4RunnerCollegeKid

Hi all! I'm new to the forum, but far from new to Toyotas. Here is my problem:

I drive a 3rd generation 2000 4Runner Limited and am having issues with the transfer case. If it matters, my 4Runner has a factory rear locker and is the version that has a push button 4WD High selector on the side of the transfer case lever. Throughout the weekend, I have been going between 2H and 4H as needed (without using the push button) and everything has worked fine. Today, as I got back onto plowed roads, I moved the lever back into 2H, the dash indicator went out as it should have, and drove for about half an hour with no issues. About half an hour into my drive, I noticed the four wheel drive dash light blinking, as it does when the transfer case lever has been moved but 4WD has not yet been engaged/disengaged. Thinking I had bumped the push button and accidentally told it to engage 4H, I pressed it in and out and confirmed that I had not bumped anything. The light went out. A few seconds later, the light was blinking again and I started to hear a high pitched whiny grinding noise coming from either the transfer case or the front end. As I slowed down, the grinding continued and there was a loud clunk which shook/bucked the whole car. I got over to the berm, stopped, and shut the car off. I turned it back on and the dash light continued to blink. Trying to experiment, I pulled the lever back into 4H and set off again. I never heard it engage the front wheels and the dash light continued to blink. I then moved the lever back to 2H and a few seconds after began to hear grinding again followed by three more loud clunks that shook the truck. I pulled over again, then proceeded back to home with the dash light blinking, the transfer case lever in 4H (only position where grinding wouldn't happen), and the car actually only having power to the rear (as confirmed on a snowy road). Once back home, I drove around a parking lot putting the transfer case lever into all of the positions. In all cases, the dash light remained blinking, I never felt/heard the transfer case engage or disengage and the truck stayed in two wheel drive. In 4H, it drives no problem, in 4L, it begins to grind, in 2H, I could not get it to grind in the parking lot, but am guessing that it would if I got up to road speed again. The car is drivable, but the transfer case isn't working and I use four wheel drive regularly.

While I am fairly knowledge about vehicles and can do many repairs myself, I am a first year student at Allegheny College in PA and no longer have a warm garage in which to work or a parent's car to drive while mine is out of commission. Any help or insights you can provide are greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Bennett

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

You might like to read this thread to do some checks:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/4...er-ltd-131201/

btw, are you aware that the 4WD button is for H4 which is different from shifting the transfer lever to H4L?

4RunnerCollegeKid

KZN185W,

I have seen that post, though in my case it seems to be stuck in 2WD and won't let the lever go into the 2H position, nor does it explain why I was able to drive just fine for half an hour and then all of a sudden experienced grinding with no warning. I am hoping to be able to do some testing soon (again, no garage and there is a lot of snow on the ground here)

I am not aware that the button is different - could you please explain the difference between H4 and H4L?

Thank you,
Bennett

MB4runner

You have a center differential which allows you to drive in 4wd on hard surfaces such as pavement. This is called full time 4wd. For true offroading though you don't want this and so the L in your options stands for "lock" as in lock the center differential. When you are in this mode you don't want to be on pavement because your driveline will bind up when you turn and is extremely stressful on the components including the transfercase.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

the 4WD button is for H4. H4 is AWD mode, meaning, the center diff is open or unlocked. You can drive on any type of road surface in this mode.

H4L is 4WD in hi-range and the center diff is locked. You are NOT supposed to drive on hard pavements when in this mode as this will cause driveline bind as mentioned in the previous post.

I presume that you have the J-type transfer shift system:
1. from the left end of the J is the H2-H4 mode. this is the only point wherein you can use the 4WD button.

2. from H2-H4 point, you move the transfer shifter down to H4L. this mode is hi-range 4WD and locks the center diff. the 4WD button doesn't work in this mode.

3. Then you move the transfer shifter to the right and go up to N. this puts the transfer case in neutral and disengages the transfercase from the tranny.

4. Then you have the L4L mode at the right-top of the J. This places the transfer case in low gear and locks the center diff. Again, this is not supposed to be used on hard pavement surfaces. the 4WD button doesn't work in this mode. Also, before you can shift the transfer case from H4L to L4L, you have to place the tranny in Neutral (while stepping on the brake) and slowly move the transfer lever from H4L to N then to L4L. Also, when shifting the transfer lever to H4L from L4L, you have to have the tranny in N, then slowly move the transfer lever from L4L to N then to H4L

4RunnerCollegeKid

Thank you both for the clarification, I thought it was something like that. I never really use the push button H4, but rather pull the lever back into H4L when I am going to be in snow, mud, etc. and know I need four wheel drive.

Any ideas on the grinding and inability to get it into four wheel drive?

scuba

I sure it has something to do with trying to shift between high and low while moving.

The front position of the transfer case lever is high range. 4wd high is when the lever is forward and you press the 4wd button. After you're in 4wd high, you must stop, put the trans in neutral, and then pull the lever back for 4wd low.
(The previous paragraph should be detailed in your owners manual.)

I don't believe you have the AWD/ center diff transfer case like KZN185W mentioned a couple posts up.

You probably need a completely new transfer case.

4RunnerCollegeKid

I never tried to shift between High and Low while moving, only between H2 and H4L. I do believe I have the transfer case KZN185W describes as mine has the push button for H4 on the side of the lever. Really hoping I don't need a new transfer case.

Any other ideas?

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

when shifting from H4L to L4L (or from L4L to H4L), do you come to a full stop and place the tranny in neutral? if you don't, you'll have grinding of gears. think of a manual transmission without using the clutch. what happens when you shift? grinding.
the clutch in this case is coming to a full stop and placing the tranny in neutral.

From H2/H4, you can shift to H4L (or from H4L to H2/H4) on the fly as long as the speed is below 80kph.

4RunnerCollegeKid

I have never ever tried to go between high and low without coming to a full stop first, that's not my issue. My issue is that I was driving along in H2 just fine, my dash light started blinking, and there was a grinding and violent clunk. I was then only able to drive with the lever in H4L, the dash light blinking, and the 4Runner actually only getting power to the rear wheels. I'm taking it to the Toyota dealer (groan, only place in town that knows anything about transfer cases) tomorrow. Any ideas for what they should look at first when diagnosing?

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

ok. it seems that although you shifted to H2, it seems that the front differential did not disengage, maybe due to the solenoid in the transfer case going kaput or the solenoid up front going kaput. because of that, there was bind and the front diff OR the center diff gave way. the only way then that your truck can move is to lock the center diff (H4L).

Toyota will need to check on the solenoids as well as check on the front diff and transfer case/center diff

4RunnerCollegeKid

I understand what you are saying about the solenoid, but what do you mean by "gave way"? What is the best way I suggest the dealer diagnose it? Is it safe to drive with the lever in the H4L position?

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

by "gave way", I meant that the gear teeth are broken and needs to be replaced. i hope i'm wrong because that's going to be expensive to replace. give them a description of what's happened like what you did in your first post. how far is the dealership from your place? i would suggest that you have it towed so as not to worsen the damage.

4RunnerCollegeKid

I was afraid you would say that. The dealership is about 6 miles / 15 minutes away. We got a bunch of snow last night, so I'm not sure I can even make it to the dealer with only 2WD. Thank you for all of your help, I will let you know what we find today.

4RunnerCollegeKid

Here is what they found:

The actuator on the back of the T-case has gone bad and only works intermittently. Rather than other models with a fully manual T-case, in my truck to engage H4, this actuator uses a motor that moves a rod in the case to put it into H4 unlocked. You then lock the front driveshaft by manually moving the lever. The actuator either has a failing motor or rust has put pressure on the shaft not allowing it to turn.

The actuator costs about $1,200+ and labor is $600+ (9 hour job) to remove the transfer case, split it, and replace the actuator. You cannot just pull out the actuator from the case because there is an internal setup of clips and shifting forks that needs to be undone by splitting to get it out.

Soooo, my options are the above really expensive job or just buy a transfer case from a junk yard and put it in. If I were to go with the junkyard option, I could either buy the same type of t-case as is in my 4Runner (semi-electronic with 4H unlocked/AWD) or the more robust and common, but lacking AWD (which I don't use anyway) fully manual case. I am inclined to go with the fully manual, but then there is the issue that the manual does not have an ECU and you would have to mess with the electrical system to get the front differential vacuum to engage.

Any other thoughts? Any insights for the conversion from semi-electronic to manual?

94 Newbie

Sounds like your symptoms to me - and, if so you could solve 'em for 80 bux or so.

Britt

4RunnerCollegeKid

Wow, that does sound like it! While I have an inherent distrust of dealers, I got a very good impression of the mechanic while talking to him for at least a half hour. He did not perform any electrical tests. What he did was put it up on the lift, had it shift in and out of 4H once just fine, then it stopped working. He found that the actuator was struggling to move and he could get it to move again if he hit it with a hammer while someone else pressed the button - when he was done, he brought me under the car to show me everything and there were hammer marks on the actuator. To me, that sounds like the actuator is the problem, but I will obviously do the easy switch test as soon as possible and before buying a used t-case.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

glad to know that i was wrong!

4RunnerCollegeKid

Ok, so I brought my 4Runner home (2000, Limited, auto tranny, multi-mode t-case w/ full-time 4wd). I'm removing the sensor switches and testing and cleaning... no bad ones found yet. Am cleaning all connectors, inspecting vacuum lines. All is working perfectly. Have not been able to replicate the Dealer reported intermittent failure of the t-case actuator where by the dealer hit the housing with a hammer to unstick and achieve movement. For me it works consistently when engaging the 4wd button on the shifter. Couple questions:

- As I started to remove the triangular inspection plate (3 cap screws) from the t-case actuator, oil began to seep out. I was surprised having expected the gear housing to be greased but not a reservoir for fluid. Accordingly, my reason for wanting to pull the plate was to squirt a little WD40 in there to provide a bit of lube to the gears. Any concerns here about apparent diff fluid in there?

- Up front the front differential actuator is vacuum controlled. (I'll be checking/cleaning the sensor switch there too). All the rubber vacuum lines for the VSV Vacuum Switching Valve system appear to be fine and the system is working. However, I note the small diameter steel vacuum lines bridging under the engine (connecting to the rubber lines at both ends) are really rusty. Any reason to not do some preventative maintenance is by-pass those steel lines with rubber ones?

Overall, I am a little unsettled that I can't replicate the sticking t-case actuator per hammer test reported by Dealer.

Thanks very much for any guidance.

KZN185W

iTrader: (1)

the transfer case requires 1.1L of hyphoid gear oil (same as the one used in the front/rear differentials), not grease. when was the last time you had gear oil change? it's supposed to be replaced every 30,000 km/mi

you might like to remove the rust and check if there's pitting and also vacuum leak. if not on both counts, paint it or better yet, have the dealer replace it. or you can go to a junk yard and get a replacement in good condition.

the dealer hammering may have loosened the stuck actuator. just check if you can lube it or if it's rusty, then clean it up and paint it. you might also like to consider getting a reserve actuator from a junk yard