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[rumble90]

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.

[big g]

Check the front prop.

[Bubba]

and diff

[JamesH]

Yep, sounds like it might not be the transfercase.

[Bubba]

i personally suspect front diff

[jay140285]

Sounds Diff related as Bubba said

[dtooth]

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

[isle of man]

Have you lubricated the joints and checked the adjustment ?

[tag]

Take the front prop off . Give it a run.

[Dave69]

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

[Exdecuk]

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

^^ 

[Hillbilly]

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