I am hoping someone will be able to give me some clues as to
where to check to fix a problem I am having with the 4x4 system on
my Ram.
The vehicle is a '92 Ram 4x4 with a 318 Magnum, NP241 transfer
case, Dana 44 front, Chrysler 9.25" rear.
Today, when driving on the (snow covered) roads at around 30-40mph
in 4hi, the "4x4 engaged" light would quickly flash off, then back on
again, and at the exact same time, there is a "clunk" that comes up
from underneath the truck. If I had to guess I would say it is in
the transfer case area, but I suppose it could also be somewhere on
the front axle. It would clunk every couple of seconds or so,
althouth it wasn't anything on a regular basis. Throttle application
seemed to dictate when it would happen. I couldn't get it to clunk
while coasting, but with some throttle, it would start doing it again.
The more throttle or load it was under, the more severe the "clunk".
I didn't do this a whole lot, because I didn't want to damage anything
so I drove in 2wd the whole time except when I was playing with the
clunk.
Holding the 4wd lever back didn't make a difference, so I don't
think it is the lever slipping. Also, it does it in both 4hi and 4lo.
It was difficult to get it to clunk in 4lo, but it does. (driving on
level ground or slight inclines didn't seem to make it clunk in 4lo,
but I was able to do it by using about half throttle going up a
steep hill.)
This just started doing this today - I have been driving around
for a week or two and this is the first I have noticed it. I have
always gotten that clunk (or a very similar one) when going from
2wd to 4hi (it would take a little while after pulling the lever,
then it would clunk, and the "4x4 engaged" light would come on).
However, before, it only "clunked" that one time, as it engaged,
not continually.
Recent service:
I hydrolocked the engine in a mud pit back in October, and the truck
has sat (inside) until about 3 weeks ago when I finally finished
cleaning it up and putting the top end back together. After putting
the motor back together, when driving around, it "seemed as if there
was more drivetrain noise than before. It was due for diff fluid
changes anyway, so I did the front and rear, and I also changed the
transfer case fluid. (I used ATF+3). The only strange thing I
noticed when doing this is that the transfer case did not take as
much fluid as the FSM said it would. I don't have it right in front
of me here, but I believe the spec is something like 6 pints, and
I only put in about 2 quarts (4 pints) before it was spilling out
the top fill hole.
So, right now I am thinking it maybe has something to do with an
insufficient fill, or maybe I should have used ATF+ instead of ATF+3,
or perhaps it is a vacuum or electronics issue.
Incidentally, another thing I just thought of is that all the times
I have been driving it the past few weeks, it has sat inside a heated
building - at 55-60 degrees F. Yesterday was the first time in a while
I have let it sit outside all night. Perhaps that has something to
do with it? It was still doing it even after driving the truck 20
miles though and it was fully heated up.
Any ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks!!
-Jon-
.---- Jon Steiger ------ jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com ------.
| I'm the: AOPA, DoD, EAA, NMA, NRA, SPA, USUA. Rec & UL Pilot - SEL |
| 70 Cuda, 90 Dak 'vert, 92 Ram 4x4, 96 Dak, 96 Intruder 1400, 96 FireFly |
`------------------------------------------ http://www.jonsteiger.com ----'
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:45:42 EST