4wd pops

It seems like my 2017 Tacoma Off-Road isn't engaging and disengaging 4wd like it should. I used to be able to engage it on the go, smooth as butter, couldn't even tell it was in at 45-50 mph. Now I engage it and it almost wants to "wander" if I'm on a snowy road and get over 30mph or so. When I turn the 4wd knob to 4H I can feel it engage, but the light blinks for up to 45 seconds sometimes. I can hear a slight whine when moving along at 7-15mph. When I disengage back to 2wd it really pops out like it is under a lot of stress and sometimes it takes it a minute or so to happen. I read on the actuator issues, but it seems like those aren't engaging at all. Thoughts?

Thanks

 

New fluid in transfer case?

 

I changed the Front Diff oil and all was well looking. Think it could be the actual transfer case, even though the pop is what sounds to be coming from the front diff?

 

Mine makes a nice solid click/clunk form the passenger floorboard/front tire area, but that's about it and it has always done that.

Time it flashes varies, but doesn't seem to be terribly long, certainly not 45 seconds engaging, or disengaging.

 

well its really all I can think of, takes 1qt of lightweight 70/75w gear oil. Its worth a try imho.

 

Ill give it a whirl and report back. Thanks

 

Occasional delay and clunking sounds are normal. It gets worse if there is bind up in the drivetrain (e.g. after turning on a medium to high traction surface when in 4wd) or you are accelerating/decelerating. However, your description makes me think something is amiss.

I don't understand the part about "wander".

 

The wander happened when I was on a couple inches of snow on the highway out in Colorado. It’s almost like it kept fighting itself back and forth, like it was pulling right then left. I’ve driven on snow a lot and never remembered that happening. Maybe it’s a coincidence but seems awful ironic

 

That sounds like normal snow driving to me and not likely related to your 4wd system unless it never engaged. Unloaded 2wd pickups are helpless in snow. Snow is an unpredictable surface that changes based on temperature, wind, depth, and other factors. It's why it's so fun to drive on and bicycle on.

 

Did you swap the transfer case fluid as well? I ran Mobil 1 gear oil in mine for 20k or so and noticed it would take awhile to move in and out of 4x4. I switched back to the factory stuff and it seems to work smoother and faster now.

This could be placebo, but it sure seems to like the factory stuff. I’m still running mobil 1 in the diffs.