Another n00ber "4x4 light" queston

After searching and reading a few other posts, I again found that I have more questions than before :bawl:

My girlfreind's 87 XJ wagoneer has the 5-position transfer case, 2H-4H-AWD-N-4L , and of course the "lock" and "4wd" lights to go along with it.

The lights are very slow to change. sometimes taking as much as a mile to change and actually taking about 3 miles to change this weekend when we were in some snow. whether we stop before shifting or not - and whether we speed up, slow down, put it in neutral, back up, whatever.

Do XJ's equipped with the 5-position transfer case have a vacuum activated axle disconnect?

I read on another post that this can be "slow" if dirty, is there a part in particular I need to clean?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

No.

The disconnect was not used with the full-time transfer case.

make sure all 4 tires are at the same PSI

The light is not directly related to transfer case shifting. Just because the little light is not on, does not mean you are not in 4WD when you pull the lever. Our tcases are mechanically shifted (unlike other outfits, which use electric or sometimes vacuum shifting!)

The little lights, however, are vacuum-driven. There are two (for you) little cannister switches in the left rear corner of the engine bay (as you look in) - back by the blower motor, and they should be blue and about 1"x1/2". Those are the switches that drive the lights. You may want to unplug the vacuum harness at the transfer case, and take some carburettor cleaner or canned air (not shop air - too much pressure) and try to blow out anything that might have collected. I'd probably do a shot of carb cleaner, and follow-up with canned air.

However, remember that the lights are no indication of tcase status at that time! The lights will lag as the vehicle gets older, but shifting happens as soon as you pull the lever...

5-90

IntrepidXJ said:

make sure all 4 tires are at the same PSI

Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies, guys -

All four tires are the same pressure, being a long time 4x4 and vehicle enthusiast, I'm pretty picky about making sure tires are maintained, oil is changed, and little broken things are fixed now not when they turn into big broken things.

So what else can make these modes slow to engage and disengage? The light seems to be accurate for the actual mode it's in - like when it shows "LOCK" it is definitely locked.
I am quite sure of this, as this past Sunday I drove nearly 3 miles on (wet,half icy) streets with the t-case lever in 2wd (all the way forward), the LOCK light on, and the truck behaving as though it is in 4H not 2wd. It's a sensation i'm plenty familiar with :cheers:

Is it possible that her shift linkage is bent or has a lot of slack in it?

We're doing diff lube changes this weekend, might as well do the t-case too. What kind of oil goes in the 5-position transfer case?

The NP242 takes Dexron II/III ATF - at least, mine does. Make sure to check out those switches. My wife's 89 behaves in a similar manner (most of the time) and I checked the lines - they looked pretty cruddy. I'll be blasting them out soon...

5-90

5-90 said:

The NP242 takes Dexron II/III ATF - at least, mine does. Make sure to check out those switches. My wife's 89 behaves in a similar manner (most of the time) and I checked the lines - they looked pretty cruddy. I'll be blasting them out soon...

5-90

Click to expand...

I'll check the lines, and clean them. Thanks for the tip