Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: rumble90 on March 06, 2014, 05:27:17 PM

Title: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: rumble90 on March 06, 2014, 05:27:17 PM
Hi Gent's and Ladies,

I have a 1999 4.0L Jeep Cherokee XJ with a 242J Transfer Case.
Long story short it drives fine in 2WD but when you shift into full-time 4, part-time 4 or 4 Low a horrible grinding noise comes from underneath the shifter. It is also reluctant to return to 2WD, I often have to reverse to get the grinding to stop.
The guy I bought it from used to run it round in 4 most of the time. I know the part-time and low positions lock the prop shafts together and are not for road use, hence I only ever used 2WD and Full-time 4 on the road.

I'm pretty well convinced it's coming from the transfer case. Since the problem started I have sourced a replacement 242J transfer case from a scrapper, which I fitted yesterday. Sadly this has not solved the problem!!! Again the replacement works fine in 2WD but sounds like it's full of gravel in any of the 4WD positions.

Firstly: Are 242J transfer cases prone to this kind of failure, meaning it is likely that the replacement I have put in has the same problem as the one I took out? or is there something else that commonly causes these symptoms?

Secondly: I am going to dismantle the old transfer case to try and diagnose the problem. Is there any particular components I should check for signs of wear once I've got it apart? and if it turns out something inside is knackered does anyone know where I might come by a rebuild kit this side of the Atlantic (UK)?

Any help you can offer would be welcome. Cheers.
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: big g on March 06, 2014, 05:34:20 PM
Check the front prop.
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: Bubba on March 06, 2014, 05:35:34 PM
and diff
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: JamesH on March 06, 2014, 05:43:23 PM
Yep, sounds like it might not be the transfercase.
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: Bubba on March 06, 2014, 06:22:51 PM
i personally suspect front diff
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: jay140285 on March 06, 2014, 06:27:35 PM
Sounds Diff related as Bubba said
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: dtooth on March 06, 2014, 07:14:25 PM
As for transfer cases they are pretty reliable the only main problem is the chain stretching.

Check the oil in the TC for shiney metal flakes
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: isle of man on March 06, 2014, 07:35:30 PM
Have you lubricated the joints and checked the adjustment ?
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: tag on March 06, 2014, 10:13:23 PM
Take the front prop off . Give it a run.
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: Dave69 on March 06, 2014, 10:58:05 PM
as above since it is possibly the quickest.

if noise goes then it will possibly be a uj on the prop or front diff.

with the prop off lubricate the linkages and swap between the ratios as it will make changes smoother
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: Exdecuk on March 06, 2014, 10:59:03 PM
As for transfer cases they are pretty reliable the only main problem is the chain stretching.

Check the oil in the TC for shiney metal flakes

^^  :lol_hitting:
Title: Re: HELP: XJ Grinding in 4WD - Transfer Case?
Post by: Hillbilly on March 07, 2014, 06:28:46 PM
Are you sure that it is actually going into 4wd and not hanging in part time. This is common with XJs where the transfer case is rarely used. Frequent changing will loosen things up but the grinding sound you describe is typical of a stuck in part time XJ