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2006 F250 5.4 V8 4X4. ESOF worked the last two years, but not this year. Switch works, lights on dash work properly, I can feel and hear the transfer case working underneath me, but the hubs wont lock in auto, if I switch them to manual then I have four wheel drive.
Here is what I check so far.
I took the connector off the hub lock solenoid and checked the 3 pins, getting voltage on the center pin as designed.
Disconnected the vacuum line from the solenoid that runs to the front hubs (left the other line that runs to the reservoir connected to the solenoid) and placed a vacuum gauge on the solenoid. I get a reading of about 20 inches when I turn the switch to 4x4 and get about 5-8 inches when I turn the switch to 2wd, zero the rest of time.
I then placed a vacuum pump on the line I disconnected from the solenoid that runs to the front hubs and was able to pump it up to 20 inches and it stayed there until I released it.
My AC and heat work fine and does not automagically switch to defrost.
It sounds to me that my problem lies within the hub. I have never worked on a hub so I am not sure what to check. Any ideas or help is greatly appreciated.
The system is working as designed, that's for sure.
Sounds like a hub is stuck.
If you put the system into 4x4, and jack up the front wheels, spin each one, and see which hub is not locking. (the wheel will spin in relation to the axle u-joint)
That way, you can focus on the one hub that's not locking. It probably just needs a good lubing, soaking it in ATF is usually the way to go.