4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/1998 GMC Jimmy

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Expert: - 10/20/2004


Question
I'm starting to have little problems with my Jimmy.
1)After putting the truck into 4wheel, it takes many tries to get it back into 2HI.

2) I turned my turn signal on and the noise maker won't shut off. Lights are not blinking but the sound is on under the dash sporadically.

Thanks for your time...Jason

Answer
Jason,

What kind of terrain are you driving in when in 4-wheel drive?  If it is a hard, or paved surface, you can put the transfer case in a bind, and then you need to back up 10 - 20 feet to release the pressure on the transfer case.  It is extremely hard on the transfer case to run in 4-wheel drive on hard surfaces.  Another cause of the transfer case binding can be different tire sizes in the front than the rear, or different tire pressures.  Try putting it into high range from low range while rolling slowly, no more than 2 miles per hour.  If it is an automatic, the same thing applies, except with an automatic tranny, you will need to put the transmission in neutral before shifting out of, or into low range.

As far as the turn signal goes, try changing the flasher unit.  They are a plug in unit, and fairly cheap.  It sounds like yours has shorted out.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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