Failure of 4wd in a '97 Limited?
 

Hello,

I'm looking for a cheap 3rd gen 4Runner now, as I really miss my '98 that was totalled in '05 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/49d588c8.jpg

My budget is <$4k, which doesn't give many options. I'm looking at a '97 Limited that has a few problems, the most serious being 4wd is broken. I haven't taken a look at the truck yet but the owner says "mechanic thinks it's an electrical problem", whatever that means. Any ideas? I know it's vague. I did check out this thread: https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/2...broken-198944/ and wondering if it's an actuator or the t-case and not sure how I can tell.

Hope to be in another T4R soon!

Denton

I would bet it would be something with the ADD front diff acutator. I have not seen a transfer case go bad that would allow 2WD but not 4WD. Not saying its not possible but I have yet to see it.

An easy way to tell is with the transfer case in 2WD slide under the 4runner and try to turn the front drive shaft by hand it should turn. Then put the transfer case in 4wd and try to turn the front drive shaft by hand, it shouldn't turn.

If it does turn in 4WD then its the transfer case. Also you can put the 4runner up on jack stands and put it in 4WD drive with the transfer case and put it in drive and look from the side to see if the front drive shaft is spinning.

The vast majority of 4WD drive failures on 4runners is the vacuum system controlling the from differential actuator which really isn't too hard to troubleshoot.


FOG

Thank you! So if I replaced the actuator that would likely fix the problem? A through search revealed it's likely to be the actuator, specifically this thread and MTL's post:https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/0...m-help-128924/