98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

Hello folks,

I just finished replacing the front differential in my girlfriend's '98 Durango, and when we took it out for a test run, well, let's just say there are still issues.

The first thing I noticed was the unmistakeable smell of burnt gear lube, so I immediately had her turn around and head back towards home. On the way, we pulled into a parking lot so I could get a little light, and noticed gear lube dripping down the front right fender, and more yet dripping from the underside of the hood when I opened it. This is definitely not tranny fluid, and based on both the smell and the fact that it's concentrated around the diff breather hose, I'm 99.9% sure it's gear lube from the diff.

Second big problem, which I would guess caused the catastrophic failure of her old diff, is the fact that no matter what position the selector lever is in, it's quite clearly locked into 4WD, based on the tell-tale "jerking" when turning a corner on dry pavement. The lights on the dash follow along with the motion of the lever, but no matter what I've tried, the front end is staying locked.

This is the 5.9 with the full towing package. 4WD selector is marked "2H - 4PT - 4FT - N - 4L". Not sure which model transfer case that would be. Based on how it's handling corners, it seems to me to be stuck in 4PT.

I've read enough of this forum to have learned that the Durangos seem to have their own unique little quirks, and was hoping someone here more experienced with them than myself might be able to offer me some time saving pointers in the right direction before I dive back in.

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

Corey:

On the fluid issue, could you have possibly overfilled the diff?? A number of folks seem to be experiencing this fluid coming out of the vent hose lately.

On the T case. Make sure that the linkage is still connected and moving where the lever attaches to theT case. If it is, sounds like time for a T case swap or rebuild?? I don't recall off the top of my head what the number is for the manual full time case, butI have heard that they can be problematic and a few folks have swapped them out for a part time case.

Don

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

Don,

Thanks for the quick response. Now that you mentioned it, it is entirely likely that I slightly overfilled the diff. I filled it to the bottom of the filler hole like I've always been taught, but being very late at night, and with a few beers in me, it didn't occur to me until you brought it up that doing so with the front end still jacked up would leave it a bit overfull. I'll drain a bit of fluid out and see how much difference that makes. Shoulda known better on that one.

As for the transfer case linkage, I'll definitely check that out when I get home tonight. I agree that it seems to be a likely culprit. Not looking forward to crawling under there on a cold driveway with 5 degree temps... [:@]

Think it's time to break down and pick up a Haynes manual so I can look at some pictures of what I'm getting into before I venture out into the cold.

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

The T-case is an NV-242-HD Part time T-case. This case is excellent if you know how to use it. Not many of our D's have it. I do.

Here is all the info from my write up.
https://dodgeforum.com/m_574544/tm.htm

After every time I use 4X4 I always reverse about 50 yard turning the wheel all the way left and then right. You can do this quickly. People will look at you tho.
For some reason it doesn't like to come all the way out of 4X4 in the Transfer Case unless you do. (unknown reason) I have cured many part time case issues like this before including my own. Even with the custom rebuild I did I still have to do this. (before and after rebuild)

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

Hydra,

Thanks for posting that, we're definitely on to something now. I haven't been underneath yet to check the linkage due to a combination of not wanting to freeze my butt off and not having anyone at home right now to move the shifter while I watch the linkage. However, I decided to give your method a shot, and I think we can safely say the linkage is intact since I was able to get it into 4L with no trouble. It's hard to mistake being in 4L. :)

I had tried reversing after changing modes, I remember that trick from some older 4x4s I've driven, but hadn't gone nearly the distance you describe, nor had I tried turning the steering wheel from side to side while backing up. In the past, and in the vehicles I was driving, 5 or 6 feet has generally been enough to complete the shift. Anyway, I tried what you described, and it's been working "most" of the time. Problem is I'm doing this on a narrow residential street with a bit of traffic, so a full lock to lock turn on the wheel while in reverse is a little tricky to accomplish. I have gotten it to work a few times, though. Enough to get the transfer case in and out of every different mode. (although, I'm stuck in 4PT at the moment, since there's been too much traffic on my street to do what it seems to take to get it back into 2WD.)

One thing that I noticed was that a couple times while I was creeping along in 4L the transfer case popped out of gear and into neutral. (Neutral on the transfer case, not the transmission. Just to be clear.)

I'm thinking maybe the linkage is a bit out of adjustement and contributing to the difficulty in the shifting. Or at least I'm hoping it turns out to be that simple. I'm still trying to recover from the Christmas shopping and unexpectedly having to drop the cash on the new differential all at once. It would be much more financially convenient to be able to put off a transfer case purchase for a month or two.

Thoughts?

And yes, you were right... People will look at you. I noticed several neighbors looking out their windows at the idiot swerving back and forth down the street in reverse. LOL

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

Corey:

Glad to be able to help, and also that you made some progress. Looks like good info all the way around here.

Don

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

deleate

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

i had that problem as well on a trip to Florida from NC. It started 30 miles from my destination in FL. It would pop out of gear(in the T-case) if i let off the gas and there was slack on the gears. I eventualy figured out that the ONLY way I could make it the last 30 miles is put it back in gear and keep my foot on the gas and if i needed to slow down i had to put the breaks on along with keeping the gas on. Even just letting off the gas on a wide open highway it woudl pop out of gear if I didnt keep my foot on the break. So like i said i limped it to my destination and then trailered it home. Long trip let me tell ya.. Anyway I got it home dropped the T-case and found out that the wear clips had COMPLETLY wore out.. and the larger of the 2 shift forks ended up wearing down as well. When I held it up next to the New shift fork i got from the dealer it was about half the thickness it was saposed to be just from wearing down on the gears. Luckily the gears are made of harder metal so the gears were completly fine just the fork was toast. I still have the fork in the shop I will go get it and snap a picts to show you what i mean. But just drop the T-case its fairly easy ESPECIALY if you have a trans jack. replace the $2.00 wear pads and the $30.00 shift fork IF you have to.. and you will be all set.

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

Nice fix.


LOL. I told you they look at ya.

Good to see that you are comming in and out of gear. For some reason, Maybe under the heavens that this reversing works but it works. PT is not the selection you wont to be stuck in tho. I would rather see you get it in 4 FT.

RE: 98 Durango - 4WD won't disengage.
 

AS promiced.. here is a pict of the wore down shift fork... and a pict of a new one too.. the new one is a pirated pict i didnt think to take a pict of the new one befor putting it in.NOTICE the teeth on the new one that are completly gone on the old one.. those teeth is where the plastic wear clips mount..