Hey all, quick intoduction, Marty here, 93YJ owner, purchased 1.5 months ago (that is my excuse for not yet having a long list of mods), from Cincy Ohio area

Ok ...this sux! I dont think my 4x4 is working. I have surfed around the net and am aware of the vacuum disconnect problem common with YJ's. I have checked the vacuum hose connection points both at axle and at T-case, and both points are still connected. I DIDN'T, YET, pull the connections off and test them to see if there is a vacuum there, but I will tommorow when i have more daylight.

My question, however, is this. IS THERE A WAY TO DEFINITIVELY TELL IF I AM IN 4X4? Here are the reasons i think i am stuck in 2x4:

1) the 4x4 light is ON when i am in 2H, and goes off when I switch to 4H. This was what got me wondering.

2)so I.... drove to a gravel lot with a friend and had him get out and observe wheels when i gunned it (peeled out) in supposed 4x4. He could see the rears spinning/digging, but not the front. We repeated this test several times.

3)this is when I.... had a mechanic from my work (we have a garage there) take it for a drive. I told him I didn't think it was engaging, but I at that point did not know of the common vaccum problem, so didn't mention it to him. We drove it around the lot, and he said he could tell by the steering that we were in 4, and also geared down to 4L and felt the gears go lower. I IMMEDIATELY drove in both 2 and 4 and couldn't/still can't feel any difference (although this is my 1rst Jeep...kinda a newbie).

4)All this said and done, I probably would have just taken his word for it, but I also tried to feel it out after a recent snow, and it sure as hell felt like i only had power coming from the rear. NO HANDLING DIFFERENCE between 2 and 4 in the snow either. Felt like i was driving my old rear wheel drive Old's Wagon, with all power from the rear end. I'm not sure....but It sure seems like im stuck in 2WD.

So anyway.............is there a definative way to tell????

I had a thought, what if I took it in to our work garage, and had them lift it a couple/few inches off the ground with me in drivers seat. If in this situation I put it in 4WD, then the front wheels should spin. I think I may have just answered my own question. Or am I wrong in this theory?

Any help/tips/pointers in right direction would still be appreciated though, and thanks for any to come,

Mart
:smokin: :confused: :confused: :confused:

put her in 4-lo, cut the wheel all the way to the left or right and give her some gas. If she's in lo, you'll feel the steering wheel try to fight ya.(it's just your front u joints complaining 'bout the angle your makin' 'em work at)

I tried that just like you said....I can't tell a difference, other than the lowered gearing. No real tug from the steering =(

The mechanic said he could feel it in the steering.... I would leave it at that, but all the other signs of it not working....i dunno

If you couldn't tell a difference, I'd bet it's not working right.

Give Chad Adams at Baroffroad a call... cant get his website to work, but the phone number is 513-248-4060 They're in Milford. He'll get you set up.

So did you check all the vacume hoses? ALso check the front driveshaft too. Make sure it is turning when you have it in 4x4. You could have transfer case probs or gear probs.......peace

Put it in 4 wheel drive with the engine running (so the vacuum disconnect will work). Set the e-brake, put it in nuetral, lift one front wheel off the ground with a floor jack. Make sure only one of the front wheels is off the ground. Try rotating that wheel with your hands. If 4X4 is working, you'll only be able to move it back and forth a little bit, like maybe an inch or so.
If it rotates freely, look under the Jeep as you rotate it. If your front driveshaft is turning, you have a problem with your transfer case.
If the driveshaft is not turning, you probably have a vacuum disconnect problem. Turn off the engine, lower the Jeep, climb underneath and try turning the front driveshaft. If it doesn't turn (you're still in 4X4) your vacuum disconnect is not working.
The fact that your "4X4" light comes on when you're in 2 wheel drive suggests that possibly the vacuum lines to vacuum disconnect are reversed. Take a look at that.
Get a service manual.

Sounds like the vacuum lines are hooked up backwards. Is it a manual if it is maybe someone put in a new clutch and hooked the lines up wrong on the T-case.

Easy way to check if the vac. lines are reversed, but it in 2wd (you said the 4wd light is on), try to turn the front drive shaft (with both wheels on the ground) if the front driveshaft won't turn then put it in 4wd and try the same thing. If the DS will turn then there's your problem the vac. line are reversed. All you gotta do is switch the vacuum line on the front diff. The ends are different, so you may have to follow the lines and find where it may have been repaired.

Good luck

Craig

Originally posted by CrazyCraig
Easy way to check if the vac. lines are reversed, but it in 2wd (you said the 4wd light is on), try to turn the front drive shaft (with both wheels on the ground) if the front driveshaft won't turn then put it in 4wd and try the same thing. If the DS will turn then there's your problem the vac. line are reversed. All you gotta do is switch the vacuum line on the front diff. The ends are different, so you may have to follow the lines and find where it may have been repaired.

Good luck

Craig

That's not going to work. If he puts it in 4WD the transfer case is going to engage the front driveshaft and it won't turn anyway. Although your 2WD suggestion will help him figure it out.

I had this problem once too. The vacuum lines were somehow connected backwards on the T-case. check to see if the keyed plug is actually plugged in properly on the keyed input, it is possible to do it incorrectly even with the keyed plug. I had exactly the same symptoms, including the reversed 4x4 light.

Good luck...

disconnect the front and rear drive shaft and the transfer case. a simple 4 bolts per shaft, and put it in gear in 2h, 4h, and 4L, and watch what the output shafts do. it is really, really easy. if they spin correctly, then start blaming the vacuum. if not, something else is the matter.

go get your hands dirty, and wow, you didn't even get flamed for this one!! :flipoff2:

Originally posted by aaronlosey

go get your hands dirty, and wow, you didn't even get flamed for this one!! :flipoff2:

That's what I was thinking and 'Mo even responded. Sheesh! Weenies:flipoff2:


And Newby theyhave this great place called JU..... :flipoff2:

Had a weak moment... :rolleyes: