Hey Fellas,
I've got an 06 supercab xlt 4x4. I'm having alot of the problems everyone else is having with the 4x4 not engaging all the way or engaging then kicking out with the ratchet sound. Do the 06's have the same vacuum and solenoid setup as the earlier trucks or is it some type of electrical engagement? There is a solenoid looking device in the motor compartment on the drivers side. Any ideas?

 

the hub engagement solenoid is located on the fire wall, passenger side behind the battery. sounds like to need to check your lines on the IWE side, and see if there is any water in them. thats a common problem causing your symptoms.

 

Thanks, hate to sound dumb. what is IWE

 

Integrated Wheel End

To me.... fancy way to say auto hub.

 

the IWE works from spring pressure, and vacuum from the engine. when the engine is off, or the switch is in 4wd, there is no vacuum on the IWE, so the spring engages the hub.... when the engine is running and the switch is is 2wd, there is vacuum applied to the IWE, which pulls against the internal spring to keep the hub unlocked..... the solenoid on the firewall will dump the vacuum that goes to the IWE when you switch from 2wd to 4wd. if there is water in the vacuum lines, they tend to do as your describing.

 

Thanks again, I just went out to the truck and looked behind the battery is it the little solenoid looking device about the size of a C or D battery? I shook it around and water poured out of it. There's a little cap on top of it. The body of it has two lines coming from it. If thats it, what's the best way to get water out of it and the lines? It looks like the cap would come off with the right tools

 

That's the one, the new updated solenoid comes with a plastic hood to try and help keep the water that runs down the cowl out of it. You can fab a piece of sheetmetal or something to try and help if your solenoid is still good. The dealer tech used a hand help vac pump to clear my lines. He disconnected the lines down behind the hubs with the truck off and pumped it down. But my truck ended up needing new seals behind the hubs too.

 

That sounds like the problem..... The solenoid got WET, b/c Ford didn't properly examine their design, so more than likely it will need to be replace, but you might be able to take it off and dry it out....

They finally relized how dumb they are and came out with a new solenoid that has a sheild on top of it.

 

Man thanks alot fellas. I figured it was gonna be a major headache. I'm hoping to get to it after work and that's all the problem is.

 

Man that's a POOR design!!!!

 

Is the 07's the same way?

 

It was redesigned, and if you look at the solenoid and if it has a rain sheild on top of it, then your good.

 

If there was water in the solenoid, you can about bet there's water in the vacuum lines and the IWE's too. The vacuum lines are easy to blow out. How to get the water out of the IWE's is the tough part.

 

Would a faulty solenoid keep the truck from completely engaging into 4wd? My '06 is not wanting to go in, also no lights on cluster.