I have a 1994 4x4 ranger that I converted from automatic to manual and now the 4wd won’t work. The light will come on occasionally but not engage. I could really use some help

 

Welcome to the forum

Do you have manual or automatic locking hubs on the front wheels?

If Automatic then one of them may not be engaging so no 4WD
Both have to engage

The 4WD light will only come on when the electric shift motor is in the correct position, its not controlled by "the button", the button tells the 4x4 Controller(behind drivers seat) to shift into 4WD
The Controller then sends 12v/ground to the electric Shift motor, which moves the transfer case shift rod into 4WD position
In the shift motor is a Contact Plate, it turns with transfer case shift rod, so the Controller knows when to stop turning the motor, i.e. when its in 4high

Guts of shift motor seen here: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-motor.123542/

Pics 5 and 6 are the contact plate and the contacts
These activate the dash 4WD lights
So if the 4WD light comes on the transfer case IS in 4WD

This is what 1994 4x4 Controller looks like, and has some test to do: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...is-1994-older/

The system just has the 3 parts
Switch on dash, never breaks
4x4 Controller, hardly ever breaks
Shift motor, often fails, but from DISUSE, no overuse

The automatic front hubs are not part of the electric shift system, and should be change to manual hubs when possible, lol
You can disassemble them clean off all the grease and give them a LIGHT COAT of oil, NO GREASE, and they can start working again

 

I have the 4x4 working now. But now I don’t know how to put it in low range because of the transmission swap

 

Did you wire in the Clutch switch on the clutch pedals push rod?

The wiring for it should be there, but on an automatic it would have a by-pass harness plugged into it, all Rangers were wired as manuals from the factory, up to about 2001
Its a 6 wire inline connector
Automatics had an added harness that ran from the clutch switch connector, thru firewall, and to the NSS(neutral safety switch) on the automatic transmission

In a manual trans Ranger the speed must be 0MPH, the clutch pedal down and foot on the brake, then you can shift into 4low

In an automatic its the same but the trans shifter must be in Neutral, in a manual the clutch pedal down confirms Neutral as there is no Neutral switch on the transmission

 

I did not wire the clutch pedal. I bypassed the neutral safety switch on the wiring that was already there

 

Looks like the Automatic trans 4x4 Controller wants to see pin 1 grounded "when in neutral"

Diagram below

So find the red/white wire and try grounding it, but NOT the red/light blue wire, that wire has 12volts when key is in START

 

I can’t figure out how to make a new thread but I have a coolant issue. I’m trying to find a coolant leak under the intake manifold. It doesn’t look like it’s coming from the thermostat housing. It looks like it’s coming from right where the valley cover meets the heads. I’m not sure if it’s as simple as a gasket or as bad as a cracked head. It also seems to leak at mid to higher rpms, it doesn’t leak at ideal. I’m at a loss

 

Go to the general ranger discussion forum, seen here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...discussion-15/

mid-way down above "stickies" on the left is "+ New Thread", click it to start a new thread/post in this sub-forum
All the sub-forums have the same way to start a new thread

On the 4.0l OHV engines(1990-2000 Rangers) only the 4 corners of the lower intake has coolant passages, no coolant in middle on either side

Most likely cause of coolant in the area you describe is from a pin hole leak in upper rad hose or heater hose spraying coolant out onto mid-lower intake
After engine is full warmed up, so has 15psi pressure in cooling system, shut off the engine
Put you hand near the area of where the coolant is showing up, you will "feel" the coolant spraying on your hand, can't see it at all, unless you know where it is after feeling it, lol

Not an uncommon thing but perplexing if you have never experienced it

 

The leak is in the front right under the throttle body I don’t think it’s a hose

 

Yes, that could be lower intake corner leaking, there is a passage at each corner
Get a intake gasket kit

What happens on these and other engines is that the lower intake is made of aluminum and the heads are cast iron, so "dissimilar metals"
When there is a flow of liquid between two dissimilar metals you get galvanic corrosion(often miss called electrolysis)

This is prevented by changing coolant every two years, coolant has additives that are gone after two years, as far the the silicate(green) coolant is concerned
If coolant isn't changed then the aluminum starts to get eaten away, and the gasket along with it
Then it leaks