New Truck Unsure of Problem (1 Viewer)

[XTankComd]

Hi all new to the forum, I have been around 4x4, Quads Motorbikes and tracked vehicles most of my working life, I live in the central North Island of New Zealand. A month ago I bought a 92 VX Auto Transmission with no mods and 600+ k on the clock from one careful lady owner, it hasn't been used in a off road context for many years. Its going to be a project vehicle upgrade for camping, hunting and some serious 4x4 and limited farm work.

Well anyway its time to lean on the brains trust of the whole team. So yesterday it was time to check out the drive system. So sitting stationary on flat ground, I engaged the transfer lever from H to L the center diff lock light came on, yip so thats a good start. I reversed a couple of meters no abnormal noises, stopped drove forward to my original position, Stopped re-engaged H, placed into drive then no go just a whirring noise like a shaft hadn't engaged. Center diff light still on. Went back through the process into low and reversed probably 20 meters and tried again. No luck.

Tried various combinations and multiple times of in L engine off into H and starting, tried the red button on floor of gear selector no joy.

Jacked up front wheels they just spun freely no abnormal noises, not engaged, did same with rear axle no obvious binding or rotation. The center console diff lock push switch is sticky I removed it, the cables were still attached, used a wee spray of silicone to free it up. Can drive in high only due to the center diff being locked. Reluctant to drive far until I know what's going on.

No matter what I do I still getting the whirring noise like a shaft thats failed to engage.

I don't have a manual at all, and relying on you guys and gals to point me in the right direction. Vehicle had a full service two months ago.

I did a search of the forum I found similar issues being discussed but this is slightly different Thanks in advance.

 

[BILT4ME]

Hi all new to the forum, I have been around 4x4, Quads Motorbikes and tracked vehicles most of my working life, I live in the central North Island of New Zealand. A month ago I bought a 92 VX Auto Transmission with no mods and 600+ k on the clock from one careful lady owner, it hasn't been used in a off road context for many years. Its going to be a project vehicle upgrade for camping, hunting and some serious 4x4 and limited farm work.

Well anyway its time to lean on the brains trust of the whole team. So yesterday it was time to check out the drive system. So sitting stationary on flat ground, I engaged the transfer lever from H to L the center diff lock light came on, yip so thats a good start. I reversed a couple of meters no abnormal noises, stopped drove forward to my original position, Stopped re-engaged H, placed into drive then no go just a whirring noise like a shaft hadn't engaged. Center diff light still on. Went back through the process into low and reversed probably 20 meters and tried again. No luck.

Tried various combinations and multiple times of in L engine off into H and starting, tried the red button on floor of gear selector no joy.

Jacked up front wheels they just spun freely no abnormal noises, not engaged, did same with rear axle no obvious binding or rotation. The center console diff lock push switch is sticky I removed it, the cables were still attached, used a wee spray of silicone to free it up. Can drive in high only due to the center diff being locked. Reluctant to drive far until I know what's going on.

No matter what I do I still getting the whirring noise like a shaft thats failed to engage.

I don't have a manual at all, and relying on you guys and gals to point me in the right direction. Vehicle had a full service two months ago.

I did a search of the forum I found similar issues being discussed but this is slightly different Thanks in advance.

Are you POSITIVE you got the lever all the way back forward into position after shifting to low?

Some of these have been known to have levers that are VERY difficult to move and you may not have go it where it needs to be and the transfer case is still in neutral.

This is a manual engagement, not an electrical one for the center differential. The switch will LOCK the CD, but if anything, it will either fail to lock or stay locked, based on that switch. The lever is the only thing that controls neutral.

I have had to remove the lever and everything off the top of my TCase because when it was "cold" (below 50°F) I could NOT move it properly from H to L or L to H. I'm a decent size guy with plenty of arm strength and I could NOT move it.

I took it all apart, cleaned it all up, greased it with moly and now it's a two-finger operation, even at -15°F.

 

[Broski]

What @ BILT4ME said is the only thing that make sense.
It’s still in neutral

 

[XTankComd]

Are you POSITIVE you got the lever all the way back forward into position after shifting to low?

Some of these have been known to have levers that are VERY difficult to move and you may not have go it where it needs to be and the transfer case is still in neutral.

This is a manual engagement, not an electrical one for the center differential. The switch will LOCK the CD, but if anything, it will either fail to lock or stay locked, based on that switch. The lever is the only thing that controls neutral.

I have had to remove the lever and everything off the top of my TCase because when it was "cold" (below 50°F) I could NOT move it properly from H to L or L to H. I'm a decent size guy with plenty of arm strength and I could NOT move it.

I took it all apart, cleaned it all up, greased it with moly and now it's a two-finger operation, even at -15°F.

Hi thanks for the reply yes positive, I can put it in H with diff locked and still drive it,but given only the rear wheels are driving the issue may more sinister, without the diff engaged there is just a whirring noise so I believe something hasnt re-engaged.

 

[Malleus]

If you can get the wheels off the ground, you may have better luck re-engaging 4WH. As the others have said, it's a mechanical problem. The transfer case is a two speed gearbox:

the shift lever moves the fork and engages one of two gearsets. If it doesn't move, it's most likely gummed up.

 

[Malleus]

FYI, the complete 1992 FSM set (engine, transmission, chassis and EWD) is in the resources section. The transfer case is in the chassis supplement, RM315E, although it assumes you're going to work on the case on the bench, which you do not have to do. I'd follow @BILT4ME 's advice, before I removed it.

 

[BILT4ME]

Hi thanks for the reply yes positive, I can put it in H with diff locked and still drive it,but given only the rear wheels are driving the issue may more sinister, without the diff engaged there is just a whirring noise so I believe something hasnt re-engaged.

Does your truck have locking front hubs? Possibly a part time 4WD setup.

 

[John McVicker]

Yours might not be this simple to fix as mine was, but what I’m about to describe absolutely…AND immediately solved my exact same problem. Hard to believe but it did.

I crawled underneath and with a homemade brew of penetrating fluid ( used a batch called ‘Ed’s Red‘) in a spray bottle, I liberally sprayed the top of the T-Case. Could tell where I was spraying but could not actually see where I was spraying.

That did it…got in the truck and was immediately able to go back & forth…4-H to 4-L, back & fourth. 2 months ago…still good.

Try it!

 

[mudgudgeon]

So, to clarify, with the centre diff locked, you can drive it in high range?
But if the centre diff is unlocked, you cannot drive it in high range?

 

[XTankComd]

So, to clarify, with the centre diff locked, you can drive it in high range?
But if the centre diff is unlocked, you cannot drive it in high range?

Yes thats correct

 

[XTankComd]

Yours might not be this simple to fix as mine was, but what I’m about to describe absolutely…AND immediately solved my exact same problem. Hard to believe but it did.

I crawled underneath and with a homemade brew of penetrating fluid ( used a batch called ‘Ed’s Red), in a spray bottle, I liberally sprayed the top of the T-Case. Could tell where I was spraying but could not actually see where I was spraying.

That did it…got in the truck and was immediately able to go back & forth…4-H to 4-L, back & fourth. 2 months ago…still good.

Try it!

Cheers I will try that nothing to lose thats for sure.

 

[XTankComd]

Does your truck have locking front hubs? Possibly a part time 4WD setup.

No just the locked ones.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Was the centre diff lock light on when you bought it and drove it home?

 

[mudgudgeon]

Jack up one front tire only, and see if you can rotate it by hand?

If you can, is the front drive shaft turning?

If yes, you have a problem in the transfer case.
If no, the problem is in the front axle.

If the front drive shaft rotates, then pop dust caps off the front hubs and watch the axle shaft while you rotate that wheel.
The splined axle shaft should rotate with splined flange that's bolted to the hub.

 

[XTankComd]

Was the centre diff lock light on when you bought it and drove it home?

No I was sitting in the truck and wanted to see how and if it all worked. Its becoming a little frustrating.

 

[XTankComd]

Jack up one front tire only, and see if you can rotate it by hand?

If you can, is the front drive shaft turning?

If yes, you have a problem in the transfer case.
If no, the problem is in the front axle.

If the front drive shaft rotates, then pop dust caps off the front hubs and watch the axle shaft while you rotate that wheel.
The splined axle shaft should rotate with splined flange that's bolted to the hub.

Yes I did that, and it freely rotates. So looking at a transfer case issue, Thanks

 

[ppc]

Yes I did that, and it freely rotates. So looking at a transfer case issue, Thanks

A problem in the transfer case would be extremely rare.
Most likely will be what @mudgudgeon stated about:

striped drive flanges,
broken birfield joint
broken axle

All in the front axle.

 

[XTankComd]

A problem in the transfer case would be extremely rare.
Most likely will be what @mudgudgeon stated about:

striped drive flanges,
broken birfield joint
broken axle

All in the front axle.

Ok thanks, will pull it out this weekend, I will let you know what I find.

 

[XTankComd]

FYI, the complete 1992 FSM set (engine, transmission, chassis and EWD) is in the resources section. The transfer case is in the chassis supplement, RM315E, although it assumes you're going to work on the case on the bench, which you do not have to do. I'd follow @BILT4ME 's advice, before I removed it.

Thanks I will check it out.

 

[mudgudgeon]

No I was sitting in the truck and wanted to see how and if it all worked. Its becoming a little frustrating.

Definitely frustrating. Sucks to be in a position thinking you've bought something with a big issue. Been there done that!
It's easy to think the worst, and overlook simple things.

It's worth pausing. Step away. And come back with a cool head.

I agree with @ppc it's unlikely to be a transfer case issue, but not impossible.

If you drove it home under its own power, and CDL light wasn't on it suggests you've overlooked something simple. Unlikely something broke in your driveway (again, not impossible).

A few more questions.

1- What year model?

2- was it sold new in new Zealand? Or imported used from Japan?

3- Was the truck on flat ground while you were testing how high/ low CDL worked?

4- Your first post you say you jacked up front wheels and the spin freely. Is this turning them by hand?
Is there any resistance, or none?
Do they both turn the same direction? Or one forward, one backwards?
Is the drive shaft turning?

5- Same question when you jacked up the rear wheels. Do they both spin the same way? Or opposite rotation?
Is the drive shaft turning?

6- when you were turning wheels was the CDL locked or unlocked?
Transfer case in gear?
Transmission in park?