Trans and 4WD problems.

[draco259]

Ok so I have a a few questions and concerns about my KJ.

First we just got hit with a big snowstorm so I have been driving in part-time 4wd alot for the last 4 or 5 days. Now the jeep wont stay in part-time, the lever just falls down on its own in a few mins or when I hit a bump. So I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on that.

Also I get a large clunking noise and feel when the jeep shifts into its final gear, though it doesnt happen as often when I had o/d off. My speed sensor is out over the rear diff so I didnt know if that would have anything to do with that, though I doubt it.

Also on a side note, for some reason durring the winter my oil light will randomly go on and off and I have checked my oil various times to make sure its full and it is.

Any help on these issues would be very appriciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[belvedere]

Not sure on the first two issues...maybe someone else has experienced this. On the third one, it's probably your oil pressure switch.

So, you're having fun out driving around? Nice to see another South Dakotan here!

 

[journeyjim]

When you say falls on it own, just the lever falls, no change in the transfer case?.
Oil light on and off and it's full?, could be the sending unit. When was the last time oil was changed? Have you been hard driving in the snow with it in part time?.
The transfer case has plastic ends on the cables, have you lubed them recently? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to narrow things down.

 

[RoyalDudeness]

Mine popped out of part-time today- dude put it in at about fifteen mph- light would go off. So dude pulled up a little on the stick and the light came back on (this happened about three times) though it was still in part-time- could hear the front end whine. Then all of the sudden the lever dropped down to two high. So dude pulled it back up again into four-high and it stayed there. That was the first time that has happened.

 

[draco259]

@belvedere Oh yeah, got over 18 in of snow here, sure am happy I just got my new winter tires on though

@journeyjim When the lever falls it going into 2 high. And I would need to look to see when I last changed oil but I know im not overdue. Also, what do you mean hard driving? And I have not lubed the plastic ends, where are they located?

Also I left out some info on the trans. Before it shifts the gear completely disengages and if I let off the gas so it doesnt clunk it acts like im in neutral untill the rpms get high enough then it will clunk and go into the final gear.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[tjkj2002]

Sounds like your not fully into 4wd,shift linkage not adjusted properly?

You should always at least once a month go out on a gravel road or other similar slippery/loose surface and drive around in part time 4wd for 10-15 mins,and 4low for for a few mins also.This is for people that do not use 4wd but maybe a few times a year.It helps keep the shift fork and front sprag unit working correctly and shifting easier.

 

[journeyjim]

When the lever drops, does the tc go from 4hi to2hi?, overdrive should be turned off, clunking when it's going into overdrive?, it may be the tc locking up? The cables are on the side of the transfer case, do you have skids? may have piled a bunch off snow and ice up under there, knocking things out of adjustment.
When I say hard driving, high rpms and 4hi, do you have 4hi full time or 4hi part time?
I agree with tjkj, put it into 4hi and 4lo, once in a while, just to keep things tuning once in a while, I just had the tc fluid changed this fall, and it shifts in and out of gears a lot better.

 

[draco259]

@ tjkj2002 I will check out the linkage, and thanks for the tip on 4hi and 4lo

@journeyjim Yeah I have skid plates, I will look around up their and see what I can find. And at times I was in high rpms. My KJ has 2hi, 4 part-time and 4 full-time.

Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[DAGtunes]

Sorry if this is too obvious...

What speeds are we talking about? Per the owners manual, the part time system will only work up to certain speeds. I don't have it right in front of me, but I believe 4H will disengage at 50Mph - 4L at 30Mph or so. It's in the manual.

Are you shifting into 4H and driving at highway speeds?

FWIW...

 

[draco259]

Nope, when I am in 4hi I dont go faster than maybe 35, and 4lo maybe 20 or 25.

 

[ridenby]

Nope, when I am in 4hi I dont go faster than maybe 35, and 4lo maybe 20 or 25.

Unless you are a Racer why would you be running so fast?

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

So dude pulled up a little on the stick

Bet he did...how much does he charge for that service?

 

[jnaut]

Sounds like your not fully into 4wd,shift linkage not adjusted properly?

You should always at least once a month go out on a gravel road or other similar slippery/loose surface and drive around in part time 4wd for 10-15 mins,and 4low for for a few mins also.This is for people that do not use 4wd but maybe a few times a year.It helps keep the shift fork and front sprag unit working correctly and shifting easier.

I agree with this. When I haven't been in 4wd recently, it seems like I have trouble 'finding' the notch to make it fully in 4wd. I need to get mine offroad more often, just not a lot of offroad options within a few minutes for us urban folk.

 

[journeyjim]

It sounds like you just got the transfer case between settings?, since you have skids you didn't get too much snow and ice up in there, if you did it should have melted from the heat of the engine and trans. Try just running it through its settings, don't know how else to help.