Hi thanks for your advice.Is the ABS light on? That will prevent 4WD from engaging. If the ABS light is off, and you don't mind tinkering ...
Bypass the entire thing with this test: on level ground (outdoors, not in a garage), put handbrake on, car in neutral, start the engine, foot on the brake and turn the dial from 2HI to 4LO. You should now listen and feel for a thump that comes from the transfer case which is the gear ratio changing inside from 1:1 to 2.6:1 - if you feel this thump, it's working, it's possibly a poor connection in the instrument cluster (or maybe a bad earth on the stereo - no, that wasn't a joke!). Otherwise ...
Hop under the vehicle and remove the servo from the back of the transfer case. Ensure it's connected electrically and then have someone (that you trust) start the vehicle (in neutral, handbrake on) and then have them turn the dial from 2HI to 4HI. The servo arm should rotate about 90 degrees. Have them put their foot on the brake and turn the dial from 4HI to 4LO, the servo arm should rotate a further 180 degrees. With their foot on the brake, have them turn the dial back to 2WD and turn the car off.
Did the servo work? If so, you might have something wrong in the transfer case (bent pawls, who knows). It's worth at least checking the oil for metallic flakes if you haven't done so. If the servo did NOT work, you should try this: insert a flat-bladed screwdriver into the hole that the servo came out of (you're going to "perform the part" of the servo, so check the tongue on the servo for the size of screwdriver that would be appropriate - a test light screwdriver will NOT be big enough!). Try to turn the screwdriver (either way, you'll discover which is the right way as long as the transfer case is working properly). It should turn 3/4 of a full turn (270 degrees). Turn it back to how you found it.
If that worked, you could test the sensors by doing this: have an assistant (that you trust) in the car, engine on and running, in neutral, foot on the brake. Have them turn the dial to "4LO" and you turn the screwdriver the full 270 degrees. Does the indicator in the dash now show that it's in 4LO? If so, everything's working. You might have a bad servo. Check its electrical connections and consider getting a replacement from a wrecker.
If you couldn't turn the mechanism by hand, the transfer case may be damaged internally.
If the ABS light is on, check all of the wheel bearings. Disintegrating wheel bearings often throw muck into the ABS ring causing a fault (happened to me). The ABS ring is on the back of the wheel bearing housing and is a single unit, about $60 or so on eBay.
hey mate, where is this solenoid located in the engine bay?Hi thanks for your advice.
The problem is now solved
It ended up being the three sensors on the transfer case also the solenoid in the fuse box under the bonnet.
Thanks again for all your advice
Cheers
Jay
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