This is common in the pre-magnum Dakotas. First thing to try is back the
truck up about 15 feet in reverse with the transfer case in 2H. That will
sometimes pop it loose.
If it doesn't free up, on the front axle housing, on the right side of the
truck you will see a small round canister with two vacuum lines running into
it. That is the front axle vacuum actuator. That sometimes freezes or gets
gummed up with crap . The actuator has two purposes. First, it acts like
an automatic hub by locking and unlocking the front axles when shifting in
and out of 4WD. It also has an electric switch that turns on and off the
4WD light on the shifter panel. The truck may be in two wheel drive with
the front end still locked and the light 4WD on.
With the truck in park, the transfer case 4H and the engine running, take
the two lines off and see if you have any vacuum. You should always have
vacuum to one of the two lines. If you have no vacuum then you have a
vacuum leak. If you do have vacuum, after determining which line has
vacuum, shift the transfer case back into 2H and check to see if the vacuum
moved to the other line. If it does NOT, then the vacuum switch on the back
of the transfer case is bad. You can identify it by looking for what looks
like an oil pressure switch with 4 vacuum lines running into it. Unscrew it
from the transfer case, screw in a new one and plug the lines back into it.
Takes about 5 minutes to change. About $35-$40 bucks for the part.
If the vacuum DOES move from one line to the other then the actuator itself
is stuck. Try plugging the lines backwards. That some times will pop it
loose. Also try spraying some penetrating oil into the two tubes of the
actuator. This will help wash out some of the mud and crap they seem to
collect over time. If it continues to give you a problem then replace the
actuator. I don't know offhand what the part costs.
Walter Felix
88½ Dakota Sport 4x4
WWW.GeoCities.Com/~Walter_Felix
-----Original Message-----
From: nick ringwelski <ringer19@hotmail.com>
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Date: Friday, February 12, 1999 11:07 AM
>I have a 87 dakota, last night I drive throught icy water and I had my
>truck in 4hi now it won't disengauge for 4 hi. Has any one had this
>problem before
>
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