Greetings everyone. Thankfully since the tranny was rebuilt I have had no problems until now. Currently I am experiencing the following:

ABS/Parking lights on
Speedo not working properly

The ABS/Parking light is an easy fix and I can do that my main concern is the speedo. I am hoping it's related to the RSS and nothing major. Any help you guys can give again would be greatly appreciated.

 

OK new issue and its worrying me greatly. This evening going into work I had an issue with her. While in 2WD it started making a loud grinding noise. I managed to make it into work by driving in 4W PT. My shop manual indicates that this can be do to lubricant level. Please guys I could really use the help and I do not have alot of money to sink into.

 

The speedo and ABS/brake light being on problem is likely a bad vehicle speed sensor. Being that our speedo's are electronically controlled, if the vehicle speed sensor goes bad, your speedo will stop working. I am just assuming the ABS/brake light are apart of this problem, but may not be.

as for the grinding noise, and having to drive in 4w pt, you likely have a bad front driveshaft (could be wrong, but it's the easiest place to check first). climb underneath and check for play at the joint that attaches at the transfer case, IIRC. I rebuilt a transfer case once because of a bad front driveshaft on one of these Durango's (bad diagnoses).

 

Rock, I climbed under it today and pushed and pulled on the front drive shaft and there was no movement at all it did twist though. I should add that there is a sound that occurs when I was driving that got louder the faster I went and quieter when I slowed down. I am praying this will be an easy fix per say (as in not cost an arm and a leg).

 

With the front tires on the ground, you were able to turn the front driveshaft back and fourth in the same way that it would turn if the truck was moving? If so, you should not be able to turn that driveshaft at all with the tires on the ground. The front diff turns when the truck moves, which therefore turns the front drive shaft. in 2wd, it will still spin the diff and driveshaft, however it free floats in the transfer case. in 4x4, everything turns at the same-ish rate. Our front shafts are 2 piece shafts, so if theres no power transfer at the transfer case (4x4 disengaged) one piece of the shaft tries to turn, while the other one is turning like it should, and creates the grinding, horrid sound you are hearing, however when the power transfer is present (4x4 engaged) everything turns somewhat at the same pace, so the noise dissapears (until you try to take it 4x4ing)

P.S.

This is keeping in mind with the fact that this may be your problem. If it's not, then none of this info will help with your problem, however it is very handy knowing that the front diff locks in the transfer case, and not inside the diff, like the old style 4x4's with the manually locking hubs. Our hubs are always locked, its up to the transfer case to lock the rest of the way to actually engage 4x4, and is also the reason why the "shift on the fly" method works, however I am sure our fuel mileage suffers greatly..

 

Rock, the wheels were on the ground and I was able to twist the shaft back and forth a little bit. Does this mean the shaft needs replacing or just the joints? Also can you or anyone tell me what the life expectancy is on a transfer case?

 

That noise that gets louder with speed, is it like a whine?

 

Old School yes there is a noise that is whine like that gets louder with speed and quiets down as I slow. I have not driven the D since Wed and I am missing it right now. I do not want to do any more damage that may or may not have been done.

 

When it moves slightly back and fourth, watch your CV axles. do they go up and down slightly as you turn the driveshaft? Does the sound get louder as you turn left or right while driving? I would maybe pop the front diff cover off and inspect in there just to be safe either way, and at the very least, a diff service is never a bad thing (unless you just did one, then it's just a waste of money to go in there if you don't have to)

 

I haven't read all of the messages on this thread so if this has been mentioned already sorry for the repeat. Since you mentioned the ABS/Parking light and the speedo not working I Had a similar issue with my 98 Durango and it was the ABS sensor. My durango only has two wheel ABS so the only sensor was on the rear diff i replaced that and the speedo started working again