97 Jeep Cherokee 4wd - 4wd Won't disengage

Just a quick question. Are you stopping the Jeep and putting the transmission in neutral before shifting from 4H to 2H?

Jim Smith

Jerry,

If it is an automatic, then it probably is necessary. Although "theoretically" or according to the owner's manual one should be able to shift between 4H and 2H almost any time, if the drive line is loaded it isn't going to happen. I found this out when my wife had a '97 Cherokee with automatic. For some reason, she tried to shift the transfer case in the middle of a snow bound parking lot at the ski area. Once she got it in neutral, it refused to come out, until we had put the transmission in park. After all the grinding that I heard, while I was in the condo putting on my boots, we traded the vehicle in. I never did find out whether this was considered normal behavior or not.

With my Wrangler, which is manual transmission, I step on the clutch, just out of force of habit, before shifting anything.

Earle

Earl, it absolutely should not be necessary to shift into neutral to get it back into 2Hi whether the transmission is an automatic or manual. New Venture designed the transfer case to be a shift on the fly and it's been that way for many years.

I've had several Jeeps with that same transfer case with an automatic > Jerry,

Well, I've got a 1988 Cherokee that you have to do this. You can shift on the fly, but it may take some time for it to shift. I found stopping and putting the jeep into neutral makes it much quicker and without nay noise or pop or bang. Just my observation.

Jim Smith

My Cherokee is also an automatic and I find this to be the best way to shift from 4H to 2H.

thanks! Jim Smith

I have always shifted on the fly and this problem has only reared its head over the last six months. And I hit several lights on the way to work so the jeep is constantly on and off as far as gas goes/tension on the drive train. I just don't know the inner workings of the transfer cases. Am I sliding some type of clutch plate mechanism together or am I sliding a gear into place that engages the driveshaft to the front differential directly? Can this be caused by low fluid perhaps is it just showing its age. I have 120,000 miles on it and I would like to put another 40+ on it before any major repairs are needed. Not having the car payment has put two four wheelers and a motorcycle in my garage.

Depends on what you are using to determine when it shifts. I've got an 88 4-spd, son has a 91 auto. On both, the 4WD light is basically an idiot light - if it's on you MAY be in 4WD, especially shifting back to 2WD. Looking at the actual state of the system (like you, we both have the front axle diconnect on the axle), we usually find that both the tc and the axle are disconnected and the light is still on. I have no idea where one would adjust the switch, but it is not a positive indication od the state. The transfer case - which is the important part - will follow the shift handle but it may take a while for the axle to disengage even though the load is fairly light. As long as you get the gears disengaged in the tc there is no problem with the front axle being engaged since there is no way for it to bind up with the tc properly shifted. You might want to check adjustment of the transfer case shift rod. Could be that it has shifted and not quite getting back to 2WD when you shift now. There is just one small bolt that locks the shift rod in place by friction and it WILL slip over time.

For both the XJ and the MJ, we can usually get the light to go off (it's a nuisance if it just stays > Well, I've got a 1988 Cherokee that you have to do this. You can shift on

I had this problem a while back with my '98 XJ... it would not engage

4WDH unless I first went into neutral then back into 4WDH. After the shift linkage (or rod) was adjusted the problem went away.

-- Taylor

'03 Audi S6 Avant '05 Mazda6 Wagon GT '98 Jeep Cherokee Sport

On our 88 we have to bump the vacuum with a fast decel to make it shift quick, otherwise it takes time. That is just age on leaky vacuum fittings, usually the front axle one and doesn't apply to the new ones.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

Sometimes shifting out of 4H with an automatic, it might take a few seconds for the 'case to disengage because of the more constant torque load of the automatic; shifting the tranny into "N" will help reduce this time. This was the case with our '93 GC, '94 XJ and my wife's current TJL. That said, 15 minutes as the OP wrote is definitely too long for the 'case to disengage.

Matt, my Cherokee was an automatic and the most I ever had to do to hasten the shift back into 2wd was to let off on the gas. That raised the level of engine vacuum which helped speed up the shift back into

2wd. If things are operating correctly, there is never a need to shift into neutral to get it to complete the shift back into 2wd. The transfer case is a shift-on-the-fly, not "shift-into-neutral-then-shift-into-2wd.' :)

Jerry

Matt Macchiarolo wrote:

Jerry,

Very sorry to disagree but I've had 2 automatic XJ's a 96 and a 99 and they both need to be put in "N" on the transmission, not the transfer case, to shift in or out of 4wd if your doing anything less then say 10 MPH there's too much tension on it to shift. Also when standing still it's even worse if the transmission is put into gear while the transfer case is in neutral. That's the grinding the guy in the lodge heard his wife doing. Now a standard shift is another matter, ease up on the gas and shift. Also the vacuum disconnect is a totally different situation altogether. I also owned a 89 5 speed.

JoBo

How can it be wrong or ill-advised if it works? Explain to me genius, how it's "Wrong". It may not be how the manual say to shift, but how is it wrong? If it works and allows the jeep to shift out of 4H into 2H more quickly than the standard method, what's wrong with that? You do everything that the manual says to do. Word for word, yeah right.

You may want to read my response. I ask a question of the OP. Read my post below. I asked if they were stopping. I was not telling them to do this. In a later post I was explaining how this allows my Jeep to quickly shift. I did not say this was the only way to shift, but the way my jeep shifts more quickly.

Where do you come off telling me I'm ill-advised? You know so much where was your response to their question. If what I do works for me, I'll do it. There is more than one option in life. Believe it or not.

Jim Smith

So there are a few others that have to shift into Neutral.

What do you have to say to that Jerry?

Jim Smith

In the condo, second floor of the building. I was sitting down to a well deserved beer and a viewing of "Sabrina the Teen Age Witch", when I heard a "Holy Sh*t!" noise from the parking lot, and instantly hoped it wasn't mine. That hope was dashed pretty quick. As far as I could figure out, she had shifted onto 4-LO on entry to the slush filled parking lot. On the way out, she thought that 4-HI would be better. She was probably right, but once she got the transfer case into Neutral it wouldn't come out for anything, not until I came out and played with the automatic shifter, shut off the engine, and fiddled around with it for a few minutes.

I hate to say that Jerry's advice is "just plain 'wrong' and ill-advised", but there you have it.

Earle

According to the Usenet Rules of Engagement, you just let Jerry win a round, by letting him get under your skin.

Earle

No Earle, not under my skin. I haven't gone off yet in this newsgroup. However, I won't let someone tell me I'm wrong when I know what works for my Jeep. Ignorance is bliss, so I guess Jerry is one very happy person!

Jim Smith