Transfer case won't shift out of 4 Low!!! HELP!

[jleland]

A few months back, my yoke straps on the rear busted and I drove home in 4 Low. The Jeep sat for a few months and I just got the straps and u-joint replaced. Now I can't get it to shift back to 2H! Could this be from having fluid leak out of the T-case after I pulled the drive shaft out or what?:???: I'm hoping to get back on the road ASAP!

Oh, it's a 91 YJ and a NP231 T-case

 

[TerryMason]

Is there any fluid in the transfer case now? I don't have any experience with the YJ NP231, but from what I understand the fluid does leak out without the driveshaft installed. I believe that some people carry one of these:

Transmission Stop-Off Tool

 

[greg92jeepxj]

A few months back, my yoke straps on the rear busted and I drove home in 4 Low. The Jeep sat for a few months and I just got the straps and u-joint replaced. Now I can't get it to shift back to 2H! Could this be from having fluid leak out of the T-case after I pulled the drive shaft out or what?:???: I'm hoping to get back on the road ASAP! Oh, it's a 91 YJ and a NP231 T-case

I have included copies of pages from a 1992 jeep FSM NP231 t-case to give you thought of what is going on inside . Hope they will be clear . As long as the case is refilled with lube to make the parts slide and not bind , if they are not gummed up , you may have to disconnect the shift linkage from the shift lever and manually try to move it while rotating the front yoke . This would be easier if the front and rear tires are off the ground , but if you can only jack up one end , jack up the front and temporarily disconnect the rear shaft . I freed up a NP242 that was out of the vehicle , sitting in my parents yard through last winter by rotating the front and rear yokes while working the shift lever on the t-case . Tricky , but accomplishable. On the diagram , #2 refers to the detent which locks the shift fork in position . If it becomes necessary , you may remove it to make certain it is not stuck ( gummed up) but use caution in removal as you want no torque on the yokes that may cause unwanted movement of the shift forks that will further complicate matters. Use this as a last resort. You should get it through neutral and back to 2H as long as you unload the torque . It's almost just like any other day in the dirt , but hoping your internals are not gummed up . Hard for sliding parts to move as intended that way. Do not force anything , use reasonable force only. I once had to swap a Dana 20 t-case due to issues of jumping out of 4HI . Lucky I had a donor from a burned wreck. Greg

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Is there any fluid in the transfer case now? I don't have any experience with the YJ NP231, but from what I understand the fluid does leak out without the driveshaft installed. I believe that some people carry one of these: Transmission Stop-Off Tool

Wow , I wish I had one of those when I was putting in a transmission in a '84 firebird , then we would not have had to work on top of cardboard soaked in ATF ! Got to love those emergency jobs far from home ! Not unlike on the trail though.

 

[Sahara707]

A few months back, my yoke straps on the rear busted and I drove home in 4 Low. The Jeep sat for a few months and I just got the straps and u-joint replaced. Now I can't get it to shift back to 2H! Could this be from having fluid leak out of the T-case after I pulled the drive shaft out or what?:???: I'm hoping to get back on the road ASAP! Oh, it's a 91 YJ and a NP231 T-case

Did you try going backwards and forwards, put the transmission in neutral. Then shift out of 2low! Check the shift linkage? Good luck!

 

[69jeepcj]

A friend of mine has a 94 and it sat for a while before he got it. It is VERY hard to shift out of 4 lo, I mean two hands to shift, but it does shift. Keep working it

 

[eric m]

Just curious, why did you use 4lo as opposed to 4hi for the drive home? Also what kind of speeds did you drive home in 4lo?

 

[jleland]

@ eric m, I used 4Lo because it wouldn't move in 4Hi.........I drove about 10mph
I tried letting it warm up for a bit today and driving it up and down the yard with no luck! And, of course, I don't have a socket or wrench big enough to remove the fill plug to check the fluid! I'm probably gonna grab a set this week sometime........I've been slowly trying to acquire tools as I have different things go wrong with the Jeep

 

[jleland]

Well, still no luck! I added a quart of fluid but not sure if that was enough.......just how much fluid should run out when the fill plug is removed? I have a slight trickle

 

[superj]

Mine shifts hard Too but I found if I put my jeep in neutral and then shift it, it usually shifts a lot easier. I have a 231 in my yj also

 

[72chokers]

Well my 73 cj6 some times it don't want to shift so,I'll put it in reverse an drop the clutch at an idle and move the 4wd stick and mine pops right out

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Well, still no luck! I added a quart of fluid but not sure if that was enough.......just how much fluid should run out when the fill plug is removed? I have a slight trickle

With the Jeep on level ground, a slight trickle from the fill plug means it's full.

Chock the wheels with the Jeep in neutral and disconnect the linkage at the transfer case. Try to move the shift pawl on the transfer case with a 9/16" wrench. This will determine if the problem is inside the transfer case or bound up linkage.