Flashing 4WD Light Confusion

What were the original conditions that lead to the fitment of the manual hubs? Was it a definite vacuum leak or a control malfunction? If it was definitely a vacuum leak then it should follow that the control system would continue to work correctly if it were simply reconnected and that the fault you are chasing will disappear.

Lambert wrote: What were the original conditions that lead to the fitment of the manual hubs?

Although I wanted to focus on the 'normal' issues first, there is more to the story. The vacuum line was damaged but how it was damaged adds to my uncertainty. When my friend first discovered that he couldn't engage 4WD, the Jimny was driven to his garage and parked. A couple of days passed when he phoned me and asked if I could help troubleshoot. When I opened the hood of his car, a rat ran out (yes it did startle both of us) and it became obvious that it had made the engine compartment its home. Luckily, based on limited damage, I think it was for a relatively short time. I found where it had chewed through a vacuum line (the one that leads to the vacuum tank) and it had chewed a small area of cable covering near the battery. Reasonably close inspection seemed to indicate no damage to the wires. I suggested to Joel that manual hubs might be a good decision. After he agreed, we began a search for AVM hubs but they aren't readily available. For that reason the 4WD was left unused for several months. After getting the hubs, the right side hub had the same problem as was posted by a member a while back. When the hub fasteners were torqued to spec, the wheel wouldn't rotate. Decided to pull the hub nut and have it machined down slightly and reinstall. Another couple of months for that to be completed. It sounds from forum experience that the Jimny doesn't care for not having its 4WD system excersized regularly. Now I am left unsure whether an intermittent short or a long delay may also be contributing factors to his problem.

Ah. Ok. Well the rat definitely won't have helped, they seldom do. Assuming that you have found all the rats interfering with the wiring and it hasn't caused a short somewhere the electrical system doesn't really cause issues through lack of use. The lack of use is normally expressed in the mechanical system, think solenoid valves, filters, perished flexible lines, perforations of hard lines and sticking or frozen parts in hubs. All of these you are either replacing or bypassing and shouldn't be causing any problems. You mentioned having to have a hub nut machined. This is not normal with avm hubs. Was the appropriate wheel bearing examined and found good? Not that a failing wheel bearing particularly affects a manual hub from engaging correctly. I do wonder that by bridging the electrical system you haven't inadvertently moved a bit of rat damage into a short condition and simultaneously obscured it from view. I know I am repeating myself but putting the electrical system back to factory will both eliminate any bridging being at fault and also allow for thorough inspection for rat damage. Manual hubs with the vacuum lines capped at the valves shouldn't be this problematic.

Agree with both your electrical and mechanical comments. My first step will be reconnecting everything as designed except using manual hubs and capping the vacuum lines at the hub. This will communicate a real vacuum to the 4WD controller. If that doesn't work, I may look at the actuator based on this post (Really....I do search before I post): No 4WD and Flashing Lights . A faulty limit switch also falls in line with Sniper's comments.

My confusion may be based on what it is I expect if it were a failed actuator/limit switch:
If there was a delay before the lights began flashing, wouldn't it be relatively short and the timing consistent?
If the actuator/limit switch is faulty, doesn't that prevent it from going into 4WD (limited shift operation)?

Currently, I need to ensure it's in 2WD and then remove the jumper so that Joel can use the car for a few days. When I can get back to it, I will update the thread.

Thanks for the comments Lambert.

You are welcome. Hopefully you'll have it fixed in no time.

I wanted to post these pages I found from a technician training manual in case they are a benefit to anyone trying to determine problems with their transfer case.

The car still isn't available to troubleshoot but I did have a chance to do a DTC check. The code his car has is 65 so I guess that should narrow it down to our rat friend. Unless I'm reading the 'Detecting Condition' wrong, the controller is looking for the vacuum switch to remain ON for a minimum amount of time.





Edit: I think I am reading it wrong. I think code 65 is saying that if the vacuum switch remains on even when VSV2 is off, a DTC will be generated. I will see when I reconnect the vacuum switch and vacuum lines except plugging the lines at the hubs. If shorting the switch is an issue on the newer 4WD systems, all the symptoms would fit.