Lazlo

Hello all,

I have a 96 runner with a 5 speed and my 4wd won't engage. Before you all tell me to start looking at vacuum lines, That's not it! The relay won't stay engaged. When I can get the relay to actuate the VSV's do their job and I get vacuum at all of the right places. I ohm'd the position switch on the driver's side of the transfer case and it's intermittent at best. So just to make sure that I was on the right track, I jumped the plug to complete the circuit, thinking that this would get the relay to hold and allow the ADD to do its thing. No joy, when I jumped it I lost voltage. Plugged it back in and went to the relay. Relay won't hold and when I have it in my fingers I sometines get a weak hit. Question? - Am I missing something about how the switch works to activate the relay, do I have a short, do both of the switches on the transfer case have to synch, or do I buy new switches and go from there......


Any insight would be helpful. I hate to start buying parts that may or may not need to be changed.

Lazlo

Has anybody out there had a problem on a 3rd gen that was electrical and not vacuum. It's snowing and I can't leave this at the dealership. I've gotta get back and forth to work.

Lazlo

OK, I've got it figured out. It was the 4wd position switch on the drivers side of the transfer case. I took it out and put it in the bench, no continuity when button was depressed. Called the dealership: 90$ and a special order part to boot. Put the bad switch back in to plug the hole and ran the wires from the coupler to a switch on the dash (I had a switch in the junk drawer). Put the shifter in 4, flip the switch, and voila- 4wd back up and running.

Lesson learned= when troubleshooting ADD system, remember that it takes some time for the vacuum motor to move the sleeve and light up the dash indicator. It will save some frustration and confusion when trying to track down the root problem.

Hope this helps somebody else out in the future.