Transfer Case Tuneup and Fix (4 Viewers)

[cogniz]

Quick update from my last post. My Sequoia's 4HI has performed flawlessly over many 4x4 opportunities. I've not fixed 4LO yet...lazy.
She's about to turn 188k miles.
Also, remember to zip tie or hose clamp the little hose vent....

 

[bkfj40]

Looking for some assistance -

My new to me 2013 had an issue with the CDL not coming on nor going into low range.

I pulled apart both the upper and the lower transfercase motors. The gear came off of both of them despite me trying to keep them from coming apart

Now I have a flashing 4lo light and a beeping noise. And it is stuck in low range.

I am looking for a picture of the top motor and the gear alignment. I’m thinking it is rotated too far

Also, I would think the gear position will also need to be known if it is is high or low range. I’m in low range.

It’s gonna be a slow ride to work.


…. I kid - just trying to get this vehicle sorted out before giving it to my wife

 

[cogniz]

BK,
If memory serves, the push rods into the transfer case have very little real travel. Perhaps a couple of inches. So it's conceivable you could manually pull (or push) the rod to disengage the LO.
As for the gear timing, I seem to remember seeing some photos of 4LO gear and switch settings on the intertubes somewhere. Might be one of those crazy Arabic videos where the guy was showing the Landcruiser 4x4 actuators. They looked exactly like my Sequoia's....

 

[bkfj40]

Thanks @cogniz !

The lower motor runs the go low part of the transfercase. I had to slide the rod to the rear position and then it is in hi range.

Y’all are great. No more flashing 4lo light

These two photos helped me.

 

[Seanweeksie]

Best post ive ead in a while thanks.
Any luck finding that replacment motor ??

 

[Diff Kraken]

Bump for @afgman786 whose 200 nearly had to be left on a mountain the other day when the CDL wouldn't engage. Pro tip- check your gear before heading out to wheel.

 

[cogniz]

Sean, I never found the motor. Hell, I could not even find any specs on it from the numbers on the body. So I gave up.
Diff Kraken, to add to your pro tip, EVERYONE should check the breather hose on the top of the housing and ensure it's connected. I'd go so far as zip tying or hose clamp it. If it's off, and you know you've run through water or mud, it might have water intrusion, which lead to my failure.

New Update=
Just in the last week, the Sequoia's 4HI light flashes (like the failure to engage) completely on it's own. Not touching the 2wd/4wd switch. It's just a gremlin. Then, the next day, it's off. I"m guessing it's some periodic logic or continuity check the computer does periodically. So once again I'll be digging into the actuator. I'll report on what I find then.

 

[bkfj40]

My 200 wouldn’t lock the cdl. I cleaned up the contacts and thought I was all good, but this morning on the way to Dulles, the cdl was blinking. The major downfall of that also means that the cruise doesn’t work. I am going to have to pull it again and see if maybe I am a tooth or two off on it.

It’s never fun being the one on the trail that has issues with their truck. Trust me, it’s happened a lot to me.

 

[2008Sequoia]

I

Glad someone else is finding this useful! Let us know how it goes and if there's additional nuggets and hints you can find.

This fix is more applicable than people recognize at the moment. I believe that literally every high mileage cruiser that has a flashing indicator at startup, or inconsistent actuation, is dealing with some spectrum of the electronic contact wear. Rather than the heavy gear hardware within the transfer case.

Take a look at the breather hose that comes in at the top side. The tube has been known to crack over time, or come off, leading to water ingress. Mine looked fine but I put a tie wrap around it just for good measure.

I agree. I think the issue is related to electronics more than physical hardware.
We see this issue on Sequoia’s too (what I’m driving/trying to resolve the similar symptoms/issues with currently).

I think this issue spans LC’s, Sequoia’s, Tundra’s and even 4Runners from my exhaustive research. It pisses me off that Toyota dealerships claim ignorance on the issue when a schmuck like me can research the issue and connect the dots to find an OBVIOUS issue here. Come on Toyota!! Get your s*** together!

 

[2008Sequoia]

M

I have been without 4 lo in my 2010 lx for about a year. I can flip the switch but here no relay clicking near the glovebox like before it stopped working. I don't get any indicator light either. I have tried starting the truck up with switch in 4 lo like was previously recommended here but nothing gets it to work. Anyone know if it is the actuator would I at least get the relay click and light to come on? I am hoping it is a problem with the switch assembly on the center console and not an actuator

Mine stopped making the clicking sound too. After messing with the actuator last night. I did hear the clicking near the glove box that I hadn’t heard in months when the 4x4 system started flooking out

 

[2008Sequoia]

To answer my own question. Yes you can move the pins in and out. I’d make damn sure you know what the orientation is on the actuator before proceeding.

 

[LanceL]

EVERYONE should check the breather hose on the top of the housing and ensure it's connected. I'd go so far as zip tying or hose clamp it. If it's off, and you know you've run through water or mud, it might have water intrusion, which lead to my failure.

Dumb quesiton perhaps, but where exactly is this breather located? I splashed through some big puddles on a trail the other week and after reading this I definitely want to make sure that hose is secure.

 

[2008Sequoia]

Dumb quesiton perhaps, but where exactly is this breather located? I splashed through some big puddles on a trail the other week and after reading this I definitely want to make sure that hose is secure.

Just behind the two wire connector. You’ll feel a little cone shaped/nippley part. Make sure your engine is cold the exhaust goes right where you need to reach. And you’ll most likely have to remove a cover/guard.

 

[LanceL]

Just behind the two wire connector. You’ll feel a little cone shaped/nippley part. Make sure your engine is cold the exhaust goes right where you need to reach. And you’ll most likely have to remove a cover/guard.

View attachment 2972646

Well, hose was split and not attached, just as I feared! Zip tied on for now, but definitely going to have to plan a better fix. No 4lo issues at the moment, but definitely bookmarking this thread for the future....They don't give you any slack in that hose, so you can't really chop the end off to get a clean non-split section!

 

[2008Sequoia]

Well, hose was split and not attached, just as I feared! Zip tied on for now, but definitely going to have to plan a better fix. No 4lo issues at the moment, but definitely bookmarking this thread for the future....They don't give you any slack in that hose, so you can't really chop the end off to get a clean non-split section!

Yeah!! I cut about a 3/8” off and pulled/stretched it on and zip tied mine. Going to make this a maintenance check for sure! Was contemplating using sprinkler drip line unions and adding a little extra length, but the high heat area that close to the exhaust makes me leery.

 

[LanceL]

Yeah!! I cut about a 3/8” off and pulled/stretched it on and zip tied mine. Going to make this a maintenance check for sure! Was contemplating using sprinkler drip line unions and adding a little extra length, but the high heat area that close to the exhaust makes me leery.

Ya I was thinking maybe a section of rubber vaccum hose or something similar. I think amazon has that braided cut-to-length heat shield stuff for spark plug wires, might work over the hose.

EDIT:

Like this stuff:

Amazon product ASIN B073XD43MB
Amazon product ASIN B00030CZMS

 

[2008Sequoia]

Ya I was thinking maybe a section of rubber vaccum hose or something similar. I think amazon has that braided cut-to-length heat shield stuff for spark plug wires, might work over the hose.

EDIT:

Like this stuff:

Amazon product ASIN B073XD43MB
Amazon product ASIN B00030CZMS

Nice! Yeah - the OEM stuff has that braiding/heat shielding on it. That would work great!

 

[Tecnos]

My truck had the CDL blink after being in 4low for a bit. It was just blinking when i pushed the CDL button to disengage. I assumed it was stuck on, but it didn't chirp in a 180 degree turn on wet pavement. I turned the truck off for a few hours and it the light turned off. I tried driving in a straight line and backing up in a straight line a bit, and it didn't work. I did not try back up while cutting the wheel.

Reading this thread is pretty disappointing. I also have a TPMS sensor down. This complexity adds nothing for me. I want as bullet proof truck as possible and these nagging electrical issues suck. Starting to think I should have gone with another 100.

 

[CharlieS]

brass straight nipple and some fuel line would do the trick to extend it to replace a damaged end section.

 

[2008Sequoia]

Check out my fix for my 2008 Sequoia…