Hello. I have a 2000 AWD dakota. I was told that I should primarily drive it in 4hi and only shift it into 4x4 when I'm on slippery roads and 4lo when I'm off-roading. I'm not very familiar with the AWD system, just wanted to double check. To be clear i have these options 4lo, Neutral, 4x4 and 4hi.

When I shift into regular 4x4 it wont engage. I can hear it whine and then click, click, click, click...but it never engages. It will however engage in 4lo. Any ideas as to why?


EDIT: Straight out of the factory service manual
NV242 operating ranges are 4HI LOCK (parttime), 4HI LOCK (full time), and 4LO LOCK. The 4WD modes can be used at any time and on any road surface. The 4HI LOCK (part-time) and 4LO LOCK ranges are for off road use only. The only time these ranges can be used on hard surface roads, is when the surface is covered with snow and ice.

 

an AWD should be drivin primarily in AWD! 4hi will lock the front and rear shafts together so you wont have a one wheel drive. when its going click click, does your 4hi light flash or is it steady?

 

You might be lucky, and the shift solenoid could be shot. That could be an inexpensive fix. pull it and test it? I believe drivers side, top of xfer case...

 

It doesn't have an AWD setting. I don't think dodge called them AWD, I believe they called them all time 4x4...for whatever reason. I only have 4lo, neutral, 4x4 and 4hi.

 

Sounds like an easy place to start. If the shift solenoid was shot would I still be able to shift into everything else though?

 

IF I understand the system, which I honestly didnt know that Dodge did(the AWD), there is a full time engagment with some cluctching for daily driving. Then 4hi and 4lo settings would just lock in the xfer case so it transfers power equally front and rear.

Of course, I didn't fully read the whole post. ha! no, you shouldnt be able to shift any of the ranges if it was dead. But, it is an electric actuator, which could only switch 2 positions, failing on the 3rd? Or, what it sounds like, is a gear is stripped...

 

lil poking around...google the case number...

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=NV242...:0&tx=73&ty=87

 

or this guy...http://mechdb.com/index.php/Jeep_NV2...case_breakdown

 

yea, i'm afraid the gears are stripped. when we got it the previous owner said "our mechanic told us to keep it in 4hi, it gets better gas mileage". i had no real understanding of AWD or that dodge even did them except on the newer stuff. But when we tried to shift it into 4x4 it just wouldn't catch gears.

From the service manual: (how it works)

The input gear is splined to the transmission output
shaft. It drives the mainshaft through the planetary
gear and range hub. The front output shaft is
operated by a drive chain that connects the shaft to a
drive sprocket on the mainshaft. The drive sprocket
is engaged/disengaged by the mode fork, which operates
the mode sleeve and hub. The sleeve and hub
are not equipped with a synchro mechanism for shifting.
The geartrain is mounted in two aluminum case
halves attached with bolts. The mainshaft front and
rear bearings are mounted in aluminum retainer
housings bolted to the case halves.

 

Oh, i know how it works.. re: xfer case...its the AWD that changes things. Anyway, Id take a few hours and play with it...see what it is, and if you're stumped, take some pics and see what they guys here think...
My thinking on gears is not the metal that actually does work, the actuator mechanism...

Oh, I guess one simple test, do all your wheels drive? lol. i.e. are they all powered(verfied). Hard to do unless you have a 4wd dyno, or, 4 jack stands...