ErikTheRed

Just yesterday I bought a 1993 Grand Cherokee Laredo with the 5.2 V8. Its got its share of irritating issues, but it runs and drives fantastic. Its full-time 4x4, but there is a 4x4 shifter lever that has 3 positions-- full-time 4x4 (shifter forward), neutral, and 4x4 low (shifter back). Currently, the shifter is all the way forward in full-time. I've tried everything I can think of to get the lever into neutral or 4x4 low but it won't budge. I've tried with the trans in park, in neutral, in low gear, stopped, slightly rolling, foot on the brake, foot off the brake, etc etc etc, but the 4x4 lever will not pull back. It seems to be locked in the full-time position. Can anyone give me some advice? Is there a trick to this? Is something broken? If so, where should I look? Thanks for any help!!!

ErikTheRed

I just read quite a bit of this forum and learned some about the 249, which I believe this Jeep has. Sounds like its a big piece of crap. But still, I can't see that the viscous coupler, even if it has failed, would be the cause of my shifter-won't-move issue. So I still could use some advice.

Grasshoppa

Are the tires different sizes? I have that problem with different tires i just have to slam it in gear sometimes on a flat surface and it seems to work. Have you checked under the jeep to see if it engages? Try slamming it, then power braking in reverse, then drive. Sounds bad but works for me! Good Luck

Eva

I just want to clarify- you cannot move the shifter at all, not even into neutral?

And about the overall comment on the 249 being a piece of crap... the 249 was designed to be used on the road, with ability to off road on occasion -> it was not designed for serious off roading. The viscous coupler may be a weak link, but every vehicle has one. So, that being said, the 249 is a perfectly serviceable and good transfer case for the application for which it was designed. If you want to do serious off roading, yes, you may want to switch out the transfer case.

caged

it's probably never been moved in it's whole entire life.

start by spraying all the linkages where they meet underneath. then with the jeep in neutral, grab the 4wd lever with both hands and a good tight grip, and pull it with all your mite into 4lo. it will take a lot of strength, but should go.

i had this problem with a few full time cases with friends and relatives.

but yeah, i'd look into swapping out that case.

and not all jeeps have the viscous coupler, only full time cases (242, 247 and 249). 231 and 241 did not. neither did any earlier cj or fsj (without the full time option).

DRUNKEN DIXIE

The shifter linkage is the rear one when you get under it see if its still all connected then have your other half or buddy get in jeep and try to force the shifter back while you **** on it from underneath.

ErikTheRed

Grasshoppa: All of the tires a newer and all the same size/make.

Eva: Yes, thats correct-- I cannot even get the shifter into the neutral position. It won't move from the 4x4 full-time position. I bought this Jeep to pull our boat to the lake and to go camping with, I have no intention to do any "serious offroading". But, from time to time, I find myself in a situation where 4x4 low would be handy. I need this to work.

Caged: I have no idea if its been used, but I'd imagine it has. The guy I bought it from said the 4x4 worked fine, but like an idiot, I didn't check it before I bought it.

I will check out the linkage and make sure everything is lubed up, but it makes me very nervous pulling on the lever that hard...... I feel like I'm gonna break the damn thing off right in my hands. Should the truck be running? In park? Neutral? Whats the normal procedure for shifting into 4x4 low on this rig?

ErikTheRed

Also, what happens if the viscous coupler is worn out? Will the vehicle still drive? No full-time 4x4? What happens? Sorry for the newbieness of my questions.

DRUNKEN DIXIE

Leave it running and in neutral, you won't break anything if your other half is in the jeep pulling and your underneath looking at the linkage and helping it, I have done it a lot.

Eva

Erik,
I agree with Caged and Dixie, though Caged's "it's probably never been moved in it's whole entire life" made me laugh out loud.

I had to yank the crap out of my shifter the first time to get into 4L, but it moved into neutral okay. (I have a 94 Grand Cherokee, 5.2L with the 249 quadratrac.) I think if you lube the linkage, put it in neutral with engine running, and pull, you should be able to move it to neutral. Once there, go for 4L.

Lube- Use a JB80, WD40 or something that will penetrate the rust. If the linkage is working well after that, you probably want to try something a little thicker and silicone based.

Good luck!

Eva

For the viscous coupler, it basically locks the wheels into all 4 spinning at once, and will damage the transfer case. I had questions, and received some good answers. See "Quadra-Trac Wear?" under Grand Cherokee Tech where we are, but different thread.

I'm looking into the Lucas oil treatment to help the VC wear in mine, but need to confirm WHICH one to use (as in oil treatment or gear lube treatment or something else.) I'm running the Lucas oil treatment in my engine, and it makes a big difference.

ErikTheRed

Jacked it up and had a look underneath. The linkage arm come out of the floor and down to what appears to be a pivot of some sort, a short cross piece that looks like a pivot pin. That pivot is supported on one end by a bracket on the frame and the other end looks like it slips into a small hole in the side of the trans case. Welp, that end of the pivot has come out of the hole and slipped down slightly. It looks like I might be able to tap the pivot back into place.

So my questions are, can I tap it back into place? Am I looking at this correctly? Is that doohicky I'm looking at only a pivot pin? What may have caused it to come out and how can I prevent it from happening again?

Oh and BTW, you're right--- the linkage is pretty stiff and has quite a bit of surface rust build-up. Its gonna need a serious lubin'. Maybe this is why the pivot popped out in the first place.

Eva

Yes, it looks like it's just a pivot pin, and the rust would have been enough to cause it to pop.

ErikTheRed

Ok, check it out......

I was able to get the pivot back into position, lubed all the joints with grease, and the lever was shifting in and out of all positions like butter. All-time 4x4, neutral, and 4x4 low positions no problem. I started the truck, dropped the trans in neutral, and pulled the 4x4 lever into neutral-- piece o' cake. Then I pulled it back into 4x4 low position, which grinded the gears unless I gave it good, hard, sudden tug-- then with a CLANK, it dropped into 4x4 low. I drove the truck around a bit in back yard (I have an acre of property) and it was easy to tell it was in 4x4 low. So all is well, right? NOPE. As soon as I tried to put the lever back into full-time, it got stuck again. I shut the truck off and climbed underneath and saw that the pivot pin had come out again. I put it back where it goes, and again it shifts through all positions just as smooth as snot on a doorknob. What the?

Sooooo, my questions are, what is causing the pivot pin to come out ONLY when the truck is running? Because I can sit and shift it in and out all day long with the truck off. And second, is it normal for the 4x4 low to engage and disengage with such violent-sounding gear grinding? Sounds like the trans is gonna fall out.

Eva

Mine growls like a bear putting into 4LO, and then back into 4HI, but I only had to use low twice this winter. (Just got my Jeep last year.)

Was there a hole for a set screw where the pin goes into the transfer case? I'm trying to find a diagram of the transfer case, but not having luck.

Maybe someone else can jump in. Maybe all NP249's growl and grind?