4x4 issue (btw i don’t think it’s my hubs) help please.

Afternoon folks. I’m struggling with inoperable 4x4 on my push button Jimny.

Have a read and see if you can help me please. (Sorry for the long post but I’m trying to describe the fault the best I can)

I’ve read the wiki and I think I understand how everything works, and I got my hands on a 2nd hand set of vacuum hubs as one of mine appeared a bit funky on the inside (the magnet seems to be weak and I think salty water over winter had got into it as it’s not shiny shiny like the other side. I’ve checked pipes and can see no fault.

As a bit of a background story, kingpin bearings were done late last year, and I have changed both front wheel bearings so far this year.

I tried 4wd after swapping the crappy looking vacuum hub and it engaged 4wd, solid green light ->4wd low was all good too, then 4wd h-> 2wd all seemed to work.

Got under car checked prop could turn by hand and yes it could.

Tried it again and I could hear the transfer box solenoid do its thing but I got a flashy light. Bugger. Under car, transfer box had engaged (I couldn’t turn the prop by hand) so After a lot of checking and re checking of the hubs etc I couldn’t see any issue. while turning the ignition on and pressing the 2wd button repeatedly, then all off and repeat I eventually got the 4wd to disengage. No dash light and the prop could turn by hand. I took off the pipe work that lead to the axle and looped a length of hose to isolate the can from the axle



Tried again and I get the same thing. I can hear the transfer box work (prop won’t turn by hand) but flashy light on dash.

I take it this points to either faulty pipework from the engine-> the solenoids -> the first metal pipe section, the solenoid(s) themselves or what else could it be?

I checked the little filter and it’s fine.

If I had hair I’d have pulled it out this afternoon. The available pennies are a bit low just now so I don’t want to run out and buy manual hubs and bypass the vacuum system just yet.

My next plan is to check the engine bay pipework and t pieces then remove one solenoid at a time and try to test if they are working.

Any help would be appreciated (and if you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read it all the way through)


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Looping the pipe like that wont help.

Its trying to create a vaccum of a given pressure on one of the pipes to go into 4x4 and the other to come back out. You need to block each pipe individually (use a M6 bolt into the end of the rubber pipe to block).

If the vac system works upto the block you have made then the t-box will go into 4x4 and the light will stay green. Front prop wont turn by hand.

next step is to remove the vac hubs and blow an airline down into the carrier to clear any grease blocked in the lines built into that. Over greasing the CVs is easy to do and will block the pipes in there, airline should clear it. Reassemble and test by jacking both front wheels. put into 4x4 and turning one wheel should make the other go in opposite direction. all is well

Riccy:- brilliant advice thanks, I’ll try blocking them individually and test again. Cheers. I was trying to isolate a section of the system to confirm where the fault lies. Glad you commented.

Lambert:- i don’t think so but I’ll give them a quick blast with the airline to be sure.

Kirkynut:- purse too tight this month but I can see why folk go manual. Been a bit of a pain trying to sort, but these are all £zero cost things for me to try, but for sure I can see manual hubs eventually happening sooner rather than later, it’s all down to the £’s at the moment.
Having the confidence that 4wd will work when I want it too would be fantastic.


Much appreciated folks.


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www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum/7-jimny...lluminating?start=12

This was my thread which cutting a long story short ended up being a faulty hub however getting there was a very frustrating experience with several false conclusions. I ended up jacking up both front wheels and operating the switch and taking the hubs off several times to get there.
You can buy rubber vacuum pipes and connectors off ebay for not a lot of money if you want to replace the pipes. I did and found that it wasn’t the pipes.
As an aside check out the 4x4 solenoid switches located on the transfer box, they look like blue bolt heads with wires, due to there exposed location they often get damaged and can create the problems you are having.

Good luck
bryn