On the '98 1500-

Turning a hard circle on pavement I've noticed some binding in 2wd. I got under the truck and the front driveshaft moves freely so the tcase isn't engaged. Could this be a vacuum issue with the CAD, I don't think my 4x4 is even engaging completely... Tcase is actually getting shifted by the linkage since I have 4lo (or maybe 2lo ) Im also missing the 4x4 light on the dash

Any thoughts?

Jake

 

Both 2wd and 4wd need a constant vacuum to either stay in or stay out of 4wd. When I had issues I didn't have solid vacuum coming from the transfer case so the shift collar couldn't decide what it wanted to do. So you need to start the truck and check vacuum at the CAD

 

I also found out that when I was having issues, the dash light was not to be trusted for diagnostic purposes. I tried figuring it out based off how the light was acting, and it didn't work out

 

I agree with AppelH.

Here's additional info too on checking:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-problems.html

I've disconnected my wire for the indicator for most of the year. It's nice, but a hindrance being so short.

 

Been following that thread and I have solid connections from cad, hard-soft connection, and seems seated on vacuum switch, except I think I had a crappy connection where my new soft line meet the hard plastic line headed back for the switch. My vent also seemed unclogged too

Got some snow so we'll see if it works like it should now

 

If mine is any indication, then be careful with those original vac lines. I'm sure you've read and maybe already experienced brittleness. In 2wd with truck running, I checked that I got had vacuum on the red line. I first disconnected at the hard line just under the tcase on the cross member. Again, be very careful, even loosen up the old conduit around it.

You will feel your finger get suckered a bit.

Then replug and recheck on the forward part of the frame rail also. Hopefully that whole path is good. Then you can take the grommet of the CAD and also check the red side.

Just spelling that all out as it seems you did that already.

 

No kidding about the brittleness....

Before my motor swap, I cracked a vacuum line to the hvac and it kept cracking as I traced it all the way back to the firewall! So I have pretty much replaced almost all of it with thin rubber vacuum hose that I slipped over the hard line that wasn't crumbling

Hopefully get to test it tonight after work

Jake

 

Ugh, still no 4x4. Maybe I'm not telling the whole story but I have the 241 tcase and not the 231...

I have vacuum going to grey line to the switch, green for vent- both going to the switch.. and red/black plugged into switch and headed to the cad...

Am I missing something?

 

Think if I haven't actually had vacuum there to fully engage 2wd, I have had residual drag on the front end running down the road?

 

Check and see if you are getting vacuum at the cad. If you aren't, start backtracking, and see where you lose it. Fix that.