psm6

1986 4Runner SR5 turbo, Auto transmission, Manual Hubs, "shift on the fly" lever technology.

I love my truck.

For some reason my 4wd will not engage. When I pull the lever the 4x4 light on dash lights up, both in high and low. The lever underneath the truck engages correctly. My I do not hear any solenoid clicking and my transfer case will not lock in on my front drive shaft.

When it is in 4wd mode with the 4x4 light on you can manually turn the front drive shaft by hand (high and low)

This is not a front axle problem as all of that is working.

I am trying to understand how this transfer case work, is it hydraulic? Vacuum? electric? Transmission driven? could it be a bad relay?

Thanks to the experts for helping.

xxxtreme22r

The light I believe is an electrical switch on the transfer case that is tripped by the shifter itself, bt again I could be wrong on that as well.

EDIT wait a second.... I need to read a little better haha you did say manual hubs. Are you locking them in? You did check to see if your cv's were locked or not right and not just the driveshaft?

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

The tcase on an '86 is competely mechanical. There's no magic switches or vaccum hoses to engage 4wheel drive. Only a switch to verify position of the lever.

Make sure your hubs are in the LOCKED position and the tcase lever is in 4hi or 4lo. When you shift to 4lo, is the lever travelling in a "J" pattern? As soon as you pull the tcase lever straight back you'll be in 4hi. At that point the tcase is engaged and the front shaft shouldnt be able to be spun(as long as the truck is planted on all four tires) regardless if the hubs are locked or not....

BTW, these trucks are pseudo "shift on the fly" meaning if the manual hubs are not in the LOCKED POSITION do not try to shift the tcase. Even with the hubs locked in, only shift at low speeds.

In the possiblility that everything is done right and the driveshaft still spins, it could be possible the interlock pin is broken....maybe...or the shift fork...

psm6

In the possiblility that everything is done right and the driveshaft still spins, it could be possible the interlock pin is broken....maybe...or the shift fork...[/quote]

This seems to be where I am at now.

Even with 4x4 locked in with out the front hubs locked you can still spin the front drive shaft.

Thanks for the info, Now i understand how the transfer case works

BigBluePile

iTrader: (3)

Sounds bad. You could pop the tcase cover and see what the forks are doing....

Maybe you bought this truck used and the PO swapped out his twin sticks for the OEM shifter.....

psm6

wanted to put a close to this thread and state the problem for historical record.

something in the transfer case called the rooster comb gear "looks like a rooster comb" was broken. not a real tough fix.

Thanks to all for your help in this.