4x4 wont engage.

im new to the world of tacoma's and im looking for some help. a few weeks ago i picked up a nice 99 tacoma. its a sr5 trd 3.4 with standard transmission and manual transfer case.

everything has been going flawlessly until last week when i was wheeling. i had it in 4x4 and stalled after i got to the top of the hill, when i started the truck the 4x4 would not engage. now the next day i tried to use it again and it worked. now it only works every so often. when i put it in the 4h position the light will not come on the dash and i can hear a clicking sound coming from the passenger side of the dash. if anybody has any suggestions or could help me figure out the problem that would be great!

thanks Tanner.

 

Two things pop into my mind here could be problems why not working.

First one is the valve under the hood drivers side just right behind the battery are you valves They could be going out or bad on you. Check with a volt meter to confirm you are getting voltage to one. ( blue if i remember right) IF you hear that valve (CLICK) odds are its good.

Second look for are leaks or cracked rubber hoses going down to the actuator. Also check the hoses going from the valves to the engine make sure they are not cracked also. there is a few under the truck where the actuator is at also.

One more There is a (one way valve) on the lines from the engine to the valve make sure its working If the engine is running and you take the hose from one way to valve you should hear air going into the tub(suction). If not pull the oneway valve off see if you have suction there.

 

by standard transmission do you mean manual?
the click might be the light in the dash board or the transfer case clicking into 4 hi or 4 low.
I know with mine every now and then you have to move the truck a little bit(to get the gears to match up) and it will go right in.
when you try to switch from 2hi 4hi or 4 low try moving a little bit

 

hayabusa - i did notice a little mess underneath it.

tacomaboss - the transmission is manual and i have tried moving it but nothing happens.

 

meaning the shift lever doesnt move or it moves and nothing happens?

 

Same shit happens with mine, I dont even have a 4wd light anymore, don't need it. Put it in 4wd and DRIVE forward a few inches, or backwards, seems to work better.

 

i mean the 4x4 doesnt engage when i move forward or backward when the lever is in 4hi

 

huh. how much do you move forward or backword? a few inches or a few feet?

 

ive tried it 20 feet each way and get no results.

 

Then i have no idea. Thats not what I thought you were talking about

 

My truck and several other people I wheel with stall everyday when wheeling. Sometimes 4 times in a minute haha. Never had an issue.. Something doesn't seem to be adding up.

 

Can you clarify this? When I read this, it makes me wonder why you would disengage 4wd (move the lever from 4hi to 2hi) siimply to restat the engine after a stall. Did you actually move the lever just to restart? If you did not, then 4hi was still engaged...

 

the actuator is not getting a vacuum to engage 4wd why the light is off. Or the actuator has failed.