How To Trouble Shoot 4x4 Actuator

I’d put it in neutral as you may need to rotate the rear driveshaft to align the shift fork

 

Right on. I appreciate it.

 

Update: So I took my TC actuator off again to mess with the timing. Also confirmed motor works. The motor sounded a little squeaky in one direction and smooth in the other direction. I’ve also tried different combos of actuator timing dial position, and shift rod positions to try and match them up. Each time iv had to put back into 2wd position on the timing dial to get light to stop flashing. When the detection switches are closed the ADD actuator engages front wheels. I took my buddys actuator off his 2nd Gen and put it on my truck, worked fine. it went into 4wd and 4lo then then back into 2wd just like it should. so now I’m wondering if it’s the timing or just the motor isn’t strong enough to move the shift rod. I seen a new actuator on Amazon for $198 that looks just like the factory one.

 

My ADD actuator motor has already gone bad and I've only had 4WD in my truck for a few months. I opened the housing up and found a bunch of melted plastic

I saw on another thread that @Sae68 used a motor which can be found on Amazon (

$8 URBEST® DC 12V 6000RPM Mini Magnetic Motor

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NN2YUWQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title) to replace the one in the the actuator. I'm in the process of swapping things out and I'm curious if anyone else has had trouble removing the yoke (looks like a football goal post) that spins the worm gear. I've struggled to find information on people replacing the motor instead of the entire actuator.

 

Used something under size to knock it out doesn't take much force.

 

hello - I joined just to, first off, say thank you to everyone for the invaluable information available here to troubleshoot and fix things.

I'm in the same situation, pulled (from TW) the wiring schematics and got out the multi-meter. Looked like both front and rear were sending conflicting signals causing the dreaded light-flash. Replaced the front (after fixing the new aisin one), hoping the back would move to the correct position - that didn't happen. Pulled it, and one direction will move, but only moves the other direction a short distance - so the motor is to weak (I don't think it helps the black plastic cap appears that it was damaged - I'm guessing during the frame replacement). So, I'm going to go with a new actuator (junk yards won't part the actuator out from the transfer case - at least not near me).

 

try cleaning up all the contacts and set the pins into 2wd position, also make sure your shift rod is push all the way into your transfer case. If you end up needing a new one,
Amazon has one for $198

 

Also, if your clocking is off in the transfer case actuator, your front diff actuator won’t do anything.

 

do you still need a wiring diagram? PM me for 2021

 

so, does anyone (I'm sure someone does) know where the ground is attached to the body/frame from the 4wd wiring harness? Specifically the harness for the transfer case shift motor? It doesn't go back to the ECU and terminate in that area, I think I might have a bad ground and want to check that continuity. thank you.

 

Ground point EE

 

The ground for the limit switches is on the back of the cylinder head, the shift motor grounds are controlled by the 4WD ECU which is grounded behind the passenger side kick panel.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4wd-system-operation-help-thread.742420/

EE (V6 1-GR-FE) on rear of passenger side cylinder head shown below.



EH (4cyl 2TR-FE) on rear of cylinder head

 

thank you! Very helpful. I get continuity through the motor (2wd position) contacts, but don't get continuity through the plug at the ecu (using one lead on the vehicle - that should have continuity). I had mice in there before, so wonder if the ground to the EE point might have been chewed. (6cyl, MT)

 

Thats a good possibility, have you given all the wires at that ground point the tug test?

 

not yet, since I had asked the question of location, which you promptly answered earlier today - i will probably try this evening. that link you posted is very good, I had missed it because I was doing searches and saved some info earlier in October.

 

I tried the ground tug test - EE is harder to get to than ED - I actually took ED off and polished it (I know that doesn't show as part of the 4wd circuit), and tugged on EE - visibly it looked ok. Turning the key on, now the 4wd/lo light doesn't flash (switch in 2H - normal). So, that is good, now trying to go into 4H - the light just flashes, I don't hear anything trying to move. Here's voltages (judging from them, dash switch is OK):


Reference is what the voltage should be. any ideas?

I checked continuity for DL1 and DL2 - they both indicated continuity to ground, which is odd (judging from voltages).

 

Sounds like the transfer case motor either isn't getting power or ground, it's stuck, or broken.
Do you get 12v on TM1 and 0v on TM2 when you try to switch to 4H?

 

thanks I am back to a blinking light again in 2H - I think/thought it might have been a ground issue (not driving to 0V with that sensor closed on ADD and Transfer case). So, I cleaned up EE and the blinking light started after that. Now, I can't get continuity to pin 4 (ground) from engine and/or frame ground - so I'm thinking I have a bad ground wire. Since they all come into a junction panel (PA - it looks like) I'm headed there next to see if I can get individual continuity. If I can, I may just re-locate that ground internally there.

 

You could provide a ground the the actuators a ground on pin 4 White/Black wire and see if everything works, if it does then your on the right track for sure.

 

~63K miles on my 2014 V6 6MT TRD OR. Pulled the motor/cap assembly off my transfer case actuator tonight after noticing that the breather hose had come disconnected within the past week. (I had looked at it a week ago and it was properly attached. Maybe it got loose after I removed & put it back on during inspection process.)

Drove at least 60 miles in driving rain today, including major high-speed sloshes through long puddles 1/2" to 3" deep -- everything short of actually fording a river -- and surprisingly, even with the breather hose totally disconnected from the transfer case 4WD actuator, it was bone dry inside.

Can anyone shed light on why a breather is needed, at all, in this application? Esp. one that doesn't have its own independent tube but rather passes through the transfer case, possibly passing heated oil vapor from inside the T-case back into the actuator?

There is definitely a flaw w/ the choice of tubing material, and in my opinion with the omission of the usual metal removable hose clip.

I re-spread the grease all around inside, and afterward during garage & road tests, it seems like the actuator runs just a hair faster. This would make sense w/ the threads and wiper arms re-greased. Also cleaned the wiring harness connectors with electronic parts cleaner spray.

Here are some photos: