i have a 1994 s10 blazer 4wd 4.3l vortec. the front axle has only engaged a few times. i just put another new vacuum switch on the t-case and that didnt do it. i have been able to track it up to the actuator and it has good vacuum. the actuator is working fine. i pulled the cable loose the other day from the actuator and could only pull it about 1/4" at the most. i have been told that the cables are notorious for seizing or freezing from water getting in them. when i try the 4 wheel drive it sounds like teeth are grinding on the edge of each other. i was also told that there are 2 thrust washers that tend to go bad and break into pieces by the shift fork and wont allow everything to engage all the way. not sure if that is correct or not. my next guess is that i have a bad cable. any ideas are helpful before i spend the money on a new cable.

 

The cable needs to move further. You'll have to work the cable using some WD40 or other suitable lite lubricant to work into the cable in order to get it freed up. The cable is the most likely culprit.

 

put a new cable and housing on the axle and still doesnt work. dont know if there are any adjustments to the cable or not. any help is appreciated

 

Sounds like your next course of action is to get inside the passenger side extension tube and see what's going on with the engagement collar and shift fork.

 

just to give an update. i ended up just assuming that the front differential was bad so i changed that out with a used one. when i took the old one out and inspected it, the passenger side axle shaft slid right out without having to take anything apart. there was a washer inside that was supposed to keep it within the tube that had broken into a bunch of pieces. this was not allowing the splines to mesh correctly just like i thought. that did the trick and i now have working 4 x 4. ready for more michigan winter

 

I took the right tube assy. off on my 1994 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer Tahoe (W), and put axle back into the pinion gear where the 'snap ring' is supposed to hold it in place but it keeps coming out. So much for that Huh? I guess I'll be looking for one (differential) in the junk yard. I was darn sure I had it properly fixed

 

enjoy putting in a different one. i had never changed a front ifs differential before and people told me it should take about 4 hours. it took me 9 hours total but it was done and works now. pm me if you need and help on changing it. good luck