Hello,
I've just bought a 2004 L200 and would like some advice on 4WD selection and indication.
Upon selecting 4WD (High or Low) whilst in neutral with the clutch depressed, the green dashboard indication light flickers, sometimes it comes on stays on and sometimes it doesn't. Whilst I easily move the drive selector into 4 High and 4 Low OK I don't always get the indication light on. Is this just an indication problem... in which case is there a relay which would prevent the Diff lock operating.
I'd appreciate any advice...thank you.
Mark

Diff lock is different to 4wd hi and low if ur truck has diff lock there will be a separate switch. Does the green 4wd light stay solid if u select.4 hi or low and drive away

Hello,

Yes.... I do know the Diff Lock does :).... I do assume though that it's only available for use with 4WD and assumed that there's a relay involved.... never looked to operate it in 2WD drive anyway.

The dashboard 4WD drive indication light does illuminate when 4WD drive is selected, but not always instantaneously and it does flicker..... So I'm guessing there's a relay / switch involved which operates when 4WD is selected illuminating the light. When I put it back in 2 WD the light sometimes stays on, this would again indicate that maybe this switch sticking..... What are your thoughts please?

Cheers,

Mark
C'mon Scotland..... C'mon England (later)

the 4x4 light operates on a switch, which in turn is operated by the vacuum system. If it slow to go on or out, it may suggest you're losing vacuum pressure somewhere. @LezT has a diagram of the vac system somewhere that may help.
also worth trying, on the back of the front diff there is a little rubber gaiter that holds the rod that engages the front wheels, pull this back and spray a bit of WD40 or the like in there to make sure the rod moves back and forth freely.
After being in 4 wheel drive, I sometimes have to back up a few feet to get mine to disengage and the light to go back out

Cheers Krutly,

I'll get it on the ramps next week and check out the rod on the front diff..... It does feel like something is sticking. I have to be honest I don't know much about vacuum systems, so I'll check that out too.... It's all a big learning curve :)

Mark

Try tapping the solenoids next to the air filter and on the ns front wing they sometimes stick just a little tap mind

4WD ECU controls whether the 'full' 4WD engages, when you select 4WD by shifting the lever it activates a switch which tells the ECU you have selected 4WD, this feeds a contol solenoid to send the vacuum to the front wheel engage actuator ( solenoids down inside the drivers wheel arch and the actuator is behind the front axle). when the actuator is fully engaged (drive connected to the front wheels) the switch on top of the front axle will tell the ECU that the fronts are engaced and the ECU then switches the 4WD flashing light to on solid..
Likelyhood of the switch being faulty is slim as the 4WD light should be flashing when you shift the lever, I would be checking the contol swith on the gearbox / transfer box as it appears that this is not doing it's job in telling the ECU that you are in 4WD.
Stick it up and look where the actuator is sitting, then engage 4WD and see if it shifts..easy way to break down the system and locate the fault.

Hi LezT,

Thank you for your input....it is appreciated :)

OK I got underneath and found what I think is the actuator....it runs parallel with and just above the prop shaft and enters in the front axle and has a rubber gaiter over it. I got my with to select and de-select the 4WD drive and this actuator seemed to operate freely enough, though the 4WD light [u]didn't[/u] come on..... it did though (flashing only) if the transfer selector was pushed and held more forward than it would be in it's natural position (maybe it's that switch on the transfer box)

I did push in the actuator with the engine running and clutch out (not depressed) and could hear it grating with something in the front axle....Does this tell me it's not engaging?....I followed the pipework from the actuator and it led to a reservoir near the front bulkhead (near to the windscreen wiper motor).... not sure what this is I'm afraid.

Anyways after my little look around I tried selecting 4WD and got the flashing light again and if I moved the vehicle I got a permanent light on Low 4WD and sometimes in the high range too, but it's all a bit inconsistent.

Looking underneath I did see what looked like switches on the gearbox / transfer box.... are these the ones that you think might be at fault.... and are they best accessed from inside or underneath the vehicle?

OK a silly question now! If the 4WD light is just flashing.... is the vehicle still in 2WD?.... and that when it's fully illuminated it's just a visual indication of it being in 4WD?

I know I'm a bit remote here in France and more than a bit ignorant about the workings of modern 4WD vehicles, but I do appreciate everyone's help.

Mark

That reservoir thingy is your vac tank for your 4x4 iv just replaced mine this morning along with the freewheel switch which is just underneath the bottom of the bell housing it has a wire going up to the vac tank the wire plug is not attached to the vac tank if you look under your wheel arch and pull the rubber flap up you will see the plug Give it a wiggle and take the tube off the vac tank they corrode and fill the tube with rust hence blocking it

Ollie the switch should connect up under the passenger arch from memory..

Quote: LezT wrote in post #10

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Ollie the switch should connect up under the passenger arch from memory..

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Ollie, just to get this right, we're both talking about the Front wheel engaged / freewheel switch....: have you got a connector for it over that side, as everyone I've come across connects on the passenger side..

Bild entfernt (keine Rechte) that one mr T

Yup...

Yup mate the wire follows the cross member and goes up past the chassis to the plug on the vac tank plate on the drivers inner wheel arch

Thank you both.

I had another try and the green 4WD light comes fully on in the low range 4WD, but in the high range it only flashes.... however if I push the transfer range selector hard forward in the high 4WD it comes on fully, but as soon as I take the pressure off and allow it to rest in it's normal, correct position the green 4WD light flashes again..... Does this indicate that one of the switches on top of the gear box isn't making properly and if so..... which one is the high 4WD and what's the best way to get at it please?

If I get time tomorrow (due out cutting firewood tomorrow) I seek out that switch under the wheel arch and also have a looksee to find the vacuum reservoir.... By the way the reservoir I was looking at is for the clutch!....confused or what!

Mark