Difficulty accessing 2WD from 4H

[GoodOldBakes]

Hi guys. Long time since I've bugged you for answers but that's good news as it means the old truck has been running fine since the summer. However, this weekend has been the first time I've had to use 4WD and while getting into 4H has been easy enough, it's been hell trying to get it back to 2WD.

The gear lever seems stuck in 4H and it's happened twice now. Last time I had to drive 13 miles back home with it stuck in 4WD. I could move it from 4H to Neutral to 4L and all the way back but not into 2H. I managed to free it by doing some reverse-forward-reverse type manoeuvres and eventually I clunked it into place. Anyone any ideas what the problem could be? Oil? Fluid? Worn bits? It's something I'd like to get sorted ASAP, what with the weather being like it is. Thanks.

 

[danielj]

Sorry I can be of much help to you but I had a real difficulty getting back to 2wd from 4wd on one occasion after I pulled a heavy vehicle out of grass onto tarmac. I was on tarmac and in 4wd low and I probably put way too much of a load on clutch or gear mechanism or something. I do find it takes a bit of pulling and draggin on the lever to get if from 4wd back to 2wd most of the time but I'd say clutch is probably not too far off needing work or replacement.

 

[jims-terrano]

I've heard before about the transfer box oil thickening in cold weather, apparently the way round that was to change the oil for a synthetic version as this doesn't thicken. Supposedly this caused the transfer box to drag and give the effect of 4wd all the time. Not the problem you have but just an example of the oil thickening with the cold.

Jim T

PS if you've driven so far in 4wd on a hard road surface you may very well of damaged the infamous brake rings in the hubs.

 

[tezzer]

could be transmission wind up, dont use 4wd high on tarmac or concrete, only on mud snow or ice, i've not had to use 4wd yet, got enough grip with the lsd. :thumb2

 

[lacroupade]

Hi guys. Long time since I've bugged you for answers but that's good news as it means the old truck has been running fine since the summer. However, this weekend has been the first time I've had to use 4WD and while getting into 4H has been easy enough, it's been hell trying to get it back to 2WD.

The gear lever seems stuck in 4H and it's happened twice now. Last time I had to drive 13 miles back home with it stuck in 4WD. I could move it from 4H to Neutral to 4L and all the way back but not into 2H. I managed to free it by doing some reverse-forward-reverse type manoeuvres and eventually I clunked it into place. Anyone any ideas what the problem could be? Oil? Fluid? Worn bits? It's something I'd like to get sorted ASAP, what with the weather being like it is. Thanks.

You've lost me a bit there GOB? There isn't a neutral on 4WD per se - it goes straight from 4wd high to 4WD low?

You select 4WD high by pulling the lever back one notch, for which you can be in gear or even moving at slow speed. But to get 4WD low, you depress the lever with a good shove down on the top of the knob then pull it back another notch, but you MUST be in neutral - when selecting or deselecting it....is that what you've been doing?

 

[Terranosaurus]

I've heard before about the transfer box oil thickening in cold weather, apparently the way round that was to change the oil for a synthetic version as this doesn't thicken. Supposedly this caused the transfer box to drag and give the effect of 4wd all the time. Not the problem you have but just an example of the oil thickening with the cold.

Jim T

PS if you've driven so far in 4wd on a hard road surface you may very well of damaged the infamous brake rings in the hubs.

Its a crock of ***** though JT. Synthetic oil is no thinner than mineral oil of the same grade it just stays in grade better over time and use. However as oil goes out of grade it gets thinner not thicker so the reverse is actually true.

you won't break brake rings through transmission wind up, once the hubs are locked in the the rings play no part in the power train.

I suspect a change of oil might help but really its probably just lack of use that is the problem.

 

[GoodOldBakes]

You've lost me a bit there GOB? There isn't a neutral on 4WD per se - it goes straight from 4wd high to 4WD low?

Thanks for all the answers.

Lacroupade, it may not be called neutral but there's a middle position (small 4WD gear lever) between 4H & 4L which disengages everything. If you select that position, even the normal gears don't work. I'll dig the book out in the morning to double check.

 

[zippy656]

ive used 4wd low on roads for 15 miles.. towing a caravan..

my rings are fine thanks.


so do you mean you green lighs on still..

if so drop back a few yards to disengage

 

[lacroupade]

Thanks for all the answers.

Lacroupade, it may not be called neutral but there's a middle position (small 4WD gear lever) between 4H & 4L which disengages everything. If you select that position, even the normal gears don't work. I'll dig the book out in the morning to double check.

I bow to whatever happens on your truck, but on my two you can only pull it back as far as the first position (4WDH). After that, you have to push the lever down hard and pull it back again to get 4WDL - I wouldn't call that a 'neutral' position, and since the main gearbox has to be in neutral anyway to select it, well of course its going to be 'in neutral' isn't it - just not as a result of the 4WD lever...?

 

[jims-terrano]

for what it's worth my little knob reads as follows:

2H
4H
Push N
4L

Jim T

PS very cold and fed up now with my flippin car.

 

[lacroupade]

for what it's worth my little knob reads as follows:

2H
4H
Push N
4L

Jim T

PS very cold and fed up now with my flippin car.

Hardly little if its got all that tattooed on it!

 

[jims-terrano]

Hardly little if its got all that tattooed on it!

OK So I got a biiiigg oneeeee:lol

Jim

 

[supertaff]

Photos please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bobbee]

4wd

ive been driving up the m2 on ice at no more than 30, dont tell me now that im buggering the 4wd. also, mine wont disengage 4wdh properly unless i reverse about 20ft .

 

[lacroupade]

ive been driving up the m2 on ice at no more than 30, dont tell me now that im buggering the 4wd. also, mine wont disengage 4wdh properly unless i reverse about 20ft .

I've driven 260 miles before now from Oxford to Barrow-in-Furness in the pissing rain, mostly at 80mph+, all in 4WD. And that truck has recently passed 170,000 miles from new with no transmission problems, not even a busted snap ring.

Fret not :thumbs

 

[bobbee]

4wd

thank gawd for that. pain in the ass though reversing to disengage.get right snotty looks

 

[wildbri]

There is a neutral position see here http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/downloads/workshop/wk24.pdf this is from the clubs downloads, the oil recommended for the transferbox is autogearbox oil, its in the book. The reason to reverse after being in 4 wheel drive is not to get out of 4 wheel drive, you have done that with the lever, but is to disconnect the auto hubs ( with manuals you have to do it manually) if the hubs are not unlocked all that happens is the drive shafts rotate and this increases the fuel consumption.

regards bri

 

[lacroupade]

There is a neutral position see here http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/downloads/workshop/wk24.pdf this is from the clubs downloads, the oil recommended for the transferbox is autogearbox oil, its in the book. The reason to reverse after being in 4 wheel drive is not to get out of 4 wheel drive, you have done that with the lever, but is to disconnect the auto hubs ( with manuals you have to do it manually) if the hubs are not unlocked all that happens is the drive shafts rotate and this increases the fuel consumption.

regards bri

LMAO, OK I concede Bri, sort of, but its a bit of crap technical writing really isn't it. Its not neutral in the normal sense in that it has no purpose. If your gearbox (as opposed to the transfer box) is in true neutral it doesn't matter what position the 4WD is in, it won't work. Its really just a gap between low and high ratios that doesn't have a function. I mean you put your gearbox in neutral when you're braked at traffic lights - theres no such condition regarding the transfer box.

We'll call it a draw. :augie

 

[wildbri]

I dont know why its there, probably seperates the two halfs of the transfer box like the neutral in the main box, or to give a pause as you change from Hi to Low on the move...

some one will come up with the reason bri

 

[lacroupade]

I dont know why its there, probably seperates the two halfs of the transfer box like the neutral in the main box, or to give a pause as you change from Hi to Low on the move...

some one will come up with the reason bri

Its called philosophy Bri :augie:thumbs