4x4 system failure. or actuator or controller?

The other possibility is a snagged wire on the sensors between the TC and the controller, can you ring them through or check for shorts?

DrRobin wrote:

If something mechanical was stopping the TC from going in to 4WD, you would probably get what you are seeing.

The TC tries to go in to 4WD, but doesn’t achieve it or doesn’t achieve it in the time allowed and therefore the controller puts it back to 2WD. You see the green light come on, hear the actuator and then it goes out.

Any chance something is wrong with the TC rebuild?

 

this was my first thought too but now I tried two different cases as i bought a spare original case as well as my now defunct low geared one. same result. and I can shift them just fine by pulling the fork/rod manually before I put the actuator on them. they both feels the same when pulling the rod.
Could be the actuator turned weak though. Even though there was no sign of water ingress in the one on the car. If I discoonnect the actuator the light flash rapidly so the controller can sense it.

DrRobin wrote:

The other possibility is a snagged wire on the sensors between the TC and the controller, can you ring them through or check for shorts?

The sensor connectors both has 12v so seem fine. both switches tested and retested and I made both a manual switch to test and tried another switch. shorting out the connectors make no difference either. will try that again in different constellations as it just might be two errors at once since it is hard to understand. 

I will try to find a controller from a scrapper to test, they can be bought cheap used on ebay.
The actuator though I will not buy used. rather a complete used transfer case or a new actuator. 

But right now only auto-transfer cases at norwegian scrappers. they have a joint web page all of them in Norway. 
Sadly jimnys where sold in small numbers and now the prices are stupid so none get scrapped. so hard to get. my original used case comes from Sweden.

 

Tried to make a vacuum leak and it responded with the steady blink instead of the single blink.
Returned to single blink after plugging the vacuum hose back in.

My controller 38885-76JA is expensive it seems. Cant find any used under 100 euro.

I bought another TC but they sent it to me with no proper packaging so the actuator and sensor where broken.
Looking at my actuators they are all rusty and leaky and let water in. So guess I should just buy a new one. 300 euro. 390 Euro..

Most likely the Main problem was bad positioning of the actuator.

Service manual says to put the case in 4wd before removing and I may or most likely missed that point.

How to fix that?
Remove the small cog in the actuator.
Remove actuator from transfer case.
Push or pull the rod from the case that go into the actuator to put the case in 4wd. Turn flanges to check.
Now you need a multimeter. Measure for connection between pins 3 to 6 and 5 to 6, counting from the motor out. Run the actuator motor by hooking 12v to pin 1/2 and run the actuator a blink at a time to achieve the position with no connection between 3-6 and 5-6.
Switch polarity at pins 1/2 until the correct position is reached.
Put the actuator back on the case and insert cog. Put RTV silicone on the lid and put the case back in the car.

Test, fill with oil, pack your car and go on holiday!

Glad you got it sorted.