I feel silly asking, but I have a rare bird here. It's a 1989 JDM HJ61 (rhd) with a five speed and 12-ht diesel.
It has a 4wd button at my left knee and the light engages as well as a lever 2H-N-4LO on the floor. Up front it has Asisn locking hubs.
First thing first; I thought it was a vacuum actuated "4HI on the fly" type system meaning press the button while moving in gear and you're in 4x4 hi. For the nasty stuff, you stop, clutch in and use the mechanical lever for LO range and lastly get your butt out and twist the lockers for a locked front diff.
I realize there are vacuum, solenoid and diaphragm possibilities that can come into play here but pause on that thought process until you're finished reading.
What happened: I was in third gear going Aprox 35MPH and I pressed the 4wd button while in gear. The truck immediately made a nasty gear grinding noise (like when you have a bad clutch and can't quite get reverse). I then pressed the button and it quit in under a second. In my panic state, I pulled over (in deep sand on accident) to see if I damaged anything. No leaks and no chunks of metal in the road. Pressed button again while stopped and no sound.
Next: tried to pull forward and realized I was stuck.
Next: pressed 4wd button with clutch in and tried to escape my sandy prison. Rear wheels spin slowly and front do nothing. I try reverse and same result.
Next: I'll timed police officer in a Jeep rolls up and snickers before asking if I'm stuck. Me, unwilling to be pulled out by a jeep says no and declines assistance. Lol.
Next: 4wdbutton still on, I get my butt out and twist my front lockers then clutch in and select 4LO. No clunks, or thinks like I'm used to on my Toyota pickups... I select first gear and low and behold the front spins and I crawl out SLOOOOOOLLLLYYYYY.
In summary, is my 4hi not working, or am I daft, or both?
It has a 4wd button at my left knee and the light engages as well as a lever 2H-N-4LO on the floor. Up front it has Asisn locking hubs.
First thing first; I thought it was a vacuum actuated "4HI on the fly" type system meaning press the button while moving in gear and you're in 4x4 hi. For the nasty stuff, you stop, clutch in and use the mechanical lever for LO range and lastly get your butt out and twist the lockers for a locked front diff.
I realize there are vacuum, solenoid and diaphragm possibilities that can come into play here but pause on that thought process until you're finished reading.
What happened: I was in third gear going Aprox 35MPH and I pressed the 4wd button while in gear. The truck immediately made a nasty gear grinding noise (like when you have a bad clutch and can't quite get reverse). I then pressed the button and it quit in under a second. In my panic state, I pulled over (in deep sand on accident) to see if I damaged anything. No leaks and no chunks of metal in the road. Pressed button again while stopped and no sound.
Next: tried to pull forward and realized I was stuck.
Next: pressed 4wd button with clutch in and tried to escape my sandy prison. Rear wheels spin slowly and front do nothing. I try reverse and same result.
Next: I'll timed police officer in a Jeep rolls up and snickers before asking if I'm stuck. Me, unwilling to be pulled out by a jeep says no and declines assistance. Lol.
Next: 4wdbutton still on, I get my butt out and twist my front lockers then clutch in and select 4LO. No clunks, or thinks like I'm used to on my Toyota pickups... I select first gear and low and behold the front spins and I crawl out SLOOOOOOLLLLYYYYY.
In summary, is my 4hi not working, or am I daft, or both?