probloms with 4 wheel drive

Forum: 

hi everyone right iv got a problom with my daihatsu fourtrak its a 2.8td its f reg so she getting old. and it wont go into 4 wheel drive im just wondering if anyone has had the same problom or if you new how to resolve it it has manual locking wheel hubs iv tryed putting it into low range iv locked the hubs in and iv pushed the switch in on the dash but the light on the dash doesnt light up but there is a relay or something that clicks wen you push the button in there are no noises coming from the gearbox or front n rear diffs when being driven iv had the switches out of transfer box iv checked them and they all seem to work iv cleaned up the connections iv inspected the vacum pipes for splits and i cant seem to find anything wrong with them. so im sort of stuck really i dont know wot else to try as im not that clued up with 4x4s my dad had the vehicle before me and it worked when he had it. iv also checked the fuse box for any blown fuses and i cant see any that are blown. also what sort of engine oil do i use fully synthetic?? as i want give it a service any advice and one last thing there is a light that usually lights up on the rev counter that shows wen the turbo is on but its stopped working i think that the little vacum senser next to the air filter box has given up the ghost could anyone tell me where i could get a new vacum senser from? any advice would be welcome.

Just a few comments

'91 Fourtrak 2.8 TDX

Service. Lots of advice on site, just use the search box.

Suggest. replace oils in the diffs, gearbox and transfer box. grease all nipples (steering and prop shaft), Timing belt (cam belt) for peice of mind, disaster if it breaks, replace all filters and use a good quality mineral oil or semi thynthetic (DO NOT use fully synthectic) read posts by 'assassin' re this !!!. (Re gear box level plug check you have the right plug ,the one the drivers side, if.
not you will loose reverse gear and a gearbox strip down will be required.)

Put the truck on four axle stands engage the hubs ,fire up the truck and engage 4 LOW ,all wheels should turn, then try normal 2 WD and then push the switch on the dash to engage 4 HI, all wheels should turn, releasing the switch should return to 2 WD .

When 4 WD LOW is selected with gear stick ,is front prop shaft rotating. are front wheels rotating, do same with 4 HI (normal 2 wd stick position but push switch on dash to engage 4 WD).

Bulb could have blown in dash indicator for 4HI.

My truck has no indicator for turbo operation, so no advice.

Lots of advice on the site , so have a good look round.

Could be your front hubs need cleaning and greasing.

Edward (ews) '92 Fourtrak 2.8 TDX

reply to comments

iv just jacked the front of the 4x4 up iv put it into 4 low and iv locked the hubs in and turned the front prop and both front wheels have turned i then tryed it in 2H and the same as happened they both turn. i then unlocked the hubs so that they were free wheeling and the front pop does nothing so im assuming that the hubs are ok. also with the hubs locked in i tryed the 4H button on the dash and you could still turn the front prop which in turn would make the front wheels rotate in low range and high. but i thought if that button is pressed then it should lock the front diff up with the rear diff am i right? i got stuck in it the other day so i got out locked the hubs in pushed the 4H button on the dash no lights came on when usually there is a light on but nothing happened and the back wheels just span if i had 4wd i would of got out easy but instead i had to be dragged out. there is a relay that clicks when you push the 4H button so there is power going somewhere. is there any solienoids or anything on the transfer box that iv missed that could be faulty??? there are no signs of bad oil leaks there is no noise coming from the box or t/box selectes gears fine. the low range works aswell as i tryed that the other day going up my drive the diffs are nice no sloppyness and there not noisey. any1 have any ideas??????? im still interested in info about where i could get a new vacum switch for the turbo light iv had alook around the site but still havent found any info on it so if anyone has anything on that then il be nhappy to hear it. sorry if this has turned out to be a essay but im trying to give you as much info as possible. thanks

You are right. If you only

You are right. If you only jacked the front up, and the rear wheels where both on the floor you should not be able to turn the front prop with the transfure in 4x4 mode (high or low). The FWH being locked or not would make no diffrence to this. When in 4x4 the front and rear props (in very simple terms) become one prop runing from diff to diff, with drive being added where the 'long prop' goes through the trandfur case.

Your experiment seems to show that you FWH's are OK, and that the problem is at the transfur box.

I have not had a trak with the 'swith on dash' type 4x4, but I belive from other posts that they suffer from bad electrical conections at the transfure box end of things due to water ingress.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

Any veiws expresed in this thread by me are purely from my own experience, and (sometimes) falible memory. Hope my comments help, but please don't take them as gospel.

replying to comment

i might try cleaning all the connections again then there must be something happening in the transfer box as when you push the button on the dash a relay clicks under the dash and there is a little click from the transfer box im gradually loosing hair over this hahaha thanks for your advice

Four Wheel Drive

It would appear that your system is not engaging four wheel drive, there are two potential problems; one is the vacuum solonoids not working, or the rubber plunger is not pulling it far enough to engage the system.

From your light not working it is the latter, the plunger is not pulling the gears far enough over, thus not operating the plunger on the warning light.

Go under the vehicle from the drivers side, on the front of the transfer case, just above the front prop shaft output flange is a round plate, in the centre is a switch. Remove the switch, and with an assistant in the vehicle, and the ignition switched on, and the wiring reconnected, push the end of the switch in and hold it, the light should come on, if it does it confirms the problem.

Remove the bolts from the plate and remove it, use caution as the plate is usually very tight, and lever it slowly and evenly until it comes off. Once inside you will see the rubber plunger with a bolt in the middle, pull this forwards and this should engage four wheel drive, push it back and it should disengage it.

If this is full of dirt or corrosion, this is the problem, and not unknown, clean thoroughly and lubricate with light oil to ensure it moves easily and smoothly. Once cleaned and lubricated, rebuild the unit, put a good smear of silicone gasket sealant around the flange to seal it from dirt or wet entering the system.
If this does not cure it, it is the vacuum pipe or the solonoid valves on the side of the gearbox.

i think iv found the prob

i think i have found the problom with 4x4 system iv checked thr diaphragm as assassin said and the diaphragm looks ok and moves nicely i was geting vacum down to the vcvs but after that there is nothing so i went out and got some secand hand ones off another daihatsu and fitted them and still nothing so i took my ones apart just to find out the cause and it lookes all carroded inside so im going to get myself some new ones. does anyone know where i can get the vacum switches from or can i just get them from any motor facters??

i think iv found the prob

i think i have found the problom with 4x4 system iv checked thr diaphragm as assassin said and the diaphragm looks ok and moves nicely i was geting vacum down to the vcvs but after that there is nothing so i went out and got some secand hand ones off another daihatsu and fitted them and still nothing so i took my ones apart just to find out the cause and it lookes all carroded inside so im going to get myself some new ones. does anyone know where i can get the vacum switches from or can i just get them from any motor facters??