2000 Ranger XLT 3.0 Automatic 4x4 w/ pulse vacuum hoses.

Found myself in a sticky situation trying to get to riding trails. Loose gravel and needed four wheel drive. I have an electric 4x4 selector and flipped it to 4HI and i heard the light click on and it stayed on with no flashing. Went to give it gas and only one of my back wheels was spinning. No front wheels were spinning and i had to be pulled out. Any thoughts or answer as to why why 4x4 wouldn’t engage?

 

Yes, I would say your PVH system is done, time to swap to manual hubs

Rugged Ridge, or Mile Marker are the only ones that fit the 1998-2000 Rangers, they are both made by AVM so you may see that brand as well

How-to here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...hub_swap.shtml

If you want to trouble shoot the PVH system then go for it

At each front wheel is a vacuum hose, these run to a "T" in the middle of the axle, check them for leaks
At the "T" follow the 3rd vacuum hose up to passenger side frame rail and you will find the Vacuum solenoid that sends vacuum to the PVH
It should "click" when you select 4WD on the dash switch, key on engine off

At the vacuum solenoid will be another vacuum hose that runs to another "T" on the vacuum reservoir main hose, this is the vacuum source

If all the hoses are OK and solenoid "clicks" then you may have a vacuum leak in one of the hubs, this is harder to test for, you need a vacuum pump and gauge to see if both can hold vacuum

There are a few problems with this system, main one being ANY vacuum leak disables the whole system


Your transfer case reads like its working fine, you can test that by selecting 2WD then have some one drive vehicle forward while you watch the front drive shaft, it should not be turning
Then select 4WD and test again, front drive shaft should now be turning, if so transfer case is working like it should, so problem is that the front hubs are not locking in 4WD