4WD Indicator Lights

[vhenem]

Just finished Converting my 88 2Wd MJ to 4Wd, using a 91 Cherokee with an AW4/NP242. I've pulled my dash apart as I have some wiring issues to deal with and noticed that the plate for the 4Wd indicator is there on the guague cluster, what will I need to do wiring wise to make it functional ??

[ParadiseMJ]

If there is a socket behind the light panel, you may already have the wiring installed. Put a bulb in there.

 

If no socket, :dunno:

[Puritan21]

The wiring should be there, just make sure you have good bulbs. In order to get them to light up you will need to get the vacuum switch that runs down to the cad on the front axle if you have a pre-92 axle.

[Geonovast]

You shouldn't count on that 4wd light for your setup. As stated, it runs off of the vacuum for the CAD. Your CAD NEEDS to be locked over in the engaged position. If the CAD fails when you use Full Time, you could very easily toast your T-case.

 

Also, your 242 shouldn't have the vacuum switch on it.

[vhenem]

You shouldn't count on that 4wd light for your setup.

 

 

I never rely on a light to tell me what is up with the T-case, i just like having everything work as intended.

 

Thanks all for the info, once again this thing turned out be 100% plug and play. added bulbs, dropped the cluster back in and it just works. :banana:

[deziped]

Does the Full Time (FT) indicator light up when in FT? Seeing as how my 242 (89) conversion from a 231 only lights up the Part Time (PT) indicator when in PT & nothing when in FT I was just wondering. I guess you must have a different setup than mine which uses an electric indicator swt on the TC. Wasn"t aware there was an vacuum option available on the 87-90's with 242 TC. I kind of thought that was the reason those 242 came pre-wired and w/o vacuum disconnect. Tell me sum-thun..............Oh, my 89 XJ w/FT didn't have vacuum disconnect either. :dunno:

[vhenem]

Does the Full Time (FT) indicator light up when in FT? Seeing as how my 242 (89) conversion from a 231 only lights up the Part Time (PT) indicator when in PT & nothing when in FT I was just wondering. I guess you must have a different setup than mine which uses an electric indicator swt on the TC. Wasn"t aware there was an vacuum option available on the 87-90's with 242 TC. I kind of thought that was the reason those 242 came pre-wired and w/o vacuum disconnect. Tell me sum-thun..............Oh, my 89 XJ w/FT didn't have vacuum disconnect either. :dunno:

 

 

Yes, FT indicator lights up when in FT, PT lights up when in PT. I do not have a vacuum disconnect and the T-case does have a switch for the lights. Did you add a bulb to the cluster where the FT indicator would be ?

 

The tranny and T-case I used for my swap were from a 91 cherokee limited, my biggest surprise is that everything from the 91 just worked, no wiring needed to be done at all. I figured I would have at least had to swap some wires around for the tranny wiring.

[deziped]

I believe theres a bulb in the slot. Probally burnt out, I'll check it tomorrow.

[Pete M]

how much of the XJ did you use?

[vhenem]

how much of the XJ did you use?

 

If that was directed at me, I used the front diff, Transmission,T-case, Front DS the T-case shifter, linkages etc, I kept my column shift for the time being, but will eventually swap in the floor shifter when I convert to buckets. It's handy having your donor parked right next to what you are working on.

The only real problem I am having is getting the T-case adjusted 100%.

[Pete M]

It's handy having your donor parked right next to what you are working on.

 

 

amen to that. :D

[vhenem]

Well I may have not gotten off scot-free after all

 

While trying to get the t-case adjusted properly, without much success I might ad, the indicator lights are now coming on in every position :wall:

Back to the drawing board I guess. as a friend of mine said today "to get away without any issues at all... wouldn't be fair to anyone else."

[Oizarod115]

Well I may have not gotten off scot-free after all

 

While trying to get the t-case adjusted properly, without much success I might ad, the indicator lights are now coming on in every position :wall:

Back to the drawing board I guess. as a friend of mine said today "to get away without any issues at all... wouldn't be fair to anyone else."

check the switch in the transfer case to see if all the moving around didn't just speed up a pre-eminent failure.

[deziped]

I know my electric indicator switch is activated (part time light comes on) by the ball at the end of the switch dropping (spring assisted) into a detent in the transfer case Range Fork Shift Shaft when shifted into the Hi and/or Lo Part Time positions. There is no detent for the Full Time position, so I don't know whats suppose to make it light up. Looks like more searching of the internet is in order to determine how it works or what parts are missing.

[Pete M]

shop manual procedure for anyone reading this that's curious:

 

[vhenem]

I've tried that a few times, I think that my linkage is at fault, I will try another out of a friends parts jeep. Other than the Novak T-case shifter, does anyone know of any other aftermarket shifters ? or maybe someone has fabricated one themselves ?

[deziped]

Finally got the 89 full time light problem sorted out after swapping in the 242 a while back. My problem was a bad connection at the blue connector with the 10 wires located near the diagnostics test port connections. Specificaly pin E (female end).

 

87 - 90 (and maybe later to what date I don't know) are wired for 242 and 231 TC position indicator light on your dash. Ever wondered what that wad of wire (provided it hasn't been removed by a PO) is for that dead ends in behind the large TC shift attachement bracket bolted to the side of your transmission is for. It's waiting for that 242 you've been thnking about swapping in place of that 231. If these wires are no longer there you can run wire directly from electric TC switch to the blue connector.

 

Anyway back at that connector: Position E YL/BLK wire is for full time indicator

Position H RED/BLK wire is for part time indicator

 

Those of you planning to eliminate your vacuum actuated front axles while retaining your 231 TC might want to look at this as a method of by-passing the vacuum position indicator switch.

[deziped]

Did you also change the shift likage on the TC. I had to change that lil linkage so I could retain my old 231 shifter mechanism and get it to work correctly. I can't remember whether I had to use the 231 or 242 piece. It was only a couple inches difference in them, but, it made it work. I think it was of the 231. IDK.

[vhenem]

Did you also change the shift likage on the TC. I had to change that lil linkage so I could retain my old 231 shifter mechanism and get it to work correctly. I can't remember whether I had to use the 231 or 242 piece. It was only a couple inches difference in them, but, it made it work. I think it was of the 231. IDK.

 

 

I grabbed everything off a parts jeep that I had for my 4WD Conversion, so the linkage was off the 242 that the 91 XJ came with. The problem I am having is the TC Shifter will not allow it to go into 2WD fully no matter how I adjust it. I can however crawl underneath and lock it in with no issues. I'm Grabbing a different linkage assembly tomorrow and will bolt that up to see if my problem is solved.

[deziped]

That's the same problem I had, but by grinding a small amount out of the back of the shifter it did let the lever move back farther and made 2W engaging easier.. I also ground about an 1/8 inch off the protruding stop tab which improved it moving into FT. It works fine , but if I ever run across an XJ in JY with a select trac ill grab the shifter & linkage out of it.

[vhenem]

Thats the samr problem I had, but by grinding a small amount out of the back of the shifter it did let the lever move back farther and made 2W engaging easier.. I also ground about an 1/8 inch off the protruding stop tab which improved it moving into FT. It works fiine , but if I ever run across an XJ in JY with a select trac ill grab the shifter & linkage out of it.

 

 

hmmm, I'll take a look at that, any chance you have a picture of were you took the metal off ?

[deziped]

No pic. When you slam the shifter lever all the way forward it hits the end off the track, thats where I ground some off. Going the other way the lst thing it hits is the tab sticking out that keeps it from going into neutral, thats where I took off about 1/8 inch. That 1/8 lets the shift lever come back just a bit farther to fully engage FT position.