Lo 4 not engaging

94ZR2CAN · 11-17-2009, 09:13 AM

Hi
The 4 lo will not engage, you can hear the transfer case try to engage but nothing happens. 4 Hi works and when you try to engage 4Lo the light flashes and the 4 Hi light comes on...................any ideas?
Thanks
Jason

PussyLiquor · 11-17-2009, 09:29 AM

What year?
Electronic or cable transfer case?
If its electric the syncros on the 4lo have gears and the gears tend to grind down, and not engage, open up the transfer case and just look at it.
Come back with pics

**Br&on's Z** · 11-17-2009, 11:54 AM

It has to be in neutral to shift to 4lo. In a manual I believe you can just push the clutch but try both. Park on a auto will not work, must be neutral.

Def. try this before you open the t-case!!

94ZR2CAN · 11-17-2009, 07:29 PM

I still don't have the truck, this is the problem that is holding up the car lot that I bought it from. It is a 94 ZR2 GMC Sonoma auto transmission, 3 button on the dash transfer so I assume electonic transfer............if it is the sycros is it an expensive fix?????????
Will 4 Hi be fine?
Thanks

Tyhuck · 11-17-2009, 07:44 PM

Depends on what youre gonna be running in. If you are just driving down muddy roads then yes, but if you are crawling over rocks or find yourself pulling out friends, then you may wnt to get the 4lo fixed.

Are you buying from the dealership or are they servicing it?

94ZR2CAN · 11-17-2009, 08:21 PM

From a used car lot, that has a garage.
I will get it fixed but if they can't figure it out I want to be able to negotiate the price down.
If I'm going to have to replace the transfer case, then $$$$ off, if it is a $100 fix then so be it.

Also is there a way to put a manual transfer case instead of this push button. Looking through all these posts with vaccum line problems and actuators ect. it would seem to make more sense.

raven2510 · 11-18-2009, 06:12 PM

To engage 4lo you have to be in neutral and rolling forward/reverse. I bet they are trying to engage while its standing still.

**Br&on's Z** · 11-18-2009, 07:29 PM

You do not have to be rolling forward. It is much better to be sitting still so that the gears do not slam in. It locks in perfectly fine sitting still.

Tyhuck · 11-18-2009, 08:12 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 94ZR2CAN

From a used car lot, that has a garage.
I will get it fixed but if they can't figure it out I want to be able to negotiate the price down.
If I'm going to have to replace the transfer case, then $$$$ off, if it is a $100 fix then so be it.

Also is there a way to put a manual transfer case instead of this push button. Looking through all these posts with vaccum line problems and actuators ect. it would seem to make more sense.

There is a way to do it, but its a pain from what I can recall. I think there is a thread on it somewhere either here or on ZR2USA.com.

Quote: Originally Posted by Br&on's Z

You do not have to be rolling forward. It is much better to be sitting still so that the gears do not slam in. It locks in perfectly fine sitting still.

Actually, it IS better to be rolling in either direction, but under 2mph. This allows the gears to slip in easily. Any faster and you will slam into gear, but if you are sitting still you may also slam into gear if theiy dont mesh just right. But, it is better to be setting still than driving too fast because if you are going too fast it WILL slam, or it may not engage at all. If it doesnt engage, it will react like the problem 94 is having.

Manual transfer cases do the same thing and it helps to roll forward or backward SLIGHTLY so that the gears can allign themselves smoothly. Setting still it may not engage and moving too fast will grind.

Tyhuck · 11-18-2009, 08:22 PM

By the way, is that a Chevy dealer or just a used lot? Most used car dealers dont know anything that is not on the sticker. They tend to misinterperate things all the time. Even if it is a Chevy dealership, they may not know much about it since its 15 years old. My experience with dealership service depts has neve r been satisfactory.

Case in point. I took the Ford F350 that I use at work into the shop to have the front end fixed. A week later they called me and claim that the allignment was off and that reallignment fixed the problem. Wrong. I drove it home and nothing changed. I researched the issue myself and called the dealership back to report the situation. They said bring it back in and they would look at it again. I told them what I had found, and that it may need a new steering gear box, but they were sure that couldnt be the problem. After a week and a half, I called to check on it, They told me that (get this) "appearantly the steering gear box was bad and they were replacing it tomorrow"(HMMM, I wonder where they got that idea?) 3 days later they called and this time when I picked it up, AMAZINGLY, it was fixed. Go Figure.

So IMO, beware of dealerships. Most "trained service technitians" dont know shit. No offense to anyone on here that is a service tech. Im sure you dont treat you customers like this.

11-17-2009, 09:13 AM	#1
94ZR2CAN Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 25 Location: User is: OffLine	Lo 4 not engaging Hi The 4 lo will not engage, you can hear the transfer case try to engage but nothing happens. 4 Hi works and when you try to engage 4Lo the light flashes and the 4 Hi light comes on...................any ideas? Thanks Jason
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 09:29 AM	#2
PussyLiquor F.ound O.n R.oad D.ead Age: 20 Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 147 Location: rock hill sc User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging What year? Electronic or cable transfer case? If its electric the syncros on the 4lo have gears and the gears tend to grind down, and not engage, open up the transfer case and just look at it. Come back with pics
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 11:54 AM	#3
Br&on's Z Rollin' 32's! Age: 18 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,227 Location: Gate City, VA User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging It has to be in neutral to shift to 4lo. In a manual I believe you can just push the clutch but try both. Park on a auto will not work, must be neutral. Def. try this before you open the t-case!!
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 07:29 PM	#4
94ZR2CAN Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 25 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging I still don't have the truck, this is the problem that is holding up the car lot that I bought it from. It is a 94 ZR2 GMC Sonoma auto transmission, 3 button on the dash transfer so I assume electonic transfer............if it is the sycros is it an expensive fix????????? Will 4 Hi be fine? Thanks
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 07:44 PM	#5
Tyhuck Game Pop. Control Agent Age: 25 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 597 Location: East, TX User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging Depends on what youre gonna be running in. If you are just driving down muddy roads then yes, but if you are crawling over rocks or find yourself pulling out friends, then you may wnt to get the 4lo fixed. Are you buying from the dealership or are they servicing it?
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-17-2009, 08:21 PM	#6
94ZR2CAN Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 25 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging From a used car lot, that has a garage. I will get it fixed but if they can't figure it out I want to be able to negotiate the price down. If I'm going to have to replace the transfer case, then $$$$ off, if it is a $100 fix then so be it. Also is there a way to put a manual transfer case instead of this push button. Looking through all these posts with vaccum line problems and actuators ect. it would seem to make more sense.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-18-2009, 06:12 PM	#7
raven2510 Overhead Console Expert Age: 22 Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,728 Location: Omaha, Nebraska User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging To engage 4lo you have to be in neutral and rolling forward/reverse. I bet they are trying to engage while its standing still.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-18-2009, 07:29 PM	#8
Br&on's Z Rollin' 32's! Age: 18 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,227 Location: Gate City, VA User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging You do not have to be rolling forward. It is much better to be sitting still so that the gears do not slam in. It locks in perfectly fine sitting still.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-18-2009, 08:12 PM	#9
Tyhuck Game Pop. Control Agent Age: 25 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 597 Location: East, TX User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging Quote: Originally Posted by 94ZR2CAN From a used car lot, that has a garage. I will get it fixed but if they can't figure it out I want to be able to negotiate the price down. If I'm going to have to replace the transfer case, then $$$$ off, if it is a $100 fix then so be it. Also is there a way to put a manual transfer case instead of this push button. Looking through all these posts with vaccum line problems and actuators ect. it would seem to make more sense. There is a way to do it, but its a pain from what I can recall. I think there is a thread on it somewhere either here or on ZR2USA.com. Quote: Originally Posted by Br&on's Z You do not have to be rolling forward. It is much better to be sitting still so that the gears do not slam in. It locks in perfectly fine sitting still. Actually, it IS better to be rolling in either direction, but under 2mph. This allows the gears to slip in easily. Any faster and you will slam into gear, but if you are sitting still you may also slam into gear if theiy dont mesh just right. But, it is better to be setting still than driving too fast because if you are going too fast it WILL slam, or it may not engage at all. If it doesnt engage, it will react like the problem 94 is having. Manual transfer cases do the same thing and it helps to roll forward or backward SLIGHTLY so that the gears can allign themselves smoothly. Setting still it may not engage and moving too fast will grind.
	[Reply w/Quote]

11-18-2009, 08:22 PM	#10
Tyhuck Game Pop. Control Agent Age: 25 Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 597 Location: East, TX User is: OffLine	Re: Lo 4 not engaging By the way, is that a Chevy dealer or just a used lot? Most used car dealers dont know anything that is not on the sticker. They tend to misinterperate things all the time. Even if it is a Chevy dealership, they may not know much about it since its 15 years old. My experience with dealership service depts has neve r been satisfactory. Case in point. I took the Ford F350 that I use at work into the shop to have the front end fixed. A week later they called me and claim that the allignment was off and that reallignment fixed the problem. Wrong. I drove it home and nothing changed. I researched the issue myself and called the dealership back to report the situation. They said bring it back in and they would look at it again. I told them what I had found, and that it may need a new steering gear box, but they were sure that couldnt be the problem. After a week and a half, I called to check on it, They told me that (get this) "appearantly the steering gear box was bad and they were replacing it tomorrow"(HMMM, I wonder where they got that idea?) 3 days later they called and this time when I picked it up, AMAZINGLY, it was fixed. Go Figure. So IMO, beware of dealerships. Most "trained service technitians" dont know shit. No offense to anyone on here that is a service tech. Im sure you dont treat you customers like this.
	[Reply w/Quote]