T-case Stuck In 4-part Time!?

Ok here is the problem flat out; when i put my 95 XJ 4.0L H.O. command track into 4-low, then wanna put it back into 2-WD, IT WONT GO!! It can run in 4-part time or 4-low and i have to stop and put her in neutral for it like normal, BUT when i push to the left for 4-full time or 2-WD it doesnt even need to stop! I can be driving at 40 mph and switch from 2-WD to 4-full without stopping and i get nothing. If i want 4-part or 4-low then i have to stop and change in park or neutral like normal.

This problem is only a week or 2 old and it started slowly. Example is, i had her in 4-low and couldnt get it back to 2-WD so what i did was put her in 4-full time, drive a bit, pull over to put it in neutral, then into 2-WD and within a minute or 2 it was back in 2-WD and the light went off!
I just spent over an hour tying every manuver i could think of to get it out of 4-part time and was unsucessfull. Tonight was the first night i was able to just move the lever back and forth from 2-WD and 4-full time while driving at any speed which SHOULD NOT BE!!!

Im heading to paragon tomorrow, can you guys throw out some ideas or tech solutions that may work so i dont have to drive in 4-WD for the 4 hour trip???? (and yes, i did a search but couldnt find a direct solution).

PLEASE HELP A.S.A.P.!!!!

does 4Lo kick in a little earlier in the shift movement than it used to?

Your linkage may (probably) need readjusting, it's a pretty quick & easy fix, do you know any 4x4 buddies in your area? My local club has a bunch of guys very experienced with adjusting the linkages. Even laying on the parking lot of Rausch Creek.

sounds to me like your t/case is binding up somewhere. it can hold tension on the chain and make it difficult to get out of gear. you should always be able to go to/from 2wd -4Fulltime with no problem, theres a "clutch system" in the t/case that allows slipage between the front and rear and eliminates the binding that would normally happen.

something is going on inside the case.

did you check the fluid level? ? ?

Sounds to me like it's out of fluid.

Well i just got home an hour ago and had to start some laundry first, but im going NOW to check on the linkage and fluid and i'll let you guys know A.S.A.P. so watch back for my results to further help me with this problem!

AND THANKYOU ALL FOR REPLYING SO FAST SINCE IM UNDER THE GUN FOR TIME HERE, having to leave for paragon in 18 hours and its a 4 hour trip!!!

Ok, heres the update, since im a first time XJ owner and not to familiar with a t-case i will describe whats going on as i see it....

As im underneath checking the linkage, my girl is able to shift it from 2-WD to 4_full time while it is off. However she is not able to get it to shift over and down into 4-part time and 4-low. There is leakage coming out of the seal right as the drive shaft goes in and has spun the fluid across the bottom in that area. Only thing is i dont know which is the drain hole to check the level of fluid; so can someone direct me to it. Its gotta be the stock t-case in a 95, just lowered and angled a bit. Im guessing a 231?
HELP,,,,,,,AND THANKS SO FAR,,,,,,HELP!!!

LittleAnthony88 said:

Ok, heres the update, since im a first time XJ owner and not to familiar with a t-case i will describe whats going on as i see it....

As im underneath checking the linkage, my girl is able to shift it from 2-WD to 4_full time while it is off. However she is not able to get it to shift over and down into 4-part time and 4-low. There is leakage coming out of the seal right as the drive shaft goes in and has spun the fluid across the bottom in that area. Only thing is i dont know which is the drain hole to check the level of fluid; so can someone direct me to it. Its gotta be the stock t-case in a 95, just lowered and angled a bit. Im guessing a 231?
HELP,,,,,,,AND THANKS SO FAR,,,,,,HELP!!!

Click to expand...

Brass hex plug about half way up on the rear of the case. Fill with ATF.

langer1 said:

Brass hex plug about half way up on the rear of the case. Fill with ATF.

Click to expand...

How many quarts does it take to fill? And if thats the drain plug then where do i fill it?? Also can i run a synthetic or synthetic blend??????

LittleAnthony88 said:

How many quarts does it take to fill? And if thats the drain plug then where do i fill it?? Also can i run a synthetic or synthetic blend??????

Click to expand...

The drain plug is the lower plug the fill plug is the upper one.
If it's leaking around the drive shaft don't waste money on synthetic untill you fix that leak.
That T-Case has a Oil pump, if it's leaking it will pump all the fluid out and burn up.
I would not drive to far untill it's fixed.

langer1 said:

The drain plug is the lower plug the fill plug is the upper one.
If it's leaking around the drive shaft don't waste money on synthetic untill you fix that leak.
That T-Case has a Oil pump, if it's leaking it will pump all the fluid out and burn up.
I would not drive to far untill it's fixed.

Click to expand...

That puts it in perspective. My T-case looks slightly different but the plugs are both in the same spots as you have labelled. I dont think the leak is that bad tho. It most likely leaked over time, BUT none the less, your right; i need to get it fixed.
Well all i can do for now is go get the fluid tomorrow, drain and fill before i head to paragon; then i'll have the seal fixed next week.
DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE ANSWER TO WHY IM STUCK IN 4-PART TIME THO???
You never said how much the t-case holds???? Oh and THANKS FOR THE HELP BIG-TIME!!

From what you have said I think it's the most likely the cause.
I think it holds about 3.25 pints you fill it until it runs out the top hole.

Ok, don't know if this is helpfull or not, is it leaking around the output? my 97 was doing that, finally stopped burning off the fluid it filled the edges of the cat cover with 2 months after replacing output with A HD SYE and CV

Had a bad ujoint that let it flop enough that the output bearings were shot.

Also, on the comtrac aren't you supposed to be able to go 2 to 4full on the fly?

I know my GFs 90 is picky, going from 2 to 4full it shifts smooth on fly, but indicator lights take up to 1/2 mile to change, same thing going to 4hi (stopped but did in gear with foot on brake.)

One time tho took it out of 4hi to 2 when we got up in am and all the snow was gone, got one helluva snap sound out of it when turned out of parkinglot since it takes forever to switch back to 2wheel from 4 lock. Since then occasionally on left turns going over bumps we get a clunk somewhere under driver foot area.

langer1 said:

From what you have said I think it's the most likely the cause.
I think it holds about 3.25 pints you fill it until it runs out the top hole.

Click to expand...

Thank you! I will get them tomorrow and reply back to this thread when i drain and fill. Any RECOMENDED ATF BRANDS?? Preferably the best or closest to best??? Also what type, conventional, synthetic blend or synthetic??
Thanks once again!!

Anyone?

Not to be an ass, but this isnt rocket science. Pretty damn simple. Get some ATF and fill it until it reaches the top fill plug. That simple. Theres nothing special or finicky with a transfercase. Some of them last forever when people dont bother to check ans refill them. They really dont dirty the fluid because theres nothing in there to contaminate it.

LittleAnthony88 said:

Thank you! I will get them tomorrow and reply back to this thread when i drain and fill. Any RECOMENDED ATF BRANDS?? Preferably the best or closest to best??? Also what type, conventional, synthetic blend or synthetic??
Thanks once again!!

Click to expand...

It don't make any difference what brand untill you get the leak fixed.

Ok, its the morning here and im on the way to go get some ATF. I dont have the time to fix the leak now but i will fix it at the start of next week! I do have a big question here, what if i fill ker up with new fluid and im still stuck in 4-Lo; will it be bad for highway travel even if i keep the speed down around 55mph???????????????

Here are 2 pics, one is me pointing at where the leak is coming from. This leak doesnt drip really at all and has looked that way for a year,(i believe), but i have never had any problems up until now! The second one shows my 1995 XJ's command track for verification that it is command and not select:




Please let me know if this is a big fix or easy because im strapped for cash for a mechanic to do it and have decent mechanic skills, BUT not with trannys an t-cases so theres my problem and question to you good fellas....???

You can't drive on the highway in 4-low.
White letters in Off road only, Green is Highway.

driving in 4lo (or 4hi/part time) on paved surfaces... NOT GOOD. you'll be ok for short distances if you go in a perfectly straight line, but once you start turning, the speed differences in the two axles will wreak havoc with your t-case. If you have limited slip or lockers, you'll have even more problems. you'll have the same problems in 4Hi (part time), although it'll take longer to do. 4 part-time usually doesn't have problems because it only engages both axles when one looses traction.

Sorry i ment 4-part time NOT low. Added tranny fluid today (was a quart short) and was enough to get her back in 2-WD and im out the door right now for paragon baby!!

See Ya, AND THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP GUYS!!!!