Lost my 4wd!

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KevinACrider

New Member
Jan 1, 2011
28
Central PA
The trusty Dodge 2500 lost 4wd about a month ago. I crawled underneath and noticed my vacuum lines that engage the 4wd were snipped. I spliced them back together but I'm still not getting 4wd to engage. My heat works great so I don't think it's a vacuum problem.

What else can I look at before I'm forced to take it into the stealership?
 
Maybe look at the fuses?
 
There is a vacuum switch on the transfer case. When you shift into 4x4 the switch directs vacuum to the actuator under the hood. This actuator pulls a cable to lock the front differential. Trace the vacuum lines from it's source on the engine to the transfer case and then to the actuator. In most cases the actuator diaphragm ruptures and doesn't pull the cable or the switch goes bad and doesn't direct vacuum to the actuator. Find the actuator by following the cable from the front differential up into the engine compartment.
Is this a pushbutton 4x4 system or is there an actual shifter on the floor?. If push button it's basically the same except you need to be sure the motor is actually turning the transfer case internal linkage to operate the switch.
Usually these motors go bad.
What year?
 
It's a 97. Shifter is on the floor. The dodge forums, the manual and the service tech said nothing about a cable in the system. This site (http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/repair/4X4/4x4_engagment.htm) is not showing me a cable either. I'm going to leave work early so I can have my wife shift in and out of 4wd while I check for vacuum pressure before she leaves for work. After she's gone, I'm a one man wrecking machine with this truck.
 
Ok, no cable if you have the front axle central disconnect. Check for vacuum there and work backwards. All the info you need is in the link you posted. Good luck!

Chevies have a remote actuator and cable. You could pull the cable with pliers and lock it with vice grips in a pinch.
 
Make sure you and the Mrs are on good terms B4 crawling under a vehichle with her foot on the brake . . . :grrr:
 
Whew, it was an easy fix. The metal vacuum line was rusted out. Replaced both of them with some rubber line and I'm good to go. Not a moment to soon. I was able to make it to the parts store in 2wd but I needed the 4wd to make it back home. Good thing I did the repairs in the parking lot of the store!
 
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