98 Blazer front wheels not engaging
#21
01-05-2020, 07:17 AM
Well done! Glad you found it.
Just curious - Are you saying the coolant overflow hose was plugged into the actuator? That would have been an interesting mess...
Just curious - Are you saying the coolant overflow hose was plugged into the actuator? That would have been an interesting mess...
Got it fixed today. So the hose he saw when we swapped out the vacuum actuator is actually a hose. They routed a hose from the coolant overflow tank down to the fender area. Evidently if/when the overflow gets full, it'll dump it out of that hose and on to the ground. We dug around and found the actual vacuum line for the actuator, it wasn't anywhere close which is why we never saw it the first time and dummy me didn't think twice about it. We routed the hose over to the actuator, hooked it up, put everything back together, jacked up the passenger side and the front wheel would not spin while in 4H. Since we had snow last week I know a few places in the neighborhood that have snow/ice linger around for a week or 2. I got out, he put it in 4H and then 4L and the front tires spun on the ice along with the back ones. 4wd fixed! Thanks to everybody for your comments and suggestions, we appreciate it!
Chris
Chris
#23
01-08-2020, 04:55 PM
hi guys, i am having a similar problem, i have scoured the forum looking for answers, i think i understand the system and how it works, let me begin at the beginning.
i believe the transfer case vacuum switch went bad, it in turn took out the front diff....it howled like mad...i found an entire front end that the fella parting out told me was the same ratio s the one i had(i looked up mine, and asked him what his was..he did not know what mine was...) i finally got around to putting in the diff. the truck is quiet again...yaa..
i then replaced the vacuum actuator, and the diaphragm under the battery.
when i push the button, i can hear the transfer case engage, i also cannot turn the driveshaft, so...that part is working.
if i remove the battery while the truck is running and push the button, the diaphragm retracts., so that part works
today, i replaced the cable, and lifted the passenger side off the ground to check for engagement. i could pull the shaft with no cable and get the front wheel to not turn. so i installed the new cable, and pulled it by hand, the axle engaged.
i then hooked the cable up to the diaphragm, when i hand depressed the diaphragm, the axle engaged.
so put it all together, and drove it, the axle will not engage.
i verified this by lifting the pass side again...
i am planning on removing the battery again tomorrow to double check the diaphragm, but other than that, i am lost...
any ideas??
i believe the transfer case vacuum switch went bad, it in turn took out the front diff....it howled like mad...i found an entire front end that the fella parting out told me was the same ratio s the one i had(i looked up mine, and asked him what his was..he did not know what mine was...) i finally got around to putting in the diff. the truck is quiet again...yaa..
i then replaced the vacuum actuator, and the diaphragm under the battery.
when i push the button, i can hear the transfer case engage, i also cannot turn the driveshaft, so...that part is working.
if i remove the battery while the truck is running and push the button, the diaphragm retracts., so that part works
today, i replaced the cable, and lifted the passenger side off the ground to check for engagement. i could pull the shaft with no cable and get the front wheel to not turn. so i installed the new cable, and pulled it by hand, the axle engaged.
i then hooked the cable up to the diaphragm, when i hand depressed the diaphragm, the axle engaged.
so put it all together, and drove it, the axle will not engage.
i verified this by lifting the pass side again...
i am planning on removing the battery again tomorrow to double check the diaphragm, but other than that, i am lost...
any ideas??
#24
01-09-2020, 12:00 PM
Welcome aboard Matt - You might want to start a new topic so your question gets more attention. Lot's of folks stop reading a thread when the original question is solved.
My next advice would be to trace the vacuum line from the diaphragm/actuator to its source and make sure it's not cracked or disconnected.
My next advice would be to trace the vacuum line from the diaphragm/actuator to its source and make sure it's not cracked or disconnected.
#25
01-09-2020, 12:04 PM
hi guys, i am having a similar problem, i have scoured the forum looking for answers, i think i understand the system and how it works, let me begin at the beginning.
i believe the transfer case vacuum switch went bad, it in turn took out the front diff....it howled like mad...i found an entire front end that the fella parting out told me was the same ratio s the one i had(i looked up mine, and asked him what his was..he did not know what mine was...) i finally got around to putting in the diff. the truck is quiet again...yaa..
i then replaced the vacuum actuator, and the diaphragm under the battery.
when i push the button, i can hear the transfer case engage, i also cannot turn the driveshaft, so...that part is working.
if i remove the battery while the truck is running and push the button, the diaphragm retracts., so that part works
today, i replaced the cable, and lifted the passenger side off the ground to check for engagement. i could pull the shaft with no cable and get the front wheel to not turn. so i installed the new cable, and pulled it by hand, the axle engaged.
i then hooked the cable up to the diaphragm, when i hand depressed the diaphragm, the axle engaged.
so put it all together, and drove it, the axle will not engage.
i verified this by lifting the pass side again...
i am planning on removing the battery again tomorrow to double check the diaphragm, but other than that, i am lost...
any ideas??
i believe the transfer case vacuum switch went bad, it in turn took out the front diff....it howled like mad...i found an entire front end that the fella parting out told me was the same ratio s the one i had(i looked up mine, and asked him what his was..he did not know what mine was...) i finally got around to putting in the diff. the truck is quiet again...yaa..
i then replaced the vacuum actuator, and the diaphragm under the battery.
when i push the button, i can hear the transfer case engage, i also cannot turn the driveshaft, so...that part is working.
if i remove the battery while the truck is running and push the button, the diaphragm retracts., so that part works
today, i replaced the cable, and lifted the passenger side off the ground to check for engagement. i could pull the shaft with no cable and get the front wheel to not turn. so i installed the new cable, and pulled it by hand, the axle engaged.
i then hooked the cable up to the diaphragm, when i hand depressed the diaphragm, the axle engaged.
so put it all together, and drove it, the axle will not engage.
i verified this by lifting the pass side again...
i am planning on removing the battery again tomorrow to double check the diaphragm, but other than that, i am lost...
any ideas??
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