[minisub]

I've had an intermitent issue with 4WD engagement for about a year on the '95. Last time I messed with it I pulled the plug to the front axle actuator and had 12v at both the brown and blue wire contacts. Plugged it back in and had 4x4 again. Seems like a wiring issue to me.

Now I am getting 12v only at the brown wire (I have the updated 3 wire actuator, the brown wire is the one that runs from the connector on the top of the transfer case and is from what I remember the one that is added to go from thermal to mechanical).

I've been rolling around under this thing all morning and cannot find anything amiss, so I thought I should check out the switch on the lever.

How on earth do you get the handle off the transfer case lever????

I can see that there are some splices under the cover, but can't get the cover off until I get the damn knob off! I have pulled and twisted until I am blue in the face...(God I hope Scott doesn't see that

I am so glad I didn't take care of this over the summer - we are looking at highs in the single digits this weekend..... Thank goodness I have 2 full propane tanks and a bunch of wood for the stove.....

Also, if I am barking up the wrong tree please let me known what your thoughts are.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The brown wire is 12V+ key on, the blue wire is the trigger wire and the other is ground. The blue wire should have 12V+ when you shift it into 4X4, if not you need to see if your switch has power to it at the transfer case.

 

[94blazer6.5]

When I installed my upgraded actuator all I did was...
1. unhook the harness, and remove the old actuator.
2. place that small round metal plug thing into the front diff, and screw the new actuator in.
3. plugged the new harness into the old harness.
4. ran the brown wire up the inner fender well, to the black box thing on the fire wall, and hooked the wire up there to a 12v source.

Haven't had any problems since. Maybe you got a bad actuator?

 

[jerod jardine]

go get the manual cable. Igot one at napa for about 180 bucks. Can't remember the man. name. After buying 3 new actuators from gm in the last three years I bought the cable. Glad I did. The axle ingages instantly.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

go get the manual cable. Igot one at napa for about 180 bucks. Can't remember the man. Name. After buying 3 new actuators from gm in the last three years i bought the cable. Glad i did. The axle ingages instantly.

posi-loc

 

[minisub]

The brown wire is 12V+ key on, the blue wire is the trigger wire and the other is ground. The blue wire should have 12V+ when you shift it into 4X4, if not you need to see if your switch has power to it at the transfer case.

I'll go back and flip through Helms; that is what I am trying to do by taking the cover off of the lever inside the truck. It's just that pesky little knob problem I am having....

When I installed my upgraded actuator all I did was...
1. unhook the harness, and remove the old actuator.
2. place that small round metal plug thing into the front diff, and screw the new actuator in.
3. plugged the new harness into the old harness.
4. ran the brown wire up the inner fender well, to the black box thing on the fire wall, and hooked the wire up there to a 12v source.

Haven't had any problems since. Maybe you got a bad actuator?

I wish. Since the first time I checked the harness I had 12v at both brown and blue, I figured the same thing. I am now the proud owner of a brand new $150 actuator that I apparently didn't need...

Thanks for the advice and tips. I've had the heater running a couple hours now, should be tolerable to head back out to poke around some more....

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

The wires you need to check aren't under that cover inside, there on the transfer case mounted switch. It should be a 3 wire switch on the top of the case above the frount driveshaft(if you have a 241 case). You should have 12V+ at one of them with the key on, one sends the power to the actuator, and the other sends a 4 lo signal to the PCM. There's a good chance that if your old thermal actuator shorted it might have burned out your switch.

The only thing under that cover inside is some bulbs and a slider for the indicator.

Here's a link for NAPA for the switch;
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPag...&Description=Four+Wheel+Drive+Actuator+Switch

 

[Fingers]

The shaft and knob spin out together. I don't remember the knob coming off by itself.

 

[z79outlaw]

i had a buddy who had the same problem it turned out that his axle was bad. he tried everything you did to. Try jacking up the front end get the wheels off of the ground and remov the actuator. Push in the little plate or whatever that the actautor is supposed to push out and engage. Then have somebody turn the wheels and see if it engages you can tell by the front driveshaft if that doesent work for you im afraid your axle is junk. kinda makes you hate IFS

 

[minisub]

Success!

The wires you need to check aren't under that cover inside, there on the transfer case mounted switch. It should be a 3 wire switch on the top of the case above the frount driveshaft(if you have a 241 case). You should have 12V+ at one of them with the key on, one sends the power to the actuator, and the other sends a 4 lo signal to the PCM. There's a good chance that if your old thermal actuator shorted it might have burned out your switch.

The only thing under that cover inside is some bulbs and a slider for the indicator.

Here's a link for NAPA for the switch;
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPag...&Description=Four+Wheel+Drive+Actuator+Switch

:thankyou2

That was exactly it. Thanks to your link, I recognized the switch. Pulled off the connector and one of the leads just crumbled in two.

Thankfully I had about 3/8" of lead left on the plug side. A little work with the soldering iron, some shrink wrap, the heat gun and 3M tape and I am back in business.

Finally I can park the '06 and drive the '95 in the salty goo we are experiencing here in lovely NE Ohio.....

Fingers, thanks for the tip and the call; I was in mid-solder and couldn't pick up....

z79, thankfully that was not the problem!

 

[94blazer6.5]

Glad you got it fix. Now go out and have some fun!!!!