but the t-case really doesn't have a computer (just switches and relays, that I know of).

The scanner won't pick anything up. The blinking of the 4x indicator lights is the trouble code readout, but I don't know those.


I think I know the sound your talking about. On my truck its coming from the front axle though.

I would probably look at getting all the tires off the ground slightly (and safely), engage the 4x, and poke around to see if you could see/hear exactly what its doing. I'm thinking its in the t-case, but am not positive. May want to get some more thoughts/opinions from others.

I got the 6 blinks or whatever it is in the spring when everything was thawing out, checked it, and it was the t-case motor, no big deal, bought a new one and before I got to put it in, the lights went out and the 4wd worked, used it twice after that with no issue, thinking maybe the problem returned with the motor, I replaced it this morning with the new one. The grinding that I'm hearing sounds like its coming from the pass front. kind of like when you get a rock stuck in your rotors type of sound.

 

[triumphrider-1]

Ah, ok.

I have the rugged ridge/avm manuals. only thing I can think of (it the hubs aren't working) is the last time I have my tires balanced the tech knocked off the hub and din't put it back on right, but I doubt it's that. (I used 4wd since then, but i'll be checking them this weekend) But this morning I didn't even lock the hubs, it sounds like it's not even engaging into 4h. it wants to, but it's not going into gear it seems.

Do this, and see if you find out anything from the hub. Also check the bearing for play.

 

[speedfreak87]

I should be able to pop the tcase motor off and put it in 4wd manually correct? that wont do any damage to the system or anything, will it?

 

[schaffer]

You can using a pair of channel locks.

I had a problem of mine not engaging for a while.I cleaned the terminals on the plugs and converted my vaccum hubs to "manual"(not the rugged ridge/avm hubs) and it fixed the problem.

Id check the motor,wiring and your hubs out and go from there.

Just curious how you like your manual lockouts....One of my factory hubs came off when wheeling and I'm thinking about the rugged ridge/avm hubs.

 

[speedfreak87]

When I got to work today I had my co worker see if he could see the axles spinning after I locked the hubs. He couldn't tell but it's not a big deal. Put it in 4h, and you can hear the motor activate, but get nothing. so I put it in 4lo and same thing, hear the motor, well I did it a couple of times and got nothing, so then in 4lo, ,I floored it. heard a rather loud bang, and then the 4wd seemed have been working, went in and out.. took it out of 4wd, floord it and the rear tires spun, put it in 4lo floored it and the truck lunged, with no spinning, it acted as though it was in 4wd.. took it to the back gravel lot and tested again, everything worked, even shifting into 4hi while moving (5mph), it went into 4wd, seems a little delayed, but it went in and out with no issues.. could the tcase just have been frozen???

You can using a pair of channel locks.

I had a problem of mine not engaging for a while.I cleaned the terminals on the plugs and converted my vaccum hubs to "manual"(not the rugged ridge/avm hubs) and it fixed the problem.

Id check the motor,wiring and your hubs out and go from there.

Just curious how you like your manual lockouts....One of my factory hubs came off when wheeling and I'm thinking about the rugged ridge/avm hubs.

Up until now I loved everything about the truck! lol! But seriously, aside from having to get out to lock the hubs, they are great. I'll pull them and clean, oil them friday for a minor maintenance.

 

[schaffer]

You may have gotten water in the connections somewhere.Id pull the tcase motor,clean that and the wiring going to it.then pull your hubs and clean,oil etc.


Id much rather real manual lockouts on my 98.I know it would help stop shredding cv axles at the slightest bit of resistance.

 

[triumphrider-1]

When I got to work today I had my co worker see if he could see the axles spinning after I locked the hubs. He couldn't tell but it's not a big deal. Put it in 4h, and you can hear the motor activate, but get nothing. so I put it in 4lo and same thing, hear the motor, well I did it a couple of times and got nothing, so then in 4lo, ,I floored it. heard a rather loud bang, and then the 4wd seemed have been working, went in and out.. took it out of 4wd, floord it and the rear tires spun, put it in 4lo floored it and the truck lunged, with no spinning, it acted as though it was in 4wd.. took it to the back gravel lot and tested again, everything worked, even shifting into 4hi while moving (5mph), it went into 4wd, seems a little delayed, but it went in and out with no issues.. could the tcase just have been frozen???

Glad to hear its working. It may have just had a bug (not literal) in it to when you slammed the throttle it jarred it enough to free up.

 

[speedfreak87]

You may have gotten water in the connections somewhere.Id pull the tcase motor,clean that and the wiring going to it.then pull your hubs and clean,oil etc.


Id much rather real manual lockouts on my 98.I know it would help stop shredding cv axles at the slightest bit of resistance.

The motor is new, but I'll double check the plug, it looked clean and also had a good amount of dielectric grease in it.

Glad to hear its working. It may have just had a bug (not literal) in it to when you slammed the throttle it jarred it enough to free up.

I sure hope it's fixed.. I think for piece of mind after I'm done changing the fluids etc, I'll take it to the dealer and have then once over it to see if they can find something I missed. I don't mind getting stuck at work when it snows, or home (much rather be at work so I get paid) I just don't want to get stuck on the road. I drive through the mountains to get home and in the snow, I NEED 4wd..

 

[speedfreak87]

I've been doing more reading.. what is this "chain" in the t-case? and how can I check it? I was looking at the exploded views on in the tech library and didn't see any chains.. it's a 98, maybe I don't have a chain? and if I do, would it effect 2wd in any way?

 

[triumphrider-1]

Its there, in the bottom right of the picture (P/N:7A029), it only shows a section of it.

The chain doesn't really affect 2wd operation, just transfers power to the fron output shaft.

 

[speedfreak87]

Its there, in the bottom right of the picture (P/N:7A029), it only shows a section of it.

The chain doesn't really affect 2wd operation, just transfers power to the fron output shaft.

Ok, I saw it.

Reason I asked is because I have some play, like when on a hill (in 2wd, normal driving) the truck will roll back (like if it was a manual) and when I start going again, there is a litle bump/jump.. not sure if the t-case has anything to do with that, or it's a U-joint deal.. or what it would be, I'll probably take some video when I get the truck up in the air, I'm just trying to narrow search area's down.

 

[triumphrider-1]

The slight rollback is normal for every vehicle I've driven.

The bumping could be u-joints, or just the TSB for clunking/bumping on take off.

 

[speedfreak87]

The slight rollback is normal for every vehicle I've driven.

The bumping could be u-joints, or just the TSB for clunking/bumping on take off.

Is there a link to that TSB or anything?

 

[triumphrider-1]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3868&highlight=CLUNKING+TSB

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/829718-clunk-when-accelerating-from-complete-stop.html

 

[speedfreak87]

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out.