chicago60647

I have a '98 4runner and I am diagnosing my blinking light for my elocker and it failing to engage. It used to work fine with a solid light. I have removed the actuator and can slide the fork from left (locked) to right (unlocked). I have also verified the actuator turns when I press the diff lock button.

When the tcase and tranny are in neutral and the rear wheels are jacked up, I can spin one wheel and the other spins in the opposite direction as expected.

When I slide the fork to the left (locked), I expect to be able to move one wheel and have the other wheel move in the same direction. I also expect that the rear diff lock light would go solid on the dash - the connections for the indicator light are clean and plugged in.

What is happening is that when the fork is to the left (locked), I can't move the jacked up rear wheels no more than an inch or so (and for the inch they do move, they move in opposite directions). The light on the dash is still blinking. Is this expected behavior? Is my rear diff successfully locked?

After moving the fork to the left, the internet has told I should have to wiggle the wheel a bit and then will here a "clunk" and the locker is engaged. But instead, the wheels instantly bind up and I hear no "clunk".

Thanks for the help.

arlindsay1992

iTrader: (8)

With both rear wheels off the ground, if the automatic transmission is in park or the manual transmission is in gear, AND the differential is locked, the rear wheels will not turn. You will be able to rotate them back and forth the take up slop and backlash in the gears and drivetrain, but that's it.

Are you saying with the back wheels off the ground and transmission in neutral, that once you manually slide the locking fork towards the center of the differential it binds up entirely? And at this point the locker light is still blinking? During this period are both the actuator and sensor plugged in? Was the actuator in the locked position even though it was unbolted from the differential housing? I'm not sure how the Diff Lock computer works but it may want to see that both the actuator is locked AND the sensor indicates the fork has moved over before making the light go solid.

chicago60647

Thanks for responding.

The back wheels are both off the ground and the tranny and t-case are in neutral. Once I manually slide the fork towards the center, I can't move the wheels more than an inch or so. I was expecting to be able to rotate one and have the other spin the same distance in the same direction. My main question is, in this scenario, should I be able to rotate the wheels or are they expected to bind up?

For the sensor - yup, with everything plugged in and the fork towards the center (although the actuator not actually physically inside the diff), the light still blinks. Although I'm less concerned about the light than I am about wether or not the locker is functioning properly. I can't seem to fin a wiring diagram for it in the FSM

chicago60647

So even though the shifter for the tcase was in neutral, it was still in 4-low, so the rear wheels wouldn't move when the diff was locked since the front and rear driveshafts were still connected. Once I jacked up the front, I could verify the the locker was working. Now to figure out the sensor....

arlindsay1992

iTrader: (8)

Oh yeah, I hadn't considered that. I have a retrofitted E-locker in my 87 4Runner so it doesn't need to be in 4Low to engage.

Charchee

I was thinking along the same line since mine is also a retrofit. I keep forgetting that some folks still have to be in 4Lo to use theirs.

Did you ever get the blinking light issue solved?

chicago60647

I didn't - but I found an aftermarket sensor that is $13 on amazon, so I ordered that and am gonna try popping that in.


I have a question I was hoping you could answer - if the elocker "sensor" is really just a switch - if I pull out the plug out of the diff and connect the two pins with some wire, should the diff lock light stop blinking?

Part: Thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...er-switch.html

Charchee

That should work, but you need to make sure that everything is actually working properly. The shift fork will move to it's limit and close the "limit switch" which will send signal that all is well. If the fork is moving most of the way to locked, but not all the way, you will seem to have the rear locked up but, if you were to put some torque on it, you might really tear something up. You can short the switch to test your wiring but after that, remove it and test it for proper function. If it acts up a little, you can usually spray that kind of switch down with some contact cleaner and work the little ball in and out to clean it. I have had to do this with several of these kind of switches on my other 4WD components.

chicago60647

Thanks for the reply, Charchee. Hopefully my issue is just the limit switch.

If I find out my switch is fine and it is the wiring that's messed up and I'm too lazy to chase down the wiring problem - what's the best way to verify the fork is moved all the way? Could I press the lock button, then take off the actuator and just look at it and make sure it's all the way to the left?

If it is not moved all the way - does that probably mean the pinion gear on the actuator isn't rotating enough? Pointing to a problem inside the actuator or motor?

Charchee

Don't get too far ahead of yourself. Check the switch first. Unfortunately, I won't have any first hand experience with it beyond that. Mine actually worked perfectly the first time I tried it and have never had to troubleshoot it to date.

chicago60647

The problem was the switch. Replaced it and everything is working great right now. If anyone is reading this, the switch I linked earlier on amazon worked great - it was only $14. I did need to sand down the plastic part on it a little bit in order for it to snap it into place, though.

Charchee

Good deal. Thanks for posting a link to the part you used.