Who are you? Why do I not know you ? Are you willing to write a jeep Bible for all of us who have been praying for videos like this? I have been changing parts since my first car. I have worked in body shops. I wanted to be an engineer and my college advisor said I should really think about it cuz the courses are very difficult. I dropped out and got a great job but always been into it. I have seen hundreds of xj videos but none in this format. It's like you were there when the engineers wrote the blue prints. Bless you brother.
I don't think I've ever received such a compliment holy wow and yanno, when I was in school, nobody believed in me and said my channel wouldn't go anywhere. Maybe I will make a Jeep bible, and it'll be better than the factory service manual! I appreciate the encouragement!
The 242 is a godsend in Vermont winters. Full time mode makes it much easier to accelerate from a stop when the roads suddenly become slippery. "set it and forget it" indeed
I have been driving a 92 with Select-Trac in western Washington for 15yrs or so. It is great for conditions of changing traction that we get a lot such as rain mixed with slush, first rain after a summer without rain (oily road surface), black ice. It is also great for Forest Service roads or other gravel going up hills. Much better traction to accelerate and avoids spinning a rear wheel. In low traction conditions, the full-time 4wd allows the Jeep to out-accelerate high horsepower cars with that have only 2wd. I rate these transfer cases as highly desirable. Love the video. A new subscriber now.
Overheating issues, use a fan shroud, don’t use a lower temp thermostat, use 195 and the coolant will stay in the radiator long enough to cool down. This fixed my overheating as I attempted to use a 165 thermostat without a fan shroud and continue to get overheating problems. Adding the fan shroud helped and it was fine and winter, and the summer when I replace the thermostat, I put OEM 195 instead of 165 and it actually worked! You would think a cooler thermostat would keep the system cooler as it lets the coolant flow at a lower temperature; however, The coolant needs to stay in the radiator long enough to cool down. If it circulates too fast, the radiator is not cooling it effectively. It is counterintuitive, but I finally figured it out. The jeep overheating issue has been solved. Folks use the right temperature thermostat never delete your thermostat
You can take the guts out of the thermostat and it'll slow the water down enough to let it cool also. You can find restrictor plates for some thermostat housing also that serves the same purpose
Thanks bud, just picked up an ‘01 from Atlanta that is wicked farm fresh, probably paid a bit too much for it, but up here in Western MA one without body rot and frame rot is like finding hens teeth. Can’t wait to dig into my new project.
My 94 Cherokee Country was equipped with the NP242. It also came with ABS and a limited slip rear diff. So in "partime" 4wd, It used the abs as "traction control" on the front diff and coupled with the limited slip in the rear, it was an amazing 4WD/AWD system. It worked great on any slippery surface, rain and snow. I understand this was an unusual configuration for an XJ, I've never seen another XJ equipped the same.
No thats just ABS its not doing any traction control lol. My 98 XJ has that, Up Country Package, ABS/Cruise control, External Idle button, NP242 + Trac-Loc LSD in the rear. Mine is a rare XJ having the 242/TracLoc. Means they get the more pricey transfer case, rear diff, up country,. Trac-loc was separate from U.C & tow package. Also got the smokers group & tinted windows.
My Comanche came stock as a 2wd, when I couldn't sell it for even $500, I lifted it and put a np231 in it and that lasted for 3 years but the transfer case eventually blew when the factory linkage did something bad to it while I was driving offroad. When I rebuilt it, it lasted another year but when I rebuilt the engine to a 4.6 stroker, the 231 blew again. After that I bought a 242, which has a stronger planetary gearset and wider chain and it hasn't had a single issue with it since.
wow! amazing video and well done my man. you solved my problem of "what the heck is that crackling noise" when i make a tight turn on pavement in 4H and especially 4L. I'm just glad I didn't run it long enough to break it. I'm a new owner and just learning more about these XJ's. Mine is 2001 and love it. Will want to do a 3.5 lift soon and need to learn some more! Thanks again for a great tutorial
Be careful with lifts, do your research and cover all your bases. at 3.5" you're gonna need longer brake lines, adjustable track bar and maybe even a SYE kit, which are things people often overlook. I had a 1.5" lift on mine for a while but took it off because I didn't like the body roll, and it was causing Unforseen problems like the driveshaft angle being too steep.
A hard 2nd to "do your research" before lifting.. most kits get your suspension lifted just fine, but they don't tell you about the extras you're going to need.. the longer brake lines obviously makes sense, but without an adjustable track bar, your front axle will end up offset. I'm currently sitting at 3" of lift and I'm not running a SYE.. But, I've also never had any driveline vibration or death wobble, which might warrant one. You will also likely run into some "bump steer" issues because of the now altered steering geometry. I ended up getting the adjustable track bar kit from Iron Rock Offroad and it came with a track bar drop bracket. BAM! Centers the axle and corrects any bump steer. Wish I had known that one from the get go, lol! Also, great video! Super informative and I definitely learned a few little things I didn't know. Always nice to bone up on how things work in your rig!
I think all XJs supplied to the UK had 242s. At least, I haven't seen a 231 yet. It makes sense as 242 is perfect for out winter roads and works well with the rear LSD which was also very common (but pretty much guaranteed to be skipping now!)
2:40 OMG is that a long bed Comanche? Where in the world did you find that? That is a diamond in the rough buddy I would absolutely love to find a Comanche with a manual transmission and four-wheel-drive with the 4.0 in-line six but I don’t think they made it that way.
They sure did make them, because that's the exact spec of the one I had (have) it is a 1987 4.0L Manual 4wd Long bed I have a playlist of videos about it
Where was this video two weeks ago? I knew something was up with my front diff as i had already cleared u joints and my steering compartments. One raining day i took it out in the neighborhood, was getting bad traction, completely new to 4x4 and was going off the manual for my select trac cherokee. Went into 4x4 part time to take off, as i understood from the single short paragraph explaining what conditions to use what in, and my manual states that i can release the gas and shift back into 2 wheel drive. Like i said i knew SOMETHING was about to break, couldn't figure out what, had the time and money to FAFO. When i went from 4x4 part time at about 15 miles per hour into 2 wheel i didn't even get to hit the gas. Instant jet engine sound. 3 blocks to get home and a hour later i have a shredded spider gear, about 8 teeth, and a blown pinion gear and bearing. My bearing was bad. Right now Ive just gutted my front diff and removed the drive shaft so I'm 2 wheel only. But I'm trying to understand my 4x4 set up and how to use it. I apparently understood it backwards. I thought 4x4 part time was 2 wheel with 4x4 when it slips. Low for off road, high for if you getting up into the 40s range in snow or rain going to work. I'm probably going to blow another diff fully figuring it out but i hope not. The jeep is a far cry from the hot rods I'm used to but i honestly love this thing way more. Probably my favorite car I've owned to date. Edit i think i confused myself in the manual and was in fact supposed to slam home past part time into 4x4 high. Granted my diff wasn't long for this world with a bad bearing but a idiot playing with levers on a rainy day didn't help.
The day after I bought my XJ (first 4WD I've ever owned) I didn't know any better and drove around for a couple hours in part time all over the pavement on a snowy day. It's been a year and a half since and it still seems to be working fine, but yeesh does that bother me to think about.
They're pretty tough 4wd systems, and can build up a bit of tension before they start binding. In my early days I did something similar but in the rain, and I did just fine for a few miles. I ended up making a tight turn in a parking lot and the Jeep just stopped moving - the wheels had bound up and I was stuck. I just reversed in the exact opposite direction, and it unbound them, put it in 2wd, went about my day, and never had a problem
Doesn't hurt anything to drive in 4WD part time on pavement, the issue comes with tight repetitive turns on dry pavement while in part time 4WD....that is when you will have binding issues. A drive down a normal paved highway or freeway in 4WD part won't hurt a thing as the curves are usually quite sweeping, rather than sharp hairpin turns.
So I believed everything you said. Especially based on the 4ed selector placard. But I guess it was originally 231 but I ended up buying a jeep that had it swapped
8:02 i’ve noticed that if there are issues putting the truck into four-wheel-drive or getting out of four-wheel-drive, it helps to put the transmission in forward, then reverse then back into neutral I think it won’t work if the teeth and gears aren’t aligned just right? Seems like every other time. It works perfect every other other time you have to try twice, but it always works two out of two. These are great trucks.
Its a common problem with these transfer cases...the NP242 likes to get stuck in part time 4WD when you shift into or out of full time mode....usually changing direction helps it to disengage....if you are driving down the road and shift between 2WD and either part time or full time mode usually releasing the accelerator while performing the shift will get it to shift properly....if the transfer case is under tension when you shift, its going to remain in whatever selection you previously had until the tension is released, then it will finally shift to whatever range you have currently selected. Another cause for shifting issues is mismatched tires, mismatched tire sizes, or oddly worn tires....all will cause binding issues with the 4WD system making the shifts between ranges difficult.
I have also heard of people using 10W-30 Engine oil with no problems either, the transfer cases aren't picky in these things, but Dexron-III is what they requested from the factory so that's what I use
10w30 is too thick and may damage the pump, atf+4 is a full synthetic with an advanced additive package that is produced only under license to chrysler Corp, and will outlast dextron 5 to 1
I’m curious if this is true, my grandpa told me 1991 jeep Cherokee 4.0 four-wheel-drive automatic that it is good to get on a dirt road or grass and put it into four-wheel-drive on occasion that the chain will pull lubricant up and keep everything in the transfer case lubricated That it will last longer if you occasionally use it instead of never using it at all, is there any truth to this? It seems like a good idea to test all of your systems anyway so when there’s a problem it’s not when you need it, but I’m not sure if the transfer case uses the same fluid as the transmission? If the chain carries the fluid or if there is a pump or slinger? Or if it even spins enough to matter? I definitely noticed that your turning radius is doubled in four-wheel-drive, both high and low I guess because of the U joints being engaged? It makes the wheel turn at intervals back-and-forth with the wheel, turned halfway. I never tried to force it at this point.
It's certainly not a bad idea to use the 4wd occasionally, but it's not necessary. The fluid pump in the NP231 is driven from the output shaft, so if the wheels are spinning, the internals of the transfer case are being lubricated properly no matter what mode its in.
Owner's manuals of most, if not all 4WD vehicles actually tell you to engage the 4WD about once a month and drive a few miles....you don't necessarily need to go off pavement to do so, an open stretch of highway will work just fine, just don't be out there trying to do donuts on the pavement in 4WD. Another thing is, if you have the full time 4WD system you can engage it in full time mode say on your way to work or school, and once you get there disengage it.
Thanks for the video. It was very informative since I just bought a 4wd xj and it’s my first 4wd vehicle. I put it in part time and drove around my neighborhood going maybe 10-15mph in dry pavement for about 1-2 mins because I wanted to test it out. Could that do any damage at all? It was pretty loud while I was driving but not like a whining or grinding sound. More like driveline noise or like a loud tire kind of sound. The jeep has regular tires so it’s not the tires. I decided to change the front and rear diff fluids and there were no metal shavings or chunks missing. Is it just generally much louder while driving in 4wd or did I mess something up?
@@WAEMIDIV how would I know if there’s any damage done? Had my XJ on 4wd one evening and set it back in 2wd but it was stuck in 4wd and I didn’t know. Drove at least 7 miles with speeds up to 50mph. Didn’t know it was stuck in 4wd till I tried to turn and the wheels were hopping. Did I cause any damage and how would I be able to tell?
@@deegaw11 You can tell if you broke something because either you'll hear horrible, loud and very noticeable grinding, clunking, scraping and/or rhythmic thumping, or the vehicle just won't move. The transfer case is old, it probably wasn't used much, and your shift linkage may be slightly misaligned. Based on it getting stuck in 4wd for a long while, I'd start by changing the transfer case fluid if you haven't done that recently, and installing an Azzy Linkage. In the meantime, when you take it out of 4wd, tap the gas a few times when the lever is back in 2wd. Tap gas, fully release, tap gas, fully release, tap gas, fully release. That'll "knock" it out of 4wd
@@WAEMIDIV I get a thumping sound now only from 40-50mph. The sound isn’t there at any other speed. Not sure if it started before being stuck in 4wd or after but it definitely wasn’t there when I first purchased the XJ. I’ve changed the u joints, transfer case fluid and front and rear diff fluid but it’s still there. When I have it in 4wd I don’t hear the thumping but that could be because the drivetrain is much louder in 4wd. Again it only makes that sound from 40-50mph. Any idea what it can be? Still drives great and has no problem doing 80 on the freeway.
@@deegaw11 I'd get the tires checked. A bad tire can make a thumping sound too. If the transmission is shifting ok and the fluid is red, then it's most likely ok. Bad transmission can make a thumping sound. Hopefully it's not that. Did you check the front driveshaft CV joints/ U joints? Idk what year yours is? Mine has CV joints on the front driveshaft. There's also U joints or CV joints on the front axles. If any of that stuff is bad, it could cause some type of noise. I had a grinding noise I finally tracked down. It was the rear differential bearings.
8:42 so you are showing that 2 Wheel Dr. is driving both rear wheels, four-wheel-drive is driving all four wheels. As I understand it, the Acen automatic transmission with the command track only turns the lift wheels so in 2 Wheel Dr. it will do a one wheel peel, and four-wheel-drive. Your front and rear left wheels are being given torque, but the right wheels are not that the only way you can have all four wheel spinning at the same speed is to install a locking differential front and rear, correct? That most of these trucks never came with locking differentials, neither in the front nor the back
In diagrams like that its showing the axle(s) being powered, not necessarily individual wheels....there are times when you can get all 4 wheels to spin, sometimes you can get 3 to spin, but most commonly you'll find one front and one rear wheel spinning with open differentials...sometimes you can actually get a front left and rear left spinning while the 2 on the other side are sitting still....it all depends on traction, weight, vehicle angle, etc....tons of variables come into play as to which and how many wheels turn in a conventional 4WD system without lockers or limited slip differentials.
9:26 Not true sir. My XJ has the magical little silver sticker inside that says I have the rear Trac-Loc LSD + NP242. Only people who get jeeps 'only to off road' want a NP 231 & that makes me happy because the NP242 is so much more versatile for daily driving. Glad I have one plus it had the U.C package/Tow Package/ABS/Cruise Control/Ext Idle. Best Sport/Classic Jeep out there.
Finding a 242 in a Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, or a Liberty with a manual transmission is almost unheard of, unless someone swapped it in themselves. I actually don't believe the 242 (selec-trac) was a factory option with a manual transmission. Every manual/242 equipped Jeep I've ever ran across was owner swapped. You can do it, you just have to change the input shaft on the transfer case to fit the transmission, sometimes you have to change the output shafts to fit the driveshafts as well. Kind of one of those cases where you will have to figure it out as you tear into it type things as to what parts you'll need to pull from the old transfer case to put int eh replacement.
Question: if driving the 231 on mixed hardpack ice/snow with slight asphalt patches …. Generally straight road that is fine. Correct? But if you did accumulate any binding when you drop back into 2wd is all the binding safely released? Looking for the best way to release and binding that may have occurred…. To explain things to my newly driving kids properly Thx
If you go straight, it means both sets of wheels are spinning at the same speed, so they never bind up. You could stay in part time on dry pavement forever if you never turned But if it does build up tension in the dry patches, yes it's all released in 2wd. It may be a little difficult to put it back in 2wd with it binding, but it will. It may also allow a wheel to slip on the ice patches when able, so it is relatively risky
With normal highway driving in part time 4WD mode it wont' cause any issues, your tires will wear out a bit sooner as they take the brunt of the binding on dry pavement in light to moderate turns...its when you are making repetitive tight lock to lock turns in 4WD part time that causes significant binding and damage to drive train components. If you've bound up your 4WD system you are already at the point of breaking things.....straighten the vehicle out on the road, shift back to 2WD, and backup or go forward a few feet, depending on the direction you were going when you disengaged the 4WD go the opposite way....sometimes if the system is under a lot of tension when you shift out of 4WD, and reverse direction it'll disengage with a bang as the shift collar in the transfer case returns to the disengaged (2WD) position.
the NP231AMC is indeed shift-on-the-fly, even demonstrated in this video: my 1987 truck has one and I showed shifting while moving What they don't have is a true neutral axle disconnect, so while N disconnects the transfer case from the engine, it is still locked in part time. I believe true-neutral was added in 1991
@@WAEMIDIV As someone who has rebuilt many of these the only difference is a syncro in the 4wd. You can shift on the fly but it's hard on the shift collar in the t-case and can break the axle shift pod. I've repaired a lot of these and converted 231 to a 231-j with addition of a syncro.
Hey Thanks for your helpful video. I have a question abot my 93' XJ 2.5 5MT. I tried gear N and turn knob to 4L, it was impossible. I mean I can move the knob to 4H or N, but failed that move to 4L. What is common problem with this situation? I'd like to hear your wise advise. Thanks again.
Because the transfer case doesn't have synchronized gears, sometimes the teeth on the gears can "perfectly misalign" making it not slide into 4Lo. This is why you're allowed to (and in this case, recommended to) engage it while moving at below 3 mph. When rolling slowly, the gears will be spinning and thus lining up the teeth in the gear will be much more likely as it rotates. 4Lo is notoriously hard to engage, and with bad engine or transmission mounts the 4wd linkage can get misaligned as well, making the angle and leverage needed to engage 4Lo impossible because of the irregular resting positions of the transmission or engine. Next time, try it while the Jeep is rolling very slowly. Or, with the transfer case in Neutral, put the transmission in gear, release the clutch for a second (to spin the gears and chance aligning them that way) and then with the transmission back in neutral try the transfer case.
@@WAEMIDIV Wow. I truly admire your knowledge. I live in South Korea. There are not many engineers who have extensive knowledge of old jeeps here. Today, I tried to recharge the air conditioner refrigerant gas, but I gave up for now because there was a leak in the service valve. It was not a refrigerant inlet, but a valve of another shape, and as far as I know, it is a structure in which the refrigerant is recharged and closed again by slightly loosening it. I'm really sorry to bother you, but can you tell me how to solve this case?
@@명보에너지기찬보일러 I may be knowledgeable about drivetrain components but not so much air conditioning lol. My Jeep doesn't have A/C and I've never had to mess with it, I'm not sure what could be causing that
@@WAEMIDIV Ahh, I see. Anyway, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with me. I clicked subscribe button as a thank you. I became your big fan.
You need to be rolling slightly to get it into 4WD Low Range, very common with these transfer cases, the manual even tells you to shift the transmission to neutral while rolling forward around 3mph, and pull the transfer case lever quickly and firmly from 2WD, or 4WD high through neutral and back into low range without pausing in neutral. Also, the shift gate isn't a straight forward and backward movement of the lever, you need to follow the lines on the bezel, if I recall from high range 4WD to go to neutral/low range you need to push the shift lever away from you while pulling back to get past the detent that stops you from shifting to neutral from 4WD high....then once through neutral you'll move the shift lever back and to the left slightly.
93 XJ 4.0. In standard drive the left rear wheel is the drive wheel. In 4 wheel drive the left rear and right front turn. I had a new NP 231 installed some time ago but did not use 4 wheel until recently. Any ideas as to why the right rear and left front do not engage in 4 wheel drive . I would appreciate any Thanks everyone for your replies. By the way, I did raise the entire vehicle and that is when I discovered the only two drive wheels that were turning were the L/ rear & r/ front. I could free spin by hand the other two. Thank you for your help with this. .
This "issue" isn't necessarily a problem, it's just open differentials being open differentials. Sounds like your transfer case is doing everything it should. I'm not sure what method you used to determine the LR and RF wheels are the only ones that spin, but if you put the whole Jeep on jack stands, where all 4 wheels are entirely off the ground, you'll find all 4 of them will spin in 4wd. The differentials in the axles are not locking, or limited slip. This means, by the inherent laws of physics, the engine will only spin whichever wheel has the least resistance - in 2wd, that wheel is either gonna be the LR or RR, depending on what you're driving on and which wheel has less traction. People mitigate this problem by installing lockers or limited slip clutch packs inside the axles, which prevent them from doing that. However, that's a pretty expensive upgrade, and is really only necessary in extreme offroad scenarios. The transfer case, however, doesn't have a differential in it. As I mentioned, "part time" means the front and rear wheels are locked together, so when 1 rear wheel spins, it means 1 of the front wheels has to. You should look up a video about how differentials work. a visual would probably explain it alot better. But there's nothing wrong with your Jeep
Open differentials, whatever wheel has the least resistance is going to be the one spinning....could be front left right rear, left front left rear, it all depends on what the vehicle is sitting on, angles its sitting at, tires, etc.
Been binging your videos, my 4WD indicator light doesnt work and I know I changed the bulb out on my 97, any ideas? Your videos are very idiot proof and some general troubleshooting videos would be beneficial to schmucks like me
I got a friend who's part time light also doesn't work, I've been meaning to steal his Jeep and do a diagnosis video on that. I'm fairly certain his problem is a wiring issue. However, 95% of the time, that light not working is caused by the Indicator Switch on top of the transfer case. It's a small sensor with a button on it, and they fail all the time. Literally 5 of the 7 Jeeps I have owned had this problem, very common. www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/jeep,1997,cherokee,4.0l+l6,1180370,electrical-switch+&+relay,4wd+switch,4412 This is the part you need, TCA9, the 2 terminal one. (assuming you have NP231)
With the 4x4 version- would you ever use 4HI during heavy rain on the freeway? Or light snow on the freeway? (Obviously not at highway speeds- in order to be cautious, but maybe 40mph)
As long as the wheels can slip in part time, you can use it. Rain isn't really the best for it because wet pavement is still very grippy, and tension can build up in the drivetrain that gets released when you go through a low traction area (puddle) For snow it kinda depends how much there is
@WAEMIDIV Thank you so much. I appreciate the response. I've seen videos of XJs driving up a snowy mountain highway and the rear end let's go- causing them to wreck into the center divide. The owner mentions that being in 4HI probably would've helped to prevent that- but it's also easier to say that after the fact.
I have a few questions for some reason last time it snowed here in kansas i had it in 4 hi and a blew my trans recently. swapped it out so im trying to learn more about this why would this of happened? i made slow turns with 4 hi tho since the roads where slippery could that of caused it? my second question.... Can i use 4hi when its slippery like light snow/ice slippery roads? 3rd question when making turns in 4hi while slippery when the tires jump is that because its not slippery enough or are you not suppsed to make turns in 4hi? 4th question so in 4lo can you use it for dry pavement? my friend used to launch his jeep in a straight line for racing for more torque or was he just being stupid.....lol
1: Transfer case probably has nothing to do with blowing up the transmission. 2: As I discussed in the video, you can use 4 Hi part time where the tires can slip yes, you have to, because if they can't slip, you'll bind up the drivetrain. It also warns you not to use it on high traction surfaces on the sun visor, and the owners manual. It's called "part time" because you can only use it part time. Snow is usually not enough to justify using it, unless it has literally entirely covered the road. As I discussed in the video, you have to pay attention to what you're driving over, and put in back in 2wd when you enter a plowed area 3: You can turn in part time, but again the wheels must be allowed to slip. If they're catching and jumping/ skipping, there's too much traction to warrant the use of 4wd. 4: 4 Lo is also part time, it's the exact same thing as 4 Hi except it multiplies torque output. You can use either on dry pavement in an exact perfect straight line. Using 4 Lo to launch the Jeep in a drag race is only gonna help you for the first 3 seconds or so, before it tops out at like 25mph. 4 Lo is designed for crawl speeds, idling around in 1st gear.
@@WAEMIDIV Thanks, man, I really appreciate it. This is the first time I've had a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Your videos are really informative. Thanks for answering my questions. This week it's gonna snow real hard here so I appreciate it
Terrified to brake mine so to confirm. 1992 xj larado, 4L 5 speed manual. If I’m driving (In slippery conditions) all I need to do is put in the clutch and put it in 4 high? Don’t need to stop?
Is it safe to run 4H part time on dry pavement as long you don’t make any turns? I just daily drive my xj and use it for winters. But in the summer and spring I don’t want the 4 wheel drive to just sit there and not get used, gotta keep the juices flowing ya know lol
Yes you can technically use part time on pavement by driving in an exact straight line, but having it in 4wd doesn't really keep anything "used" more than it is in 2wd The front axle shafts, carrier, driveshaft, and transfer case gears & chain all, already free spin in 2wd, hence why you are able to engage 4wd while moving. Using 4wd over summer isn't gonna keep things "fresh", it's just gonna put you at risk of damaging the components by binding them up on pavement. My MJ sat unused for 16 years without moving, and all it took to get it in 4wd was pulling the lever. Nothing in its 4wd system had failed after being completely stationary for 16 years straight, so I think, given you're at least driving the Jeep more often than once every 16 years, you should have absolutely no problems with the 4wd whether you use it or not
I have Grand Cherokees a levardo 97 with 242 and then a 98 Limited all-wheel drive can I swap the T cases I want to use the all-wheel drive jeep for off-roading but I want to have the two wheel drive options
I'm guessing your ZJ (Grand Cherokee) has an NP249, which is AWD/4x4 only (no 2wd option) and your XJ (Cherokee) has the NP242 (as outlined in this video). I believe you totally can swap them but the NP249 is not a very desired transfer case. If I were you I'd try to find a different NP242 to put in the ZJ and just have that same transfer case in both Jeeps.
Yes, you can swap the transfer cases, keep in mind you may have to swap the input shafts, output shafts, slip yolks, etc. to make it work, but its a somewhat common swap when the full time 4WD transfer case which was an NP249 in the 1st generation Grand Cherokees (ZJ) would fail, they had a viscous coupler that controlled power distribution front to rear that was in the transfer case, when it failed, it failed in a locked state virtually turning your full time 4WD into a part time 4WD system....so most people given the cost to buy a replacement transfer case, or the part to fix it, opted to pull a donor transfer case from another Jeep, sometimes it was the 231 sometimes the 242, depending on what the vehicle was going to be primarily used for.
The AW4's 1st gear ratio is 2.80:1. Assuming you have stock axle gearing at 3.55:1, we multiply 1st gear × transfer case low gear × axle gear 2.80 × 2.72 × 3.55 = 27.04:1 final drive ratio in low gear with a 4.0L Automatic XJ.
I have 1991 xj 4.0 with np242 transfer case and if i get it right, for daily drive on snowy and slick road surfaces it is better to drive it on 4x4 full time?
Yes, full time mode, unless you cannot maintain forward movement, then shift to part time mode. Full time is meant for light duty use, where slightly more traction is needed than 2WD is providing you.
Front axle - yes, but you'll have to lift it 2"+ or modify your exhaust because it'll be a high pinion Dana 30 going into a vehicle designed around a Low Pinion Dana 30. Transmission - No, unless you like doing a lot of wiring modification. Transfer case - Yes, no problems there.
@@WAEMIDIV Any particular brand of oil that I can use? I really like your videos because you explain very well about the mechanics of each part of the Jeep xj
@@zonahostiloffroadsaltillo Honestly I never pay much attention to brands, they all do the same thing just with a different nameplate and colors on the bottle. The only brand I actively avoid is Mobil 1, but that's purely personal preference
Idk, a 5.9 cummins is over twice the weight of the amc 4.0. Both are reliable but I would still give the amc 4.0 the advantage. The AMC can go much longer between service intervals, and in general puts up with abuse better. Same with any of the subsystems; fueling, cooling, TURBO, etc. The big advantages of the 5.9 are total power, specificity torque and fuel economy. Fuel economy might be a wash, I bet you could at best get ~25-27 mpg out of a well tuned 5.9 in a XJ frame. The power is kind of only usefull for towing and the XJ just isn't the truck for that. The towing capacity isn't limited by the engine in a xj. 4.0 still has a great, smooth, wide torque curve that come on pretty early. No turbo lag. IF you want more power, better mpg and about the same reliability, cheap costs I would just stick an LS in there. About the same weight, compact, cheap, globs of power. No turbo system to deal with.
5:13 my 1991 jeep Cherokee Laredo 4.0 if you put it into four-wheel-drive low in reverse, there is so much gear reduction. The brakes will barely hold it. It’s like a tractor at that point, that plus how light these vehicles are makes them awesome in the snow with the right tires. However, my 1998 Subaru legacy outback has 2 inches more clearance and gets 10 more miles per gallon while having twice as much interior space believe it or not it doesn’t look that way but it really does little Subarus are great cars to you can’t be either one of these The only thing better would be an AMC eagle
I wouldn’t give you two cents for the select a trac transfer case they aren’t good for anything the constant viscosity joint or coupler in it fails all the time it’s not if it’s when just take it out toss it and install a transfer case that ha 2wd 4hi and 4 low and be don’t with it!!! The rest of them aren’t worth two cents I have no idea why they even come up with the junk!!!
@richard6606 You're thinking of the NP249 in the Grand Cherokee. The NP242 has a differential in it that uses real gears, where the 249 has that viscous coupling that always dies
@richard6606 no, even in the Grand Cherokee there was an option between the NP242 and the NP249 in many years. The 249 is AWD only, with just low and high range, that's the one with the viscous coupling that always fails. It is not available in Cherokee XJs. The 242 has AWD and part time, it uses a center differential, and is available in both the XJ and ZJ/WJ. Look up the Novak guides on these 2 entirely different transfer cases
@@WAEMIDIV the full time selection isn’t it the one that moves power around to the wheel that slips from what I’ve read it’s basically the same as the awd
![Jeep Cherokee: 2wd to 4x4 Swap: Everything You Need to Know to Install Factory 4wd [‘87-’01 XJ]](/img/n.gif)
Who are you? Why do I not know you ? Are you willing to write a jeep Bible for all of us who have been praying for videos like this? I have been changing parts since my first car. I have worked in body shops. I wanted to be an engineer and my college advisor said I should really think about it cuz the courses are very difficult. I dropped out and got a great job but always been into it. I have seen hundreds of xj videos but none in this format. It's like you were there when the engineers wrote the blue prints. Bless you brother.
I don't think I've ever received such a compliment holy wow
and yanno, when I was in school, nobody believed in me and said my channel wouldn't go anywhere. Maybe I will make a Jeep bible, and it'll be better than the factory service manual! I appreciate the encouragement!
This man has helped me understand so much. Please repost these vids with credit
My 99 Xj is the best.... almost 400,000 miles and it's just like new.... Xj Beast
The 242 is a godsend in Vermont winters. Full time mode makes it much easier to accelerate from a stop when the roads suddenly become slippery. "set it and forget it" indeed
I have been driving a 92 with Select-Trac in western Washington for 15yrs or so. It is great for conditions of changing traction that we get a lot such as rain mixed with slush, first rain after a summer without rain (oily road surface), black ice. It is also great for Forest Service roads or other gravel going up hills. Much better traction to accelerate and avoids spinning a rear wheel. In low traction conditions, the full-time 4wd allows the Jeep to out-accelerate high horsepower cars with that have only 2wd. I rate these transfer cases as highly desirable. Love the video. A new subscriber now.
Overheating issues, use a fan shroud, don’t use a lower temp thermostat, use 195 and the coolant will stay in the radiator long enough to cool down. This fixed my overheating as I attempted to use a 165 thermostat without a fan shroud and continue to get overheating problems.
Adding the fan shroud helped and it was fine and winter, and the summer when I replace the thermostat, I put OEM 195 instead of 165 and it actually worked! You would think a cooler thermostat would keep the system cooler as it lets the coolant flow at a lower temperature; however, The coolant needs to stay in the radiator long enough to cool down. If it circulates too fast, the radiator is not cooling it effectively. It is counterintuitive, but I finally figured it out. The jeep overheating issue has been solved. Folks use the right temperature thermostat never delete your thermostat
You can take the guts out of the thermostat and it'll slow the water down enough to let it cool also. You can find restrictor plates for some thermostat housing also that serves the same purpose
Thanks bud, just picked up an ‘01 from Atlanta that is wicked farm fresh, probably paid a bit too much for it, but up here in Western MA one without body rot and frame rot is like finding hens teeth. Can’t wait to dig into my new project.
My 94 Cherokee Country was equipped with the NP242. It also came with ABS and a limited slip rear diff. So in "partime" 4wd, It used the abs as "traction control" on the front diff and coupled with the limited slip in the rear, it was an amazing 4WD/AWD system. It worked great on any slippery surface, rain and snow. I understand this was an unusual configuration for an XJ, I've never seen another XJ equipped the same.
Nope, no XJ ever came with traction control.
No thats just ABS its not doing any traction control lol. My 98 XJ has that, Up Country Package, ABS/Cruise control, External Idle button, NP242 + Trac-Loc LSD in the rear. Mine is a rare XJ having the 242/TracLoc. Means they get the more pricey transfer case, rear diff, up country,. Trac-loc was separate from U.C & tow package. Also got the smokers group & tinted windows.
Excellent video with all I needed to know about Jeep transfer cases. Very well made sir… thank you 🇺🇸🇺🇸
My Comanche came stock as a 2wd, when I couldn't sell it for even $500, I lifted it and put a np231 in it and that lasted for 3 years but the transfer case eventually blew when the factory linkage did something bad to it while I was driving offroad. When I rebuilt it, it lasted another year but when I rebuilt the engine to a 4.6 stroker, the 231 blew again. After that I bought a 242, which has a stronger planetary gearset and wider chain and it hasn't had a single issue with it since.
Just acquired a 99 five speed 4x4 with the 4.0. love it and hoping it lasts me a lifetime.
I added the output shaft, worm gears, and chain from a dakota (HD KIT) when I did my SYE.
I just subscribed …glad I found your channel..I am a huge xj fan as well…
There the best..balanced to perfection…
Bro keep up the great work. Seriously good stuff 👏
I try!
@@WAEMIDIV You went in depth on this perfectly.
wow! amazing video and well done my man. you solved my problem of "what the heck is that crackling noise" when i make a tight turn on pavement in 4H and especially 4L. I'm just glad I didn't run it long enough to break it. I'm a new owner and just learning more about these XJ's. Mine is 2001 and love it. Will want to do a 3.5 lift soon and need to learn some more! Thanks again for a great tutorial
Be careful with lifts, do your research and cover all your bases. at 3.5" you're gonna need longer brake lines, adjustable track bar and maybe even a SYE kit, which are things people often overlook. I had a 1.5" lift on mine for a while but took it off because I didn't like the body roll, and it was causing Unforseen problems like the driveshaft angle being too steep.
@@WAEMIDIV do you have a lift video? I didn't see it but you have so many videos can't keep up
@@alecsithong th-cam.com/video/jOHGbPfV5ZQ/w-d-xo.html
A hard 2nd to "do your research" before lifting.. most kits get your suspension lifted just fine, but they don't tell you about the extras you're going to need.. the longer brake lines obviously makes sense, but without an adjustable track bar, your front axle will end up offset. I'm currently sitting at 3" of lift and I'm not running a SYE.. But, I've also never had any driveline vibration or death wobble, which might warrant one. You will also likely run into some "bump steer" issues because of the now altered steering geometry. I ended up getting the adjustable track bar kit from Iron Rock Offroad and it came with a track bar drop bracket. BAM! Centers the axle and corrects any bump steer. Wish I had known that one from the get go, lol!
Also, great video! Super informative and I definitely learned a few little things I didn't know. Always nice to bone up on how things work in your rig!
I think all XJs supplied to the UK had 242s. At least, I haven't seen a 231 yet. It makes sense as 242 is perfect for out winter roads and works well with the rear LSD which was also very common (but pretty much guaranteed to be skipping now!)
I'm from UK. My XJ Year 2000 has a 231 transfer case.
@@taracanyon1 interesting! What engine and trim options does it have?
What a fantastic informative video. Thanks!
Awesome vid bud! Truly informative.
2:40 OMG is that a long bed Comanche? Where in the world did you find that? That is a diamond in the rough buddy
I would absolutely love to find a Comanche with a manual transmission and four-wheel-drive with the 4.0 in-line six but I don’t think they made it that way.
They sure did make them, because that's the exact spec of the one I had (have)
it is a 1987 4.0L Manual 4wd Long bed
I have a playlist of videos about it
Truck sounds like a blast to hoon around in @@WAEMIDIV
Where was this video two weeks ago? I knew something was up with my front diff as i had already cleared u joints and my steering compartments. One raining day i took it out in the neighborhood, was getting bad traction, completely new to 4x4 and was going off the manual for my select trac cherokee. Went into 4x4 part time to take off, as i understood from the single short paragraph explaining what conditions to use what in, and my manual states that i can release the gas and shift back into 2 wheel drive. Like i said i knew SOMETHING was about to break, couldn't figure out what, had the time and money to FAFO. When i went from 4x4 part time at about 15 miles per hour into 2 wheel i didn't even get to hit the gas. Instant jet engine sound. 3 blocks to get home and a hour later i have a shredded spider gear, about 8 teeth, and a blown pinion gear and bearing. My bearing was bad. Right now Ive just gutted my front diff and removed the drive shaft so I'm 2 wheel only. But I'm trying to understand my 4x4 set up and how to use it. I apparently understood it backwards. I thought 4x4 part time was 2 wheel with 4x4 when it slips. Low for off road, high for if you getting up into the 40s range in snow or rain going to work. I'm probably going to blow another diff fully figuring it out but i hope not. The jeep is a far cry from the hot rods I'm used to but i honestly love this thing way more. Probably my favorite car I've owned to date. Edit i think i confused myself in the manual and was in fact supposed to slam home past part time into 4x4 high. Granted my diff wasn't long for this world with a bad bearing but a idiot playing with levers on a rainy day didn't help.
The day after I bought my XJ (first 4WD I've ever owned) I didn't know any better and drove around for a couple hours in part time all over the pavement on a snowy day. It's been a year and a half since and it still seems to be working fine, but yeesh does that bother me to think about.
They're pretty tough 4wd systems, and can build up a bit of tension before they start binding. In my early days I did something similar but in the rain, and I did just fine for a few miles. I ended up making a tight turn in a parking lot and the Jeep just stopped moving - the wheels had bound up and I was stuck. I just reversed in the exact opposite direction, and it unbound them, put it in 2wd, went about my day, and never had a problem
Doesn't hurt anything to drive in 4WD part time on pavement, the issue comes with tight repetitive turns on dry pavement while in part time 4WD....that is when you will have binding issues. A drive down a normal paved highway or freeway in 4WD part won't hurt a thing as the curves are usually quite sweeping, rather than sharp hairpin turns.
So I believed everything you said. Especially based on the 4ed selector placard. But I guess it was originally 231 but I ended up buying a jeep that had it swapped
You should do a video on the azzy link installation if you haven't already
yeah I should, because Azzy's own video is pretty bad lol
I do have a brief sort of demonstration of it in the manual swap videos, parts 2 and 3
8:02 i’ve noticed that if there are issues putting the truck into four-wheel-drive or getting out of four-wheel-drive, it helps to put the transmission in forward, then reverse then back into neutral I think it won’t work if the teeth and gears aren’t aligned just right? Seems like every other time. It works perfect every other other time you have to try twice, but it always works two out of two. These are great trucks.
Its a common problem with these transfer cases...the NP242 likes to get stuck in part time 4WD when you shift into or out of full time mode....usually changing direction helps it to disengage....if you are driving down the road and shift between 2WD and either part time or full time mode usually releasing the accelerator while performing the shift will get it to shift properly....if the transfer case is under tension when you shift, its going to remain in whatever selection you previously had until the tension is released, then it will finally shift to whatever range you have currently selected.
Another cause for shifting issues is mismatched tires, mismatched tire sizes, or oddly worn tires....all will cause binding issues with the 4WD system making the shifts between ranges difficult.
Great video! Glad you ditched the Ex. Lol
Good video! I have a 86 Cherokee that is 4cy 4x4 automatic
Incredible! You gotta make a walk-around video of it
Excellent video!! Thank you.
I Have successfully used atf+4 in 97, 99, and 2000 xj,s with both transfer cases.
I have also heard of people using 10W-30 Engine oil with no problems either, the transfer cases aren't picky in these things, but Dexron-III is what they requested from the factory so that's what I use
10w30 is too thick and may damage the pump, atf+4 is a full synthetic with an advanced additive package that is produced only under license to chrysler Corp, and will outlast dextron 5 to 1
@@carldietz9767 atf 4 is wrong
@@bobquattrini1787 the factory is using atf+4 in late model transfers. Unless specified for case fluid only sold by mopar.
Excellent video.
I’m curious if this is true, my grandpa told me 1991 jeep Cherokee 4.0 four-wheel-drive automatic that it is good to get on a dirt road or grass and put it into four-wheel-drive on occasion that the chain will pull lubricant up and keep everything in the transfer case lubricated That it will last longer if you occasionally use it instead of never using it at all, is there any truth to this?
It seems like a good idea to test all of your systems anyway so when there’s a problem it’s not when you need it, but I’m not sure if the transfer case uses the same fluid as the transmission? If the chain carries the fluid or if there is a pump or slinger? Or if it even spins enough to matter?
I definitely noticed that your turning radius is doubled in four-wheel-drive, both high and low I guess because of the U joints being engaged? It makes the wheel turn at intervals back-and-forth with the wheel, turned halfway. I never tried to force it at this point.
It's certainly not a bad idea to use the 4wd occasionally, but it's not necessary. The fluid pump in the NP231 is driven from the output shaft, so if the wheels are spinning, the internals of the transfer case are being lubricated properly no matter what mode its in.
Owner's manuals of most, if not all 4WD vehicles actually tell you to engage the 4WD about once a month and drive a few miles....you don't necessarily need to go off pavement to do so, an open stretch of highway will work just fine, just don't be out there trying to do donuts on the pavement in 4WD.
Another thing is, if you have the full time 4WD system you can engage it in full time mode say on your way to work or school, and once you get there disengage it.
outstanding
Thanks for the video. It was very informative since I just bought a 4wd xj and it’s my first 4wd vehicle. I put it in part time and drove around my neighborhood going maybe 10-15mph in dry pavement for about 1-2 mins because I wanted to test it out. Could that do any damage at all? It was pretty loud while I was driving but not like a whining or grinding sound. More like driveline noise or like a loud tire kind of sound. The jeep has regular tires so it’s not the tires. I decided to change the front and rear diff fluids and there were no metal shavings or chunks missing. Is it just generally much louder while driving in 4wd or did I mess something up?
It'll make more noise in 4wd, that's normal. As long as it all still works then I think you'll be fine just don't use it on pavement again
@@WAEMIDIV how would I know if there’s any damage done? Had my XJ on 4wd one evening and set it back in 2wd but it was stuck in 4wd and I didn’t know. Drove at least 7 miles with speeds up to 50mph. Didn’t know it was stuck in 4wd till I tried to turn and the wheels were hopping. Did I cause any damage and how would I be able to tell?
@@deegaw11 You can tell if you broke something because either you'll hear horrible, loud and very noticeable grinding, clunking, scraping and/or rhythmic thumping, or the vehicle just won't move.
The transfer case is old, it probably wasn't used much, and your shift linkage may be slightly misaligned. Based on it getting stuck in 4wd for a long while, I'd start by changing the transfer case fluid if you haven't done that recently, and installing an Azzy Linkage.
In the meantime, when you take it out of 4wd, tap the gas a few times when the lever is back in 2wd. Tap gas, fully release, tap gas, fully release, tap gas, fully release. That'll "knock" it out of 4wd
@@WAEMIDIV I get a thumping sound now only from 40-50mph. The sound isn’t there at any other speed. Not sure if it started before being stuck in 4wd or after but it definitely wasn’t there when I first purchased the XJ. I’ve changed the u joints, transfer case fluid and front and rear diff fluid but it’s still there. When I have it in 4wd I don’t hear the thumping but that could be because the drivetrain is much louder in 4wd. Again it only makes that sound from 40-50mph. Any idea what it can be? Still drives great and has no problem doing 80 on the freeway.
@@deegaw11 I'd get the tires checked. A bad tire can make a thumping sound too. If the transmission is shifting ok and the fluid is red, then it's most likely ok. Bad transmission can make a thumping sound. Hopefully it's not that. Did you check the front driveshaft CV joints/ U joints? Idk what year yours is? Mine has CV joints on the front driveshaft. There's also U joints or CV joints on the front axles. If any of that stuff is bad, it could cause some type of noise. I had a grinding noise I finally tracked down. It was the rear differential bearings.
8:42 so you are showing that 2 Wheel Dr. is driving both rear wheels, four-wheel-drive is driving all four wheels. As I understand it, the Acen automatic transmission with the command track only turns the lift wheels so in 2 Wheel Dr. it will do a one wheel peel, and four-wheel-drive. Your front and rear left wheels are being given torque, but the right wheels are not that the only way you can have all four wheel spinning at the same speed is to install a locking differential front and rear, correct?
That most of these trucks never came with locking differentials, neither in the front nor the back
In diagrams like that its showing the axle(s) being powered, not necessarily individual wheels....there are times when you can get all 4 wheels to spin, sometimes you can get 3 to spin, but most commonly you'll find one front and one rear wheel spinning with open differentials...sometimes you can actually get a front left and rear left spinning while the 2 on the other side are sitting still....it all depends on traction, weight, vehicle angle, etc....tons of variables come into play as to which and how many wheels turn in a conventional 4WD system without lockers or limited slip differentials.
I’m thinking about tossing one in my yj 4cyl.
9:26 Not true sir. My XJ has the magical little silver sticker inside that says I have the rear Trac-Loc LSD + NP242. Only people who get jeeps 'only to off road' want a NP 231 & that makes me happy because the NP242 is so much more versatile for daily driving. Glad I have one plus it had the U.C package/Tow Package/ABS/Cruise Control/Ext Idle. Best Sport/Classic Jeep out there.
Oh hey! I have a 242 in my automatic Cherokee!
I'll never let my friend drive my Jeep again for this reason...
Finding a 242 in a Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, or a Liberty with a manual transmission is almost unheard of, unless someone swapped it in themselves. I actually don't believe the 242 (selec-trac) was a factory option with a manual transmission. Every manual/242 equipped Jeep I've ever ran across was owner swapped. You can do it, you just have to change the input shaft on the transfer case to fit the transmission, sometimes you have to change the output shafts to fit the driveshafts as well. Kind of one of those cases where you will have to figure it out as you tear into it type things as to what parts you'll need to pull from the old transfer case to put int eh replacement.
Question: if driving the 231 on mixed hardpack ice/snow with slight asphalt patches …. Generally straight road that is fine. Correct?
But if you did accumulate any binding when you drop back into 2wd is all the binding safely released?
Looking for the best way to release and binding that may have occurred…. To explain things to my newly driving kids properly
Thx
If you go straight, it means both sets of wheels are spinning at the same speed, so they never bind up. You could stay in part time on dry pavement forever if you never turned
But if it does build up tension in the dry patches, yes it's all released in 2wd. It may be a little difficult to put it back in 2wd with it binding, but it will. It may also allow a wheel to slip on the ice patches when able, so it is relatively risky
With normal highway driving in part time 4WD mode it wont' cause any issues, your tires will wear out a bit sooner as they take the brunt of the binding on dry pavement in light to moderate turns...its when you are making repetitive tight lock to lock turns in 4WD part time that causes significant binding and damage to drive train components.
If you've bound up your 4WD system you are already at the point of breaking things.....straighten the vehicle out on the road, shift back to 2WD, and backup or go forward a few feet, depending on the direction you were going when you disengaged the 4WD go the opposite way....sometimes if the system is under a lot of tension when you shift out of 4WD, and reverse direction it'll disengage with a bang as the shift collar in the transfer case returns to the disengaged (2WD) position.
There are differences in the 231, the early ones were not shift on the fly. The 231-J is shift on the fly.
the NP231AMC is indeed shift-on-the-fly, even demonstrated in this video: my 1987 truck has one and I showed shifting while moving
What they don't have is a true neutral axle disconnect, so while N disconnects the transfer case from the engine, it is still locked in part time. I believe true-neutral was added in 1991
@@WAEMIDIV As someone who has rebuilt many of these the only difference is a syncro in the 4wd. You can shift on the fly but it's hard on the shift collar in the t-case and can break the axle shift pod. I've repaired a lot of these and converted 231 to a 231-j with addition of a syncro.
@@mountainmonk5874 I see... so it's possible, but not necessarily intended. Interesting
Hey
Thanks for your helpful video.
I have a question abot my 93' XJ 2.5 5MT.
I tried gear N and turn knob to 4L, it was impossible.
I mean I can move the knob to 4H or N, but failed that move to 4L.
What is common problem with this situation?
I'd like to hear your wise advise.
Thanks again.
Because the transfer case doesn't have synchronized gears, sometimes the teeth on the gears can "perfectly misalign" making it not slide into 4Lo. This is why you're allowed to (and in this case, recommended to) engage it while moving at below 3 mph. When rolling slowly, the gears will be spinning and thus lining up the teeth in the gear will be much more likely as it rotates. 4Lo is notoriously hard to engage, and with bad engine or transmission mounts the 4wd linkage can get misaligned as well, making the angle and leverage needed to engage 4Lo impossible because of the irregular resting positions of the transmission or engine.
Next time, try it while the Jeep is rolling very slowly. Or, with the transfer case in Neutral, put the transmission in gear, release the clutch for a second (to spin the gears and chance aligning them that way) and then with the transmission back in neutral try the transfer case.
@@WAEMIDIV Wow.
I truly admire your knowledge.
I live in South Korea.
There are not many engineers who have extensive knowledge of old jeeps here.
Today, I tried to recharge the air conditioner refrigerant gas, but I gave up for now because there was a leak in the service valve.
It was not a refrigerant inlet, but a valve of another shape, and as far as I know, it is a structure in which the refrigerant is recharged and closed again by slightly loosening it.
I'm really sorry to bother you, but can you tell me how to solve this case?
@@명보에너지기찬보일러 I may be knowledgeable about drivetrain components but not so much air conditioning lol. My Jeep doesn't have A/C and I've never had to mess with it, I'm not sure what could be causing that
@@WAEMIDIV Ahh, I see.
Anyway, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with me.
I clicked subscribe button as a thank you.
I became your big fan.
You need to be rolling slightly to get it into 4WD Low Range, very common with these transfer cases, the manual even tells you to shift the transmission to neutral while rolling forward around 3mph, and pull the transfer case lever quickly and firmly from 2WD, or 4WD high through neutral and back into low range without pausing in neutral. Also, the shift gate isn't a straight forward and backward movement of the lever, you need to follow the lines on the bezel, if I recall from high range 4WD to go to neutral/low range you need to push the shift lever away from you while pulling back to get past the detent that stops you from shifting to neutral from 4WD high....then once through neutral you'll move the shift lever back and to the left slightly.
93 XJ 4.0. In standard drive the left rear wheel is the drive wheel. In 4 wheel drive the left rear and right front turn. I had a new NP 231 installed some time ago but did not use 4 wheel until recently. Any ideas as to why the right rear and left front do not engage in 4 wheel drive . I would appreciate any Thanks everyone for your replies. By the way, I did raise the entire vehicle and that is when I discovered the only two drive wheels that were turning were the L/ rear & r/ front. I could free spin by hand the other two. Thank you for your help with this. .
This "issue" isn't necessarily a problem, it's just open differentials being open differentials. Sounds like your transfer case is doing everything it should.
I'm not sure what method you used to determine the LR and RF wheels are the only ones that spin, but if you put the whole Jeep on jack stands, where all 4 wheels are entirely off the ground, you'll find all 4 of them will spin in 4wd.
The differentials in the axles are not locking, or limited slip. This means, by the inherent laws of physics, the engine will only spin whichever wheel has the least resistance - in 2wd, that wheel is either gonna be the LR or RR, depending on what you're driving on and which wheel has less traction.
People mitigate this problem by installing lockers or limited slip clutch packs inside the axles, which prevent them from doing that. However, that's a pretty expensive upgrade, and is really only necessary in extreme offroad scenarios.
The transfer case, however, doesn't have a differential in it. As I mentioned, "part time" means the front and rear wheels are locked together, so when 1 rear wheel spins, it means 1 of the front wheels has to.
You should look up a video about how differentials work. a visual would probably explain it alot better. But there's nothing wrong with your Jeep
Open differentials, whatever wheel has the least resistance is going to be the one spinning....could be front left right rear, left front left rear, it all depends on what the vehicle is sitting on, angles its sitting at, tires, etc.
Been binging your videos, my 4WD indicator light doesnt work and I know I changed the bulb out on my 97, any ideas? Your videos are very idiot proof and some general troubleshooting videos would be beneficial to schmucks like me
I got a friend who's part time light also doesn't work, I've been meaning to steal his Jeep and do a diagnosis video on that. I'm fairly certain his problem is a wiring issue.
However, 95% of the time, that light not working is caused by the Indicator Switch on top of the transfer case. It's a small sensor with a button on it, and they fail all the time. Literally 5 of the 7 Jeeps I have owned had this problem, very common.
www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/jeep,1997,cherokee,4.0l+l6,1180370,electrical-switch+&+relay,4wd+switch,4412
This is the part you need, TCA9, the 2 terminal one. (assuming you have NP231)
FWIW, I swapped bulbs around with ones I knew worked(the upshift light), and both worked in the upshift position soooo.... bit lost lol
@@WAEMIDIV You're a damn legend, thank you so much!
@WAEMIDIV I just got around to putting it in and it worked like a charm, thanks my dude!
Is the np231 better than the d20?
With the 4x4 version- would you ever use 4HI during heavy rain on the freeway? Or light snow on the freeway? (Obviously not at highway speeds- in order to be cautious, but maybe 40mph)
As long as the wheels can slip in part time, you can use it. Rain isn't really the best for it because wet pavement is still very grippy, and tension can build up in the drivetrain that gets released when you go through a low traction area (puddle)
For snow it kinda depends how much there is
@WAEMIDIV Thank you so much. I appreciate the response. I've seen videos of XJs driving up a snowy mountain highway and the rear end let's go- causing them to wreck into the center divide. The owner mentions that being in 4HI probably would've helped to prevent that- but it's also easier to say that after the fact.
I have a few questions for some reason last time it snowed here in kansas i had it in 4 hi and a blew my trans recently. swapped it out so im trying to learn more about this why would this of happened? i made slow turns with 4 hi tho since the roads where slippery could that of caused it?
my second question....
Can i use 4hi when its slippery like light snow/ice slippery roads?
3rd question when making turns in 4hi while slippery when the tires jump is that because its not slippery enough or are you not suppsed to make turns in 4hi?
4th question so in 4lo can you use it for dry pavement? my friend used to launch his jeep in a straight line for racing for more torque or was he just being stupid.....lol
1: Transfer case probably has nothing to do with blowing up the transmission.
2: As I discussed in the video, you can use 4 Hi part time where the tires can slip yes, you have to, because if they can't slip, you'll bind up the drivetrain. It also warns you not to use it on high traction surfaces on the sun visor, and the owners manual. It's called "part time" because you can only use it part time. Snow is usually not enough to justify using it, unless it has literally entirely covered the road. As I discussed in the video, you have to pay attention to what you're driving over, and put in back in 2wd when you enter a plowed area
3: You can turn in part time, but again the wheels must be allowed to slip. If they're catching and jumping/ skipping, there's too much traction to warrant the use of 4wd.
4: 4 Lo is also part time, it's the exact same thing as 4 Hi except it multiplies torque output. You can use either on dry pavement in an exact perfect straight line. Using 4 Lo to launch the Jeep in a drag race is only gonna help you for the first 3 seconds or so, before it tops out at like 25mph. 4 Lo is designed for crawl speeds, idling around in 1st gear.
@@WAEMIDIV Thanks, man, I really appreciate it. This is the first time I've had a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Your videos are really informative. Thanks for answering my questions. This week it's gonna snow real hard here so I appreciate it
Terrified to brake mine so to confirm. 1992 xj larado, 4L 5 speed manual. If I’m driving (In slippery conditions) all I need to do is put in the clutch and put it in 4 high? Don’t need to stop?
Yep, it's a shift-on-the-fly system. You can engage it while stopped or moving, doesn't matter. Just give the lever a good firm yank
@@WAEMIDIV thank you so much. So excited to have some fun in the snow 👍
Is it safe to run 4H part time on dry pavement as long you don’t make any turns? I just daily drive my xj and use it for winters. But in the summer and spring I don’t want the 4 wheel drive to just sit there and not get used, gotta keep the juices flowing ya know lol
Yes you can technically use part time on pavement by driving in an exact straight line, but having it in 4wd doesn't really keep anything "used" more than it is in 2wd
The front axle shafts, carrier, driveshaft, and transfer case gears & chain all, already free spin in 2wd, hence why you are able to engage 4wd while moving. Using 4wd over summer isn't gonna keep things "fresh", it's just gonna put you at risk of damaging the components by binding them up on pavement.
My MJ sat unused for 16 years without moving, and all it took to get it in 4wd was pulling the lever. Nothing in its 4wd system had failed after being completely stationary for 16 years straight, so I think, given you're at least driving the Jeep more often than once every 16 years, you should have absolutely no problems with the 4wd whether you use it or not
@@WAEMIDIV Ok, I’m 16 and still learning about my jeep, thank you so much for the reply!
@clarissaadams5515 yes sir, I was in your shoes once, don't feel bad for asking questions!
I have Grand Cherokees a levardo 97 with 242 and then a 98 Limited all-wheel drive can I swap the T cases I want to use the all-wheel drive jeep for off-roading but I want to have the two wheel drive options
I'm guessing your ZJ (Grand Cherokee) has an NP249, which is AWD/4x4 only (no 2wd option) and your XJ (Cherokee) has the NP242 (as outlined in this video). I believe you totally can swap them but the NP249 is not a very desired transfer case. If I were you I'd try to find a different NP242 to put in the ZJ and just have that same transfer case in both Jeeps.
Yes, you can swap the transfer cases, keep in mind you may have to swap the input shafts, output shafts, slip yolks, etc. to make it work, but its a somewhat common swap when the full time 4WD transfer case which was an NP249 in the 1st generation Grand Cherokees (ZJ) would fail, they had a viscous coupler that controlled power distribution front to rear that was in the transfer case, when it failed, it failed in a locked state virtually turning your full time 4WD into a part time 4WD system....so most people given the cost to buy a replacement transfer case, or the part to fix it, opted to pull a donor transfer case from another Jeep, sometimes it was the 231 sometimes the 242, depending on what the vehicle was going to be primarily used for.
So if you drop the auto trans lever into lets say 1 or 2 with the 4 low engaged what would be that ratio?
The AW4's 1st gear ratio is 2.80:1. Assuming you have stock axle gearing at 3.55:1, we multiply 1st gear × transfer case low gear × axle gear
2.80 × 2.72 × 3.55 = 27.04:1 final drive ratio in low gear with a 4.0L Automatic XJ.
I have 1991 xj 4.0 with np242 transfer case and if i get it right, for daily drive on snowy and slick road surfaces it is better to drive it on 4x4 full time?
yes
Yes, full time mode, unless you cannot maintain forward movement, then shift to part time mode. Full time is meant for light duty use, where slightly more traction is needed than 2WD is providing you.
Will a front axle, transfer case and transmission from a 1996v6 Cherokee swap over to a 2001 2wd 4.0L Cherokee?
Front axle - yes, but you'll have to lift it 2"+ or modify your exhaust because it'll be a high pinion Dana 30 going into a vehicle designed around a Low Pinion Dana 30.
Transmission - No, unless you like doing a lot of wiring modification.
Transfer case - Yes, no problems there.
What type of transfer and differential oil do you recommend putting in? the Transfer is a 231j
Factory Transfer Case requests Dexron-III, and that's what I use
The differentials use 75W-140 most commonly
@@WAEMIDIV Any particular brand of oil that I can use? I really like your videos because you explain very well about the mechanics of each part of the Jeep xj
@@zonahostiloffroadsaltillo Honestly I never pay much attention to brands, they all do the same thing just with a different nameplate and colors on the bottle. The only brand I actively avoid is Mobil 1, but that's purely personal preference
6:32 please tell me what in gods name is going on in that picture. it looks like someone trying to drive a cherokee over the US/mexico border wall
That's exactly what it is, happened in California in 2012. There's news articles about it
Cherokee owners, am I right
Love your tossed in "ex" humor.
A Cummins in-line, six turbo diesel would be awesome in these
Idk, a 5.9 cummins is over twice the weight of the amc 4.0. Both are reliable but I would still give the amc 4.0 the advantage. The AMC can go much longer between service intervals, and in general puts up with abuse better. Same with any of the subsystems; fueling, cooling, TURBO, etc.
The big advantages of the 5.9 are total power, specificity torque and fuel economy. Fuel economy might be a wash, I bet you could at best get ~25-27 mpg out of a well tuned 5.9 in a XJ frame. The power is kind of only usefull for towing and the XJ just isn't the truck for that. The towing capacity isn't limited by the engine in a xj. 4.0 still has a great, smooth, wide torque curve that come on pretty early. No turbo lag.
IF you want more power, better mpg and about the same reliability, cheap costs I would just stick an LS in there. About the same weight, compact, cheap, globs of power. No turbo system to deal with.
My 84 is a 4cyl with 4wd
Can’t post pics
automatic?
5:13 my 1991 jeep Cherokee Laredo 4.0 if you put it into four-wheel-drive low in reverse, there is so much gear reduction. The brakes will barely hold it. It’s like a tractor at that point, that plus how light these vehicles are makes them awesome in the snow with the right tires.
However, my 1998 Subaru legacy outback has 2 inches more clearance and gets 10 more miles per gallon while having twice as much interior space believe it or not it doesn’t look that way but it really does little Subarus are great cars to you can’t be either one of these
The only thing better would be an AMC eagle
👏👏👏👏👏👏
WHOOP
I've gone 50 in 4 low
I wouldn’t give you two cents for the select a trac transfer case they aren’t good for anything the constant viscosity joint or coupler in it fails all the time it’s not if it’s when just take it out toss it and install a transfer case that ha 2wd 4hi and 4 low and be don’t with it!!! The rest of them aren’t worth two cents I have no idea why they even come up with the junk!!!
@richard6606 You're thinking of the NP249 in the Grand Cherokee. The NP242 has a differential in it that uses real gears, where the 249 has that viscous coupling that always dies
@@WAEMIDIV that’s the same as the so called full time four wheel drive
@@WAEMIDIV the ones that say 4 hi full time and 4 low are the same as the 249
@richard6606 no, even in the Grand Cherokee there was an option between the NP242 and the NP249 in many years. The 249 is AWD only, with just low and high range, that's the one with the viscous coupling that always fails. It is not available in Cherokee XJs. The 242 has AWD and part time, it uses a center differential, and is available in both the XJ and ZJ/WJ. Look up the Novak guides on these 2 entirely different transfer cases
@@WAEMIDIV the full time selection isn’t it the one that moves power around to the wheel that slips from what I’ve read it’s basically the same as the awd
Very helpful video!