Hello, so I just picked up a 1992 jeep cherokee, 4.0l engine, sometimes the 4x4 will engage right away other times I have to **** with it and eventually it will engage, from what I've researched it could be the vacuum actuator on the t case or the vacuum motor itself, I'm going on a camping trip in the mountains on friday pretty sketchy terrain need 4x4. Can I run a vacuum from the intake line straight to the actuator on the axle if I have to to make it work? Any insight would be helpful or if you've had this problem what was your fix. Any help greatly appreciated thank you.

 

Your 92 has no actuator in the front axle. Make sure you are shifting properly.CRUISER'S MOSTLY RENIX TIPS

SHIFTING THE TRANSFER CASE

NOVEMBER 17, 2015 SALAD 8 COMMENTS

Here’s how the factory suggests you shift the transfer case and I’ve been doing this since these things were new and I worked at the dealership. Quoted from the owner’s manual. The suggestions in BOLD are mine.

“To engage, shift the transfer case lever from 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving at any legal speed”. I let off the gas, throw the lever, tap the gas, and let off again.

4L position: ” To engage, slow the vehicle to 2-3 MPH , shift the transmission to Neutral, then shift the transfer lever to the right and pull firmly rearward to 4L”.

To shift out of 4L, stop the vehicle, shift the transmission to Neutral, shift the transfer case lever to 4H, then the transmission to Drive (if you have an automatic), or First gear (if you have a manual), and continue on.

 

As said above, there is no actuator. It's just a lever and linkage that controls the transfer case.

If the motor/transmission mounts are bad or collapsed, the shift linkage could be affected. There could be a different problem with the linkage aswell. You should be able to easily feel it engage.

 

But, first off, you need to shift it moving.....

Lotsa new guys think they have to be stopped to shift into 4wd or the Jeep might explode.

 

Thanks for the info guys, going to try it out after work, it does make alot of sense that it has to be moving to engage because that's when it did seem to engage is after I had it rolling. Completely new to the jeep game, gotta say I do love this thing so far, thanks again

Mike

 

Is it a np242 or an np231? A 242 you have to move a little bit for it to engage or disengage, a 231 will engage if you are stopped.

 

I'm not sure on the t-case, it's got part and full time 4x4 so idk if that helps determine what it is or not

 

That's an NP242, they usually have to be moving to shift, if you are stopped or stuck in 2wd and you shift into 4x4 you may have to back up few feet to get it to engage.