242 Woes - Any Help Please

Well yesterday I noticed some odd sounding noise vibration coming from the front. Feels like its coming from the left side right underneeth my seat and usually happens especially when making a left turn at certain speeds. Now this is a 242 on an 89 XJ and I am another believer in the 242 transfer case, therefore I make use of the Full Time and usually run around town with it engaged all the time. When I heard the noise I took it out of Full Time to see if the noise would stop. Nope it did not. Anyway now it will not go back into Full Time but Part Time works and I would think then that Low Range works as well. Any help with this would be great

89XJBlue
Member #379
(I think its still active)

Are all of your U-joints ok? could be one starting to bind up. The shifting action is a mechanical one it SHOULD work regardless. Do the usual, check the fluid, ujoints etc. Is yours a Disco axle? You may need to do some PM there. Keep us posted.
FWIW my 242 gets a little fussy from time to time also but it generally works properly. YOu may need to do some of the forward, reverse stuff. The noise sounds like a ujoint though.

Mine gets fussy also... Make sure tire pressure is equal all around.

89XJBlue
Member #379
(I think its still active)

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Your name would show in red letters if your a member....

Yeah I've been told it is probably a u-joint. Jacked it up a the next day after th noise started, and did a quick inspection. I did not really notice anything. Oh and as for the disco question - no there is no vacuum disco. To my knowledge there is no vacuum disco on any 242 selectrac. Anyway I will have to jack it up again and take a closer look and check fluids and all of that. I will let you all know what happens.

89XJBlue
Memeber #379

Here is a quick update. It refuses to go into Full Time even if I go in reverse. Damn, who knows. I will have to play around with it some more.

Mine gets fussy when the fluid is low. I have trouble shifting in and out.