I have a 2001 cherokee sport which I bought used. There's a noise that the car was making it didn't matter if it was in 2wd or 4wd and didn't matter how fast the car was going the sound would stay consistant. The noise sounded like something was rubbing back and forth in a circular motion. So I brought it to my friends dads shop and he said the noise was coming from the transfer case. We didn't check the fluid or open it up. Another thing i noticed is that when I go from 2wd to 4hi or 4hi to 4lo it sometimes wouldn't allow me to lock it in all the way but when I move the drives it allows me to lock it in. Say if I was in 4hi and in drive it, when I try moving it down to 4lo it wouldn't let me lock it in. But when I put it in reverse or neutral it will allow me to lock it in. I don't know if that has to do with the noise or not. Does anyone know what the noise could be? Could I maybe just need new fluid? It hasn't been changed since 2001.

 

going from 2wd or 4wd to 4low requires you to be in neutral and not moving
back to 4hi or 2wd from 4low requires the same thing

2wd to 4hi or 4hi to 2wd can be done while moving and in drive "on the fly"
Just let off the gas and move the lever

I would check your fluid, do a drain and refill
~2 qts of dexron III

If the noise is still there, its time for a new tcase chain.

 

Ok thanks, so it could be one of the two? Do you think I will need a whole new transfer case?

 

You can replace just the chain, and theyre not too expensive IIRC.

I would jsut do the fluid first, that is most likely your problem

Here is a writeup on the chain:
http://www.cdmfabrication.com/bbb/vi...1&t=58&start=0

 

thanks im going to try that.