1994 Auto 4wd.....the transmission is in selector position 2HI...one day it started acting up and it runs like as if it were locked/selected into 4low...maximum speed is 40MPH...the transmission does not slip at all..the front drive shaft is not locked in it is free.....I removed both transmission fluid pans (fluid nice and red as PO had obviously had trans work done in the past) checked the three solenoids two in the main transmission and one in the transfer area....I direct dc jumped them and they all actuate as quickly as you apply and cut power......put everything back together and went for a test ride the transmission worked tits for a fifty mile trip no problems at all shifted smoother and at lower revs than when I bought it....stopped for a barley pop and when i jumped back in the truck the trans was "locked in virtual 4low" again...crawled home (5 miles) ......I reset the ECM....Turned it on turned off turned it on turned off...tried it everyday last week still in virtual 4low (top speed 40mph but shifts through all 4 gears)...threw a 4sale sign on it this morning some cat came to look at it and when we took it for a spin it ˟˟˟˟fed beautifully...better than when I bought it.....a few hours later I picked up the truck from my 4sale place and drove it around town again shifting like a cream pufff.....there is no slippage of the trans it just goes into this virtual 4 low with front shaft still in free...moving the selctor to 4hi and 4 low does engage froint drive line..however the virtual 4 low bog and whine of the transfer remains the same throught all three ranges.... as stated right now the truck runs like a tramp the trans shifts smooth as silk.......this has got to be electronic no????

 

i meant it runs like a champ although it reminds me of a tramp i once knew who acted up too.....

 

where is transdude???

 

Bump just don't want to part with the truck if it is a cheapo fix

 

it's probably the solenoid that controls the engagement of the transfer case. it's located inside the transfer case i think. I read in another thread that maybe you've already checked the diagnostics. Try again and make sure that the od button is off first and you may have to hit the gas pedal to engage the system.

 

how many solenoids are there? I pulled 3 of them they all are the same so just to be sure I swapped the one from the transfer to the main transmission.... I saw a total of 3 solenoids by pulling the oil pans

 

They definitly aren't the same and you should switch them back as soon as possible. They all have different line pressure specs. This could cause a great amount of damage to the valve body.