speedyp

Hey Guys, I got stuck this weekend (nothing crazy).

I have a 97 ZJ v8. My model is either always on 4 wheel drive, the other option is 4 Low. I believe my transfer case is the 249 When i got stuck I was in 4 HI and only 2 wheels where spinning.


When trying to go on 4 low it started to knock like crazy like it would not engage properly. I was not able to put it on 4 low. it seemed to engage when going in reverse but when i would put it in D it would start knocking/rattling and would not engage. The 4 low shifter would shake like crazy.

When trying to reverse in 4 low also only 2 wheels were spinning. Should the front dif lock on 4 low ???

The 4 hi works juste fine...

Why is it doing that ? I'm I doing something wrong ?

Any help appreciated, thanks !

ok93zj

Unless you are locked then only 2 wheels will spin. One one the front and one on the back.

I don't know if it's the same for a 249 but with a 231 you have to be going about 5 mph the put in natural to shift into 4 lo. As to why it work in reverse I have no idea.

dave1123

IMHO, with the 249 transfer, you should have all 4 wheels driving at all times. If only 2 are driving, you either have a broken chain or bad viscous clutch in the transfer case.

You do have to shift the transmission into neutral before trying to go into low range. power has to be disconnected for the gears to engage.

dnuccio

the only way all 4 would be getting power all the time is with lockers front and rear. with open diffs, if 1 front tire and 1 back tire are slipping, those are the ones that will recieve power. with open diffs, power follows the path of least resistance

dave1123

Well excuse my wahh! I meant both front and rear axles should be driving at all times. I failed to mention the differentials. My mistake. The point I was trying to make was if the front axle isn't driving, obviously the viscous clutch isn't working. Am I right?

dnuccio

either the VC isnt working, or the chain is destroyed

speedyp

by 2 wheel spinning i meant 1 rear and one front. I think the problem when switching to low is that I was at a stand still and I need to be rolling around 5mph when switching from hi to low. I will try it this weekend and update the thread. I sure hope that's the case !

dnuccio

you dont need to be rolling. i can be going in hi, then stop, put the transmission in neutral, shift into lo, and put it back in drive and it engages fine

ok93zj

Lucky I have to be in neutral and be rolling to get into 4lo. But I also have a 231 not a 249.

dave1123

If you read my original post, that is exactly what I said!

dave1123

It seems to me, your T-case is fine, you just have a shifting problem. When you shift from HI to LO, or visa-versa, you are shifting gears without syncronisers. Power needs to be removed for the shift to occure. At a full stop, sometimes the teeth won't mesh unless you release the brake slightly or are rolling. I have the 242 case with the 2WD option and when I shift to 4lo, I go thru a neutral. If I don't shift the tranny into neutral the gears will grind and not engage. It's just a simple matter of learning the procedure. Sometimes in the heat of being stuck, we forget what to do!

Also, when I'm stuck, I find my full-time 4wd useless whereas my part-time 4wd superior. That's with the 242 T-case. I also don't find much of a mpg difference between running in 2wd or 4wd, contrary to popular belief.

speedyp

Alright So I tested it this weekend and here are the results.

I tried multiple attempts at going 5mph - shift to neutral - shift to LOW then shift back to drive.

The transfer case did engage and I was able to drive a little. As soon as i stepped on the gas it disengaged and got the same grinding/popping noise and engine would rev freely. On a few attemps i tried pulling back the transfer lever harder and holding it and it seemed to engage, when i let go it popped out. From this experience it looks like the lever is not going far enough to engage completely. so here is my question:

Is the transfer case lever/ linkage adjustable ?

ok93zj

Yes but It can be a pain because all you could need is a 1/16 of an inch. Get under with the jeep off but in neutral with the wheels chalked. Find the lever on the t case that switches the range and the bar that goes from the shifter to that lever. Loosen the but in it and put the t case in 4 lo and the put the shifter in 4 lo. Tighten it up. See if it works. Also check the bushing that holds the shifter linkage to te tranny. Mine was messed up and that will make it not hold 4 lo.

ok93zj

Make sure you have all the ranges too. Before I realized it was my bushing. I adjusted mine and I could either have 4lo and neutral and if I went to 4hi I couldn't get it back in 4 lo. It's just a plastic bushing. So just just assumed it broke from being old an brittle.

dave1123

Good catch! This is more than likely the problem.