Jon, if this is a Dana 44 with the vacuum acuated front
axles, check to see if the diapharm housing on the top of
the axle hasn't been damaged in some way. Also I'd check the
vacuum hose that goes to it and make sure it isn't cracked
or crimped anywhere. They should be cheap enough that it may
be worth just replacing that stuff as a prevent with all the
salt and stuff you have out there. I had a similar issue
with my '85 3/4 ton Ram years ago in Kansas City.
Tim
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2003 20:14:58 -0500 (EST)
> From: Jon <jon@dakota-truck.net>
> Subject: DML: 4x4 problem diagnosis?
>
> 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 ----'
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