4WD Trouble...
 

I have a '99 3.0L 4x4 and lately my 4wd has been acting up. I dont really know how it works but its been making awful clunking and scraping noises the past couple of days. We just had the effect from the snowstorm up here in Maine and its been really cold, could the unit just be frozen? Sounds like maybe the 4wd is like half engaged and cant get in/out of the position. Any ideas? Can I spray it with wd-40 or something? (and where do I spray?) Thanks!!

well i know my 99 wouldnt lock, and come to find out when i did the brakes on my truck, i didnt tighten up the hubs, so they became lose, and that was problem solved.

it could be many of things, one theory that really stick out in my head is that, on the rangers 3.0 if i do recall there is a tube of some sort hanging down form somewhere that if it gets pinched, you could have problems b/c of the air flow. i might be able to help with a little more info.. does it eventually lock in... etc.


hope i helped some.
mike

yes it does lock in..or it used to, i have been to scared to try it the last couple days incase I mess something up, but it makes terrible noise at slow speed, not so much when moving faster. What does the 4wd unit look like underneath the truck? I dont even know where to look or what to look for to see if something is stuck, etc.

try this. put it in 4wd high(at a standstill) and put it in neutral turn the steering wheel back and forth and slowly roll on the gas. if it still makes the noise then try this, get a rolling start with about 3-5mph no faster, and turn the 4wd knob to high, and turn the steering wheel back and forth then go to somewhere you would need 4wd to see if it locked.

hope that helps.
mike

hmm I will try, thanks! Do u know what the 4wd unit looks like underneath? Id just like to be able to identify it so I can see if anything changes.

1. you posted in the wrong section, this schould go in the drivetrain section, its ok just letting you know for the future...

sounds like its something in your transfer case or maybe hubs, the transfer case would be the 4wd unit your talking about, its located right behind the tranny, if you get out of your truck, get on your knees its the big box looking thing right there between the tranny and the driveshaft, what are the dashboard lights doing when you flip the switch???

Oh sorry about the wrong section...Didnt think of the drivetrain section. When I flip the switch I hear the motor, and it goes into 4wd now, but then it makes loud clunking noises like its stuck or something isnt catching right. When I take it out of 4wd it virtually stops the sounds, but I can hear it once in a while if im going slow. (Its like 30 degrees warmer today, maybe that helped.) The dash lights act normal, except sometimes the 4 low light does not come on (hasnt since I bought it). Thanks for your help.

ya mine was having that problem. it was very difficult to get the lights on the dash to even come on, and i can hear some sort of clunk, but it wasnt locking in 4wd, and as i mentioned before it was just that my hubs were not tightened up, very easy fix.

mike