Jeep Cherokee XJ Forum

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#1 02-11-2012 21:32:24

jtanl95XJ
Newbie
Registered: 02-11-2012
Posts: 5

a few xj questions...

I have searched for answers to what I have going on, with little luck, so hopefully I found a forum with someone who has had this issue, and fixed it.

I have had my XJ now for 2 months, and with this crazy Indiana weather, along with only having a car port(that leaks like a strainer) to work on my vehicles.  First decent snow we had I tried to put my jeep in 4WD, pulled on that shifter with all my 225lbs of force....nothing.  had my wife come out so I could watch the linkage as she moved the shifter.  I pb blasted the entire linkage for an entire week as soon as I got off work.  After getting the rust off, everything seems to work as it should, until you get to the transfer case.  I popped the linkage off and used a set of vise grips to fasten a flat bar to see if I could manually shift the tc into gear, I even blocked the wheels and put the trans in neutral.  It moves about a half inch up and down, and you can hear the internal gears, but nothing.  Here is my question...would a plugged up or bad vacuum switch cause my problem.  If the tc is low on fluid(I have yet to check, was gonna today, it snowed, carport leaked...grrr) will it keep the tc from engaging?  I am sorta new to wrenching on jeeps, so any information is greatly appreciated...

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02-11-2012 21:32:24

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Re: a few xj questions...

#2 02-11-2012 22:31:15

andy
Master
Registered: 09-27-2008
Posts: 119

Re: a few xj questions...

The issue is not anything to do with the vacuum. If you can't even pull the shifter into the correct position I would guess there is something wrong/jammed/rusted inside the case. Without looking inside it is really hard to tell what the issue is. You may be getting really familiar with the transfer case soon. Don't worry it isn't that bad. You don't need to take the whole thing off to work on it. Just leave it all attached and remove the rear driveline and the cover and you are good. Remember to catch all that nasty fluid in there.

To shift into gear have you tried rolling slowly, putting the transmission into neutral and then pulling the 4 wheel drive into gear? This is the best way to do it. You want the gears to be moving so they have a chance to line up inside when you pull the shifter.

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#3 02-13-2012 16:33:18

jtanl95XJ
Newbie
Registered: 02-11-2012
Posts: 5

Re: a few xj questions...

So I finally forced some time to go out and remove the fill plug on the tc....stuck my finger in there...nothing, so I unscrewed the drain plug....no fluid....uh...problem.  so I am gonna pick up a second qt. of dex 3, and try again, if nothing, it does look like I will get to know my tc better

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#4 02-13-2012 20:28:22

jtanl95XJ
Newbie
Registered: 02-11-2012
Posts: 5

Re: a few xj questions...

Ok, went to oreilly's picked up some valvoline dex lll, got home and filled the tc.  I can move the shifter a little farther, but still not engaging 4wd.  I crawled under, really examined the linkage.  There is a bolt, looks as though it might be to adjust the linkage angle.  Could it be that the linkage is out of adjustment and the angle to get the tc into gear is wrong? This is the last thing I can think of before tearing it apart....any other ideas

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#5 02-15-2012 12:11:37

crumb
Helper
Registered: 12-05-2008
Posts: 17
Website

Re: a few xj questions...

If it were me, I would have taken the transfer case apart while there was still no fluid in there and made sure everything was moving as it should. If there has been no fluid in there for a while I am sure that some damage has been done.


Alpine Homes is a very poor quality builder

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