What about A4WD...do the fronts kick in and spin when the rears spin?

 

I have not paid much attention to or tried to use the auto AWD.
When it was screwing up it was not engaging the front end even when in 4hi or 4lo.
So I did not throw the auto function into the mix.
I can try and see what happens tonight when I get home and to the truck.
Does that tell me anything if it does or does not engage the front end when in AWD?

 

It will confirm if the front and rear speed sensors as well as the front t-case clutch are working properly...all a part of the system.

 

A little bit of a clunk when it kicks in but front end does engage when the rear tires spin.
Wife was surprised to see the back light behind the selector switch lit up.
She says that the light behind switch has never lit up before.
She says thanks for checking the fuses and fixing the light even if I am baffled by getting 4wd fixed.
I had no idea that the back light for the switch was out.
The indicator lights on the gage panel always seem to light up like they supposed to.
Now I wonder if the light has anything to do with this.
I unplugged the firewall mounted solenoid and plugged it back in.
That is the only electrical connection I can think of that I even touched

 

No, that bulb is tied into the interior lighting circuit. If you happened to unplug the selector switch and then plug it back in, perhaps you maded the connection better.

 

Okay, that's working as it should.

 

It has been doing good for a while now.
Wondering if it was not the weather.
Record cold temps when it screwed up.
???
Puzzled.
Only scenario I can dream up is moisture in the vent tubes froze.

I ordered a new solenoid for the firewall since cheap and easy.
Also found the trim molding that I will be needing.
Turns out the new rear glass leaked when wife ran truck through the car wash this week.
Asked glass company to fix.
Hoping I can install the new trim molding when they fix the window.
Guessing it will have to come out to glue back in and get sealed up.
Going to wait for warmer weather, thinking the adhesive will have a better chance then too.

Thanks again!

 

Well it is acting up again...the 4 wd that is.
Pulled out of the garage yesterday and could not get the front end to engage.
With my head out the window I could hear a clicking when I spun the rear tires.
I was purposely spinning the tires on my snowy driveway and trying to see if the front was hooked by watching out the window.
Back and forth, 2wd, 4hi, 4 lo...4 hi, 2wd...etc.
Tried flipping back and forth, back and forth.
Guessing that the clicking is the IWEs not making all the way to engaging.
Anyone have a link to a good graphic diagram or exploded view at all?
Is there any accessing these w/o tearing the wheels, brakes, hubs, and everything else all off?
Any getting to them from the inside?
Anyone ever done anything like trying to get some sort of solvent or cleaner through them?
I am wondering if there is either moisture freezing in there, gooey grease binding, or some gunk keeping these things from moving freely.
Anyone ever seen anything like that when repairing or replacing them??
I know...grasping at straws here

Still waiting for warmer weather to get the rear window out and hopefully replacing the rear gate's filler panel.

 

did you instal the firewall solenoid? ours was doing this last winter. The solenoid was the reason, swollen and cracked from internal corrosion.

 

Yep. I did replace the vacuum solenoid on the firewall.
When everything works, that seemed to be doing what it was supposed to.
But just eliminate any doubt and it was cheap and easy, I did it.
Yesterday was the first time I had heard the clicking, which makes me think more of the IWEs again

 

Our solenoid was jamming and not letting the axle engage fully, it would only partially extend or retract. The vacumn being applied was insufficent.

If you remove the vac lines from the solinoid you can hook them together to test the IWE. Vac no vac will engage and disengage the axle only.

 

If you disconnect the vacuum line at the solenoid do you have strong vacuum there?

 

Yep. Vacuum is there once truck gets started.
Before and after I replaced that solenoid it seemed like everything was doing what it was supposed to at the solenoid.
I did not verify what was going in and out of the solenoid yesterday, but last time it would not engage everything seemed to be working properly there.
Yesterday was the first time I heard the clicking at the wheel ends and that is what has me wondering if the cold/freezing temps are an issue or if something else is causing the IWEs to not engage properly.
I had told my wife a few times to try and run in 4hi rather than auto for a while as long as she wasn't pulling into tight parking spots etc.
She still remembers getting it all bound up pulling into a spot a few years ago and prefers the auto.
I am just imagining her driving around in auto and it being in 2wd mostly if not totally.
Temps plummet once again and moisture in the IWE freezes while actually in 2wd, then when asking for them to engage and shutting off the vacuum the "cogs" inside the IWEs aren't able to slide and switch position like they should.
Either ice forming or stiff grease/lube keeping them in place is what I am picturing. That is where I wondered about any type of solvent/cleaner being able to "wash" through them or an easy way to get at them to inspect, clean, and or lube.

Wishful thinking though I am guessing.

 

Got home last night and pulled onto the slippery driveway.
It was warmer though.
Just below freezing.
Like 30 degrees and the wife just returned home before I got in.
Switch to 4hi, and all good again.
FWD REV front end hooked and spinning.
Talked to the wife about running around more in 4wd instead of auto for a little while.
Mystery seems to involved freezing temps.
Still thinking either some water somewhere or grease thickening at low temps...
Puzzling.
I think I may try to see what happens if I un hook the vac. lines from the IWEs, from the solenoid on the firewall, from the check valves, and blow some air just through the hoses.
Water in there freezing and keeping them from venting...??????
I just do not know.

 

But at least it's working again.