Transfer case: what noises are normal?

I took a short video of shifting the transfer case while the automatic transmission was in neutral.

This is a 2003 Taco / 4WD / V6 / Dbl Cab / automatic trans, with everything stock.

Is the buzzing normal? If not, what could it be? I changed the transfer case fluid and know that it isn't low or dirty.

I can't seem to embed the video, so here it is on youtube.

 

That certainly isn't normal. Mine is a bit stiff sometimes but never grinds or makes odd noises.

 

Yea. Definitely something wrong. Something's not syncing right!...

 

Everything seems to work fine - low gear, 4wd button, actuators and such. It's just a bit hard to get from Neutral into either range.

Guess it's time to start looking at the FSM to figure out what could possibly be worn/broken.

 

Does the truck not have to be slightly rolling when shifting in to 4 lo and trans in neutral by chance?

Old 99 Tahoe with manual case I drove in highschool was this way. It woukd grind this way when not rolling. Surprised me when I found out my 14 didn't have to.

 

I recorded the video when I was fully stopped. I'll see if it makes less noise if it is rolling slightly, but would like to fix the actual issue.

I have a chain driven transfer case and it looks like there are clutch bearings on the output shaft. I wonder if the previous owner bumped the transfer case lever while in gear and did some damage to these.

 

Idk I'm new to these trucks. Im was used to rolling slightly in tahoe but my tacoma beeped at me when I tried.

 

I have had the same noise in my 2004 with the manual transfer shifter. When i go from 4L to N when im in anything but park it makes that grinding noise. When that happened i felt it was grinding the gears and never did that again. That indeed is not normal and something is wrong. All i can say is try shifting in different gears untill you find the right combo.

 

The "buzzing" is the sound of gears grinding and it is not normal.

Are you depressing the brake pedal while doing all this?

I'm not up on the auto transmission but something is still rotating and I'm guessing the planetary gears in the transfer case are not liking it. This is just guessing though.

I grind gears in the transfer case going into 4lo with my manual transmission but that is because I'm evil and don't wait until I come to a complete stop before shifting.

Here's what the user's manual has to say about it:
http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM35800U/pdf/01omsour/2003/03tacoma/16.pdf

I don't have access to my FSM but there should be a section on troubleshooting at the beginning of the transfer case section that would be a good place to start.

 

Try to put your transmission in park to select 4X4 and 4x4 low .
When you use neutral , the transmission output shaft continues to turn due to forward clutching dragg .
If you select park rather than nuetral , this will stop the output shaft from turning and your transfer case will love you for doing this .
I have answered this question many times on TW .


Try using park rather than nuetral and your problem should be solved

 

I think you're supposed to be in neutral when shifting into 4wd with an automatic. So OP is doing this correctly.

Mine ticks a little as well when I switch into 4wd, but it doesn't grind like that unless I'm out of neutral. When in park it won't even go into gear.

 

For moving the Transfer case lever (with automatic and push-button 4WD), it says to shift while the transmission is in neutral, vehicle is stopped and foot on brake.

Yep, said one of three things for Noise:

• Oil (Level low)
• Oil (Wrong)
• Transfer faulty

I just changed the oil and it is not low or wrong.

 

I'll give it a try in Park, but can you explain to me what is happening inside that is causing the noise to be greater than it should be?

 

When your automatic transmission is in nuetral , there is some drag caused by the forward clutch .
This drag causes the rear transmission output shaft to continue turning .
When the rear transmission output shaft continues to spin and you try selecting 4x4 , the 2 high -4 high synchronizer hub has to work extra hard and may grind before it actually goes into 4x4 . Selecting 4x4 with the transmission in park eliminates the synchronizer hub inside the transfer case from trying to match the speed of the spinning transmission output shaft with the stationary shaft of the 4x4 range .
One shaft is spinning while the other shaft is stopped.
I know what it says in the manual , but this way is easier on the transfer case when you have forward clutch drag .Not all trucks have this issue but it does occur both with automatic and manual transmissions

 

Thank you gearcruncher. I like understanding what is going on internally to know the details and understand before making any decisions.