DenaliRanger1

2000 cherokee . I've been in 4wd full time for about 7 month's. I can't get it out. How much is this affecting my gas milage? Thanks.

RTorrez1

And you are just starting to think about it now???

diego94

its affecting your mpg a lot... I was just litteraly about to start my own thread on this... but mine only started yesterday lol... what tcase do you have? take alook under it , is the linkage bent or broken?

karl4x4

A lot of vehicles are always in 4wd by design. Nevertheless, your transfer case was not designed for 4wd forever. I wouldn't sweat it to much in winter or rainy season but come winter I would investigate. Do you know this from the light only or have you confirmed its actually engaged. You can check that by lifting one front tire and try to spin it. If it spins freely, it's in 2wd and your 4wd switc is malfunctionning. If not, it's engaged.
Is the lever all the way to 2wd? If so, the linkage adjustment may have slipped or disconnected.

DenaliRanger1

It is engaged.. I can go to part time or 4 lo no problem but when I try to go into 2wd the lever just keeps bouncing back at me I can just keep on slamming it down but it will not go get out.. Rtorrez - No obviously this is not the first time I have thought about this in 7 month's. Just my first post about it.

karl4x4

I would put my money on a lever not properly adjusted.
What I would do is:
Make sure you are in neutral and wheels blocked with a little bit of loose to "wiggle" the jeep an inch or so. Go underneath and, loosen up the 4x4 lever adjustment bolt. then using channel lock pliers, I would force it into 2wd directly on the Transfer case lever. you can move in and out of it and feel the mechanical engagement. . Than make sure the lever inside is in 2wd and tighten up the adjustment and VOILA.
Hopefully a bit of an increase gas mileage after that.

DenaliRanger1

Thanks Karl... Where is the adjustment bolt.. Is it obvious?

karl4x4

Yes, its a 1/2 inch (13mm) bolt. just follow the links.

DenaliRanger1

Ok. Thanks.. I'll try that out in a little bit and see what happen's.

Kalali

Since no one asked I sure hope you have NP242 and not an NP231. I guess NP231 doesn't really have a full-time 4WD setting.

austinjoe13

In Full Time you won't lose too much. Maybe 1mpg. I don't notice too much with mine. The only reason I do lose mileage is because snow drifting is just so damn fun

The NP242 linkage is pretty weak, I keep telling myself that I'm going to swap mine to heim joints. Mine gets stuck in 2wd and part time doesn't like to engage. They're just fussy in general. But I would take a fussy 242 over a perfect 231 any day, that full time is GREAT!

doral330

I know someone on here already mentioned but whats the difference between full time and part time? I could never figure this out?

karl4x4

Simple. Part time, the front and the back axles are mechanically locked together.
With full time, there is a differential inside the transfer case that allow for different speed of the front and rear axle.. Technically, you could have one wheel spinning in the front or back and all the others not spinning at all but some transfer cases even have something to prevent that by using a viscous coupling instead of a differential in the center that will "lock" after a few "differential" revolutions.

DenaliRanger1

Good explanation karl.. So I didn't get a chance to mechanically shift the lever into 2wd today. But still. I go offroad almost everyday. I live in wyoming and idaho. THe jeep is my dd. But I live in the mountains so I'm almost always offroad. If I shift into 2wd with a wrench. But need 4wd a day later and it doesn't go back out then what?? Will replacing the transfer case resolve this issue or is there something else that needs to be addressed first? Thanks.

austinjoe13

When was the last time you changed the fluid?