Hi all, new here and in need of some big-time help. Background: 98 blazer, 140k miles, 233 transfer case, backed out of the garage yesterday, put transmission into park to shift into 4Hi (10" of snow overnight), put transmission back into reverse and nothing, nada, put back into park and hit 2Hi to disengage 4WD and all transfer case lights went out, tried drive, 3, 2, 1 and R and none worked, put into park and grinding sound like a saw winding down ensued. Have disconnected battery to try to reset TCCM, no go, looked at encoder motor but see nothing out of the ordinary. Could this be a result of only vacuum switches and actuators? Don't think so but not sure. Bulbs on push-buttons flash on bulb check but go out after that. Nothing lights up, no clicks like trying to engage, nothing and have no drive. Is TC toast? Encoder out of phase or stuck between gears? Help.

TIA

 

Somehow, your transfer case shifted into neutral.

There is no possible way for you to 'look' at the encoder motor and see anything out of the ordinary.

I would check the connections at the TCCM and encoder motor as well as the switch in the dash. Check all of the fuses for the 4wd as well.

If you have disconnected the battery, then you have reset the TCCM which means that any stored codes are now gone. Checking the codes should be the first step for anyone experiencing a problem with their 4wd. On the NV233, checking codes can be performed with a paper clip!

 

Thanks. Is it possible to manually shift the transfer case into 2Hi so the vehicle is movable? Can I just slide the encoder motor back a bit and put an open ended wrench on the shaft that changes gears in the TC? If so, which direction would I turn the shaft to go to 2Hi?

 

If the transfer case is in neutral, you would have to remove the encoder motor and turn the sector shaft approximately 40 degrees counter clockwise.