4WD ESOF issue is making me crazy

cap

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THIS IS CROSSPOSTED ON THE 6.0TECH FORUM, I JUST FOUND THIS FORUM AND THINK IT MAY BE MORE BENEFICIAL HERE. IF I CANT CROSSPOST, ****** ONE, DONT BITCH AT ME FOR CROSSPOSTING THOUGH.

This is going to be long winded because I want to have all the information as possible for you guys so bear with me.

To start of my ESOF switch has not been putting my truck in 4WD as it should for a while before all this happened, so I have to lock the hubs then flip the switch and the indicator lights have worked as they are supposed to. Friday night I ended up putting my truck in 4hi because of the storm that came through central Kansas. I got to where I was hunting and left it in 4wd overnight. Drove all morning and parked at about 10, hunted until 4ish. Weather started as rain at 32 Friday night, it was 21 when I got up at 530 Saturday and by 4 it was 5 degrees, snow and a 20+mph north wind. A buddy started my truck for me and pulled it down to me and while I was getting all packed up I noticed the 4wd light was not on even though I had left it in 4wd for the entire time. I was offroad in snow and had no problem so I am pretty sure I was in 4hi still and headed home (I wanted to be in 4hi, conditions were still bad) after maybe 30 minutes I noticed that the dash light was on but said I was in 4low, and I knew for sure that was not the case. Turned off to get fuel and food and pulling into a restaurant, I didn't feel anything but started spinning on roadway that had not been a problem before. went in and ate then started tinkering with it. turned the truck on and again no 4wd light when I still hadn't taken it out of 4hi. powerbraked and my buddy told me that my front tires weren't spinning I tried for 15 minutes to get it out of 2wd, switching through all my 4wd settings, nothing. I went on my way. 20 minutes later, the truck says im in 4hi....10 minutes later the low range light comes on, rode like that another hour until I got home. temps dipped significantly below 0 overnight so I wasn't going outside to tinker with it (-6 when I got up this morning).

Today, same symptoms, 4 low light comes on after a little bit even though I have unlocked hubs and its been running in 2wheel for sure. on the highway I went to put on the cruise control and I got nothing, no light or CC. rolled my eyes at the truck and went on, next thing I know the green CC indicator light is on but it definitely is not holding speed.

so far that's all I have, so where does that put me? at first I thought it was simply electrical and related to the weather. I thought the sensor or the transfer case control module was bad but now im starting to think my vacuum leak (no ESOF to begin with) has gotten bad enough that its much more prevalent in the trucks operation. Could it be both of those? I don't want to throw money into the truck blindly so I need help. The problem is that I have moved and don't have the place or tools to do too much to the truck now. HELP!!!

jake
 

Ciras

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A vacuum leak will not prevent the transfer case from engaging. Nor will it prevent the indicator lights from coming on.

You were correct that the problem is electric.

Firstly, check the relays associated with ESOF. Corrosion is a fairly common issue; clean or replace. Ensure that the relay has not failed by testing with a multi meter. Each prong should read 0 ohms to the corresponding pole.

Also be sure that the relays and fuses are receiving 12v.

Remove the transfer case motor and apply 12v power to confirm operation. Ensure that the motor is receiving power.

The results of the above will yield the answer or point to where more troubleshooting is required.
 

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