Hey Jbrew, I'll check the engine bay ones later. I got all the kick panel grounds I could find, I had two on each side, drivers and pass, 4 green bolts total. I cleaned and di-electric greased the faces of each connector. All were extremely clean.

I re-connected battery and started truck up, right away at start up the SOB switched into 4x4 high. Unbelivable! But I did wiggle the switch around and it kicked back out into 2H. Is it possible even thought I ohmed the switch it is STILL bad? All connections on the backside are secure, even the loose wire, I made sure it was connected and di-electric greased.

TIA!

 

Checked the other grounds mentioned, all look excellent, just as clean as the in cab ones were.

Funny, when I started the truck, it was in 4x4H uncommanded shift, after I let it sit for a half hour or so, went out and started it back up, instantly kicked back into 2H. I'm assuming the switch is failing under load perhaps? Just because after use or when this happens it becomes unresponsive or will only activate and de-activate 4L

 

Iduno, is that truck possessed by chance lol. I know of two users on this forum who removed the shift motor , then re-installed it and it solved their problems. I'm not sure why, just that it worked for them. I wouldn't even mention this if it were just one, but I've read two different people who have done this and had success.

 

Hey Jbrew, I am thinking it does have something to do with the shift motor. Its what the last scanner pointed to. Perhaps for some stupid reason its stuck between 2H and 4H on the cam and sensor inputs. Maybe I installed it goofy or something. warm enough out today so I'll double check it.

Posessed? God I hope not, no cure a computer could fix! LOL

 

Well good luck. Yea, I didn't put much faith into one user posting that fix, but when another posted the exact same thing ??? Maybe your right, it's just stuck in between. It's worth a shot.

 

Shift it into 2Hi then remove the motor and examine the position the T-case is in. If required shift it manually into 2Hi. Who did you get the shift motor from?

 

Hey guys

JMC, motor was purchased through NAPA store. I believe its a Doorman part.

Well heres what happened today. Took motor off case. cam was in the 2H position but I put vise grips on it and it went more towards the 2H position on the case, OK

Took motor into shop and took it apart. Checked sensor, appeared good. I did scribe a line before I removed the sensor too. To make sure the gear drive was aligned correctly, I crawled back under the truck but the motor on case without shift gear on bolted motor on lightly.

THen, made sure cam was at 2H position which it was all the way it would go. Then I pushed the gear into the motor housing and onto cam shifter. There, now I KNOW thats where its supposed to be. Took motor back off, carefully to not loose gear position. Took back into shop, re-installed contact rotary sensor, made sure half moon shaped key went into back of gear, installed screws, aligned scribe mark and re tightened.

Re installed motor, tried it. Works perfectly.

BUT upon startup I heard a click, I figured great it didn't do anything, but the click was not accompanied by a 4x4 light...it seemed to be a disengagement click. Perhaps it was stuck between 2H and 4H. I'm not sure. But it made that one click the first time I started truck and didn't do it again. Now everything works well. Lets see if it stays this way.

What do you guys think?

 

No telling what the click was. Cycle through the positions a few times and see if it shifts properly.

 

Hey JMC, it definetly cmae from something associated with the 4x4 system as it came from the area of the relay module. Maybe it was it.

Anyways, took truck out, did a 4x4h and 4x4lo run on snowy/icy lot, everything worked perfect. Perfect engagment and disengagment. Truck was started a total of 3 times today, no random shifts to 4x4H...........so far so good.

Is it possible to install the shift motor.....wrong? Or install it in such a way to cause an issue with the sensor reading?

 

Sounds like you may have got lucky lol. Hope it lasts.

 

Hey jbrew, I CERTAINLY hope so.......

I guess heres the big question. What would happen if the sensor on the back of the motor was turned to the 4x4H sense position? What would that cause the GEM to light the dash lights AND engage the T-case?

 

I don't know what you mean lol.

 

Lets try this

What if the only sensor in the 4x4 circuit that moved/activated was the transfer case motor plate sensor and all other sensors and switches remained stationary/unchanged. Or say it was out of adjustment (there must be a way they calibrate these when they build them, hence the slots in the cover). What would that cause the GEM to do? Turn the dash light on?

 

The shift motor relies on the GEM for directional control as well as how far to turn the shift cam, in the t-case, in either direction. The contact plates tell the GEM where the shift cam is. If the shaft is not properly positioned in the motor assembly housing the shift forks will not properly complete the shift. This could leave the t-case partially shifted out of 4x4 but not completely. When you hit a bump or mash the gas the torque applied to the input shaft in the t-case could allow the shift fork to shift back into 4x4.

One thing about the electronic shift on the fly is I am not sure if the GEM turns on the 4x4 light because the switch was turned or because the shift plate contacts moved. On the manual shift it is because the lever was pulled back and contacts on a switch in the t-case were closed. If the electronic shift relies on the shift plate positions that would explain why the light would come on.

 

Hey JMC, day two after re-calibration of motor. No problems. Still crossing fingers.

I DID talk to a buddy that is head tech at the local dealer (Dodge) and hetold me that he has seen another occurance of this on a vehicle before. He said sometimes the motors come and they aren't in perfect alignment, IE the gear needs to be turned a bit more one way or the other. He said they should slide right on perfectly, and I remember with this motor I had to install it offset and rotate it to get the bolt holes to line up.

He told me that is probably what all the ruckus was about and the reason you had trouble tracking it down and why the computer scan was pointing at the shift motor!

Hopefully mission accomplished. i guess moral of the story is make sure if you mess with your shift motor, make sure it slides on and lines up perfectly!