Recently, leaving a driveway in the near-freezing rain I pulled the 4x4 handle all the way back into the full-time position. I happened to be accelerating a bit as I did so, and I immediately heard/felt a repetitive clunk-clunk-clunk that appeared to be coming from the transfer case/trans area. I immediately backed off the throttle, and the noise quit. So, again, to experiment I gave it a fair bit of gas and again got the clunk-clunk-clunk sounds. Mind you, this is not the expected clump sound/feel that you get when it engages or disengages properly, but rather is louder and stronger. The front feels like it is engaged, but anytime there is any load on it, such as accelerating (even fairly gently) it gives me the thump-thump-thump. Of course, not knowing what was going on, I dropped it out of 4 and took it home in 2 wheel.
I don't know if it could be related, but I just had the head gasket replaced and had a valve job done at the same time. I've put on about
4,000 miles since then and, I'm becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the shop's workmanship, as a relatively trouble-free vehicle has quickly turned into a headache. I may or may not have run the four wheel drive since then. (cant remember, if I did, it was once on snow.)Any help is greatly appreciated.