newbie help...first jeep

Hello all, nice place here! I am not new to wrenching, but to jeeps and 4wd stuff.
Ok, so this will be my first of many questions as I have a problem child on my hands.
I have a 86 cherokee 2.5L gas. 228 tcase. Since I have had it I have not been able to use 4wd. Very hard to get into and when its in 4wd there is just major loud clicks, grinds etc...
Anyhow not to go off on that..I was wondering. I see that the 228 is vac operated. I have the switch behind the shifter, but when I got it, it has been disabled...no vacuum. Owner had installed a t-handle push pull knob over on dash by 4wd light.

Has anyone seen this done? I am assuming he couldnt fix vacuum issue and made it mechancle cable operated. Is this bad, or just another way to go about engaging 4wd. When I have been trouble shooting it and pull cable to engage 4wd, before shift lever....it is always amost impossible to get back to "2wd" (I know, its full time 4 just not locked) but you know what I mean

I apologize..its late, I am frustrated and dont even know where to begin for help. $$ doesnt come too easily ya know, so a garage is last option.
Just have been wanting to ask if puting back original would make a diff, and could this have been the root of my tcase issues.

thanks for your time.

Shane

Shane brother.. This is beyond my scope but definitely not beyond others here.. Give it a few and don't let it go! Welcome to !

May sound dumb, but have you checked your oil in the t-case? The push pull thing don't know.. Does this year also have vac front end?

Just be patient, you'll get the help you need here.

The push pull thing is probly a posi lock for the front vac disco axle http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs...D=231000000&productId=2000926&catalogId=10101 , it would bypass the vac thing on the case. When you pull the lever on your case, it puts your case into 4lo, but the axle needs to lock up as well. The vac connection on case sees the selection you chose, and locks the front axle. The later solid axle with out the disco is always engaged. The chatter and what not may be a toasted chain in the case.

Thanks for the welcome
Yep, checked fluid, actually changed a while ago when all this started.
Theres no vacuum deal(sorry, cant think of name) on the front axle anywhere. The push/pull cable runs down next to the lo/hi shift lever linkages. I am heading out to mess with it now and will try and get numbers off the transmission and front axle while I am at it.
The jacked up chain idea I had a few weeks back, as it does sound like I think it would sound if chain is hopping over teeth. Its that harsh and of course being a unibody travels through the whole truck. Maybe I will remove the chain cover this eve. If thats even possible. I dunno, might have to remove whole t-case to look at chain]


thanks guys

Havnt had lotta time to mess with my jeep, but I did get under it and remove both driveshafts to get ready to remove transfer case. Well, I ran outta daylight.so as I was cleaning up, I spun both sides of the case and hear no grinding just the chain run over the gears. Of course no load, so could still be gremlins in there.

One thing concerned me is when I when to turn at the front diff it has quite a bit of slack. Like, i would say....a few inches maybe more.
Am I correct in assuming this is far too much?

It sounds like your shifter might not be engaging the X-case fully, and as for the front end, it is normal for there to be some small amount of play. How much of a rotation on the front yoke are you getting? Anything more than around an 1/8th of a turn is not healthy.

Too much slack. What may sound like chain on gears, may be chain dragging on bottom of case. I have been thru this. My case has a grove in it. You don't need to pull the whole case out. There are a couple bolts that are a PITA. Split the case on the jeep. The chain will hold output shaft in while you take off front half of case. Pull the shaft out, and replace the chain. Drain it first.

cool mike, thats true...didnt think of that. Thanks. I think I am gonna yank it anyhow as it seems that the linkages on the case have tooo much slack..maybe worn bushings or something. Theres a nice boneyard here in n. phx thats all amc jeep.
as far as the yoke, I think its closer to a 1/4 play

well, I feel kinda stupid, but didnt know any better. After reading alot I found that major case dmg can happen if shifted into 4lo in 2wd...I might have done that..pretty sure. It makes sense now but a lil too late! And on pavement.:shocked: geez, well now I know. So probably looking at a rebuilt 228, eh?

Well, after calling around for past 2 hours I located a couple of 228s already pulled for 200$. I figure thats the easiest option. Back to the pull knob to engage 4wd, the cable goes to one of the levers on the case. So I am assuming they got tired of vac lines and made it cable operated.

ugh

shaneidleman said:

well, I feel kinda stupid, but didnt know any better. After reading alot I found that major case dmg can happen if shifted into 4lo in 2wd...I might have done that..pretty sure. It makes sense now but a lil too late! And on pavement.:shocked: geez, well now I know. So probably looking at a rebuilt 228, eh?

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You need to be completely stopped, in netural to go into 4lo. I'm not sure if you have shift on the fly, which lets you go from 2hi to 4hi while driving up to 45 mph. But never from hi to low. There is a different set of gears for low, like a stick trans, you don't just shove into different gear. Case just don't have clutch.

shaneidleman said:

I have a 86 cherokee 2.5L gas. 228 tcase.

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found your problem ha just kidding man atriot:

lol...no doubt. Its a pig, but hey..its what i got..I fly hanggliders and paragliders so it gets us to the top of the hill!

hey there...im back. sooooo........
After the search for a transfer case today, I came home and decided to look at the situation again. I did this once, but I guess I was set on it being the case. Anyhow, I left the front DS off, hooked up the rear and gave it a whirl....no grinding , nothing except for a grinding sound that has been there since I got it. In the front, only when I turn right. Have replaced both wheel hubs and new left axle already. So it seems as something is jacked in the front diff or maybe right axle is broke or something.

Im gonna look, but any ideas would be cool.
It used to make that crazy nasty sound when I tried to engage transfer case, and now it was making it in just 2wd. So maybe there is hope for the np228 being good...dunno, have to see

thanks

the grinding when you turn right might be from the tire rubbing. i get that ocasionally.