Stuck transfer case lever??

[edandpeg]

Can't shift into low or high?..Help! Where to start? Thanks! Ed

[Tourettes]

what t-case do you have there?
more than likely, the t-case is not engaging 4wd. You will not be able to shift into 4wd low unless the vehicle is in 4wd. check the vacuum lines on the back of the switch and to the t-case.

[edandpeg]

Thanks, I'll try that. When I put switch into 4 W.the light on dash lights but no go on shift..89 GW kind of new to Jeeps!

[BIG BAD JON]

Make sure its in Neutral, Park is considered a gear.

[Ernzo]

I shift into 4 then stop the motor and pull the range lever up. When going back, I stop the motor as well. IF it really willnot go into low(dont pull TOO hard and that lever, it would be a drag to break or bend it) then it is not really completely is 4. You can crawl under the drivers side and locate the levers.

[zoomer]

Ed, I have the same problem with my 88 GW. If you can get it to work please let me know what you did. I've tried everything I know. But have only had the GW a few weeks. So I don't know that much about it. Thank's Mike ALSO THANKS TO ALL THAT ARE SO HELPFUL!!

[Dan G]

OK Guys,
As soon as you figure this out, let me know too. Most likely you have the NP229 transfer case. I too can get in and out of 4 hi, but there's no way she's going into 4 lo, and **** I can pull on that thing but she ain't budging.

And yes, I have read every tech thingy as to how to do this. Put it in neutral, roll forward about 1-2 mph, put it in neutral, roll backward 1-2 mph, put it in neutral, shut it off, hold the brake down, say 7 hail mary's, bow in the direction of NYC, kiss the ground, thank God for our servicemen, wait for fireworks, etc etc and that lever still won't go into 4 low.

[edandpeg]

I have no prob with my 84...going to lube up linkage and beat the p##s out of it underneath...keep ya posted!

[zoomer]

I cant even get it into 4 hi. I do have 229 transfer case. switch it into 4W and spin the tires only back spin. Must be vac problem?

[RWC]

I was in the same situation ('89, NP229; couldn't get into neutral or 4-low). I know it may sound corny, but I'm going to blame the DSPO. My vacuum motor worked (weakly), but I could NEVER get into 4-low or neutral. One day a couple weeks ago, I noticed that my 4-wheel drive light was fading in and out on the highway. I cussed and swore, thinking the vacuum motor was going out. Well, I was on my way to get parts for an afternoon/evening of maintenance anyway, so I figured I'd go through it and see what the problem was.

I ultimately tracked down an unrelated vacuum leak, and just for kicks switched my 4-wheel drive vacuum switch over directly to manifold vacuum (it had been coming off the PCV). BAM! In and out of 4-high, no problem. Then I went to change the diffs and the transfer-case. When I drained the transfer, less than two quarts came out. redface.gif I was horrified! I filled it up and drove around for a couple days, then just for kicks thought I'd try to shift into low-range. BAM! Low-range! =)

I guess the lack of lubrication (and my own stupidity for not having checked the level right after I bought it) was what had been preventing the lever from engaging. Once some fresh fluid got worked around, it all loosened up. smile.gif

RWC

[zoomer]

Does anyone know if the 88GW has a vacuum diconnect on the front axle, I have read that in the mid 80's they made a front axle that had this system with the 228 / 229 transfer case. My front axle has a place for a hose and someone said it was for a breather hose or maybe vac ? Thank's Mike

[Bob Barry]

No vacuum disconnect axle for the '88's; that was an '83-'84 only thing.

That hose on your axle is indeed the breather hose. You don't want to hook that up to vacuum.

[zoomer]

I think I found my anwser / ( Thanks for the info, Dave! OK then, "some" Selec-Tracs... <G>

The early 80's would have them... the NP228 & NP229 was also used in the 84-86
XJ's and I _know_ these ran an disco axle - but when the XJ went to the NP242
Selec-Trac in 87 the disco disappeared, so _maybe_ that is when the SJ's
dropped it, too? Another thing on the SJ D44 disco axle... these often (it's a
Jeep, so I don't dare say always ;) have the smaller 260 series U-joints. All
the SJ non-disco axles I've seen run the 297 joints though.

Paul W
(No paybacks Dave - just a chance to learn something and add it to the
knowledge banks <G>)

moulton family <moulton@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
> Paul, my 88 had a NP229 and no axle disconnect.anwser:)

[zoomer]

Thank's Bob Barry, that's what Stuka told me last week and I just bought a length hose and ran it up by the radiator, just like he told me to. I/we HA will figure it out one day! I wont give up until it's right. Thank's Mike

[zoomer]

Bob Barry, the pic of your 88 looks just like mine color and all , but I need a roof rack

[edandpeg]

Drove in 4 W..then it "loosened up?...now able to shift?..checked oil...was ok..now works?? strange ???

[RWC]

Are you talking about me?

I'd been driving it in 4-high all last winter (unknowingly low on oil) and never was able to get into low range. I came back to school from my summer internship in DC (had to leave the CJ in Maryland with a busted Dana 44 axleshaft, but I'll be picking that back up in a couple weeks with a Currie HP Dana 60!) and suddenly found myself driving the Wag regularly again. It needed a bunch of maintenance that I should have done when I first bought the thing, including changing the ATF in in the 229. It was low. I drained what was left and filled it up. Just to get the new fluid circulating, I flipped it into 4-high for a couple days, then tried shifting into low-range. Suprisingly, it shifted!

RWC

[Dan G]

OK, I can take a hint. I'll change the fluid in the transfer case.

When I'm down there I'll also change the tranny fluid and see if my sticky governor problem goes away as well.

[zoomer]

I had to fill my transfer case 2 weeks ago and it still will not go in 4W. I'll figure it out soon. sooner or later!

[Turkeyman]

edandpeg...my 87 GW did the same thing last year. I'm no mechanic, but here's what I learned: The TC lever is linked to a vacuum unit leading into the TC. The lever is tied to that vacuum unit rod via a small cotter pin. I had that pin shear off and nothing - I mean nothing - would budge the lever after that until I put a new pin in. Not only that, but of course no shifting was possible anyway with the link broken. A similar incident (same symptoms) happened several months earlier and it turned out there was a piece inside the TC that had to be replaced. Not sure what the part was - it had a fork in it. That time, $400 later I was up and running. Good Luck!

[krob725]

I would replace the vacuum hoses that connect between the hard plastic lines and the vac motor. also there are some vac lines in the engine compartment...look back there....by the bell housing..check to see if they are cracked and brittle. if you have an old brittle hose it will leak and the vac motor on the transfer won't engage.also replace the hoses going to the round black ball back there and the soup can on the fender.
i have done this on three GW's. it works great after. if you have the disco front axle it has three little hoses also that go bad.
good luck
krob725

[zoomer]

I think you might have figured out what is missing on my system. the black ball on the fire wall is not hooked up to anything. since I dont know where the vac lines should go, maybe you can tell me where they hook up in the system. thanks Mike

[Ernzo]

Hey Zoomer, the vacuum lines are not too difficult to suss out, but the way is to download the diagrams from the tech library, or eamil me and I will send them too you. I also strongly suggest that you find another GW and have a long look under the hood to better understand how things route. The black ball is a vacuum resevoir, holds vacuum in reserve. It fires the t-case vacuum motor to get to a from 4, as well as the heater controls (at least on mine). It pulls vacuum via a larger hose that attaches to a fitting behind the carb.

[krob725]

yes ernzo is correct. i don't have my GW here to look at but here is what i can remember.
large vac hose (1/4 or 5/16)from manifold or back of carb to "tee". one side to round ball, one side to soup can on fender. soup can to cruise control? black ball to hard plastic hose coming from firewall (small rubber hose between ball and plastic).
the plastic lines are usually good but the little hoses between everything get brittle and leak.
i can't post pics here.... maybe someone with a dig cam could go outside and help out? come on you can do it! that's why you bought that thing!
ha ha ha
krob725

[zoomer]

Ernzo and krob725 thanks for the info , I'll go out and check it right now. I may need to go and get some hose. Thank's Again, Mike :}