I know this is a stupid question but I was wondering what the best way to check my 4WD is.. The car is a 92 loyale single range. The light doesn't come on on the dash but I used to think I could hear the vacuum actuator working. Last nite in less then an inch of snow I was spinning tires the whole way up this hill and the tires on the car are like new. My friend has a wrx and that is amazing in the snow! I just don't feel like mine acts the same way. Any easy to check to make sure it working? Thanks

You could take it to Les Schwab and have them check it, theyd put it on the lifts and then put it in 4WD and then accelerate it...

 

At home, you could do the same just put it on Jackstands but youd need 4 of them to make it safe.

 

Or if you still have snow on the ground, find somewhere super wet or icy and have someone watch your tires... if your front ones are spinning faster than the rears youre not in 4WD.

simple answer: a 92 loyale will NEVER be like a WRX, ever. Les Schwab is a good call to check stuff out tho.

 

RV

I'm definatly not expecting it to be like a wrx but at least maybe seem like what I imagine from a subaru lol. I like the jack idea tho thanks.

Does your heter selector work:? or do you have only heat in the dash vents? this would be a sign of lost vacuum.

 

Check the hose that goes from the intake to the vac chamber, as it is easy to knock loose and not notice when under the hood.

 

Check the lines at the vac solenoids. You can manually aactuate the 4wd by pilling the rod that the vac diaphragm is connected to.

 

if it is an electrical issue, you can referse the lines on the solenoid to engage/disengage the diaphragm in the opposite direction.

 

It may be possible the nipples on the solenoid is broken.

 

these are the same parts for any single range, or full time with diff lock, rx/xt/dl/gl/gl-10/loyake

 

 

the 4wd light on the dash is actuated by a switch on the trans

great idea! the heater only works on heat, it doesn't switch from heat to bilev or defrost. so i guess it is possible that there is a vacuum leak somewhere but Im not possitive. thanks for that suggestion!

the 4wd definatly isn't working! I checked all the lines going to the actuator and the fuse and it all seemed fine. Where else should I check. The button on the shifter seems to stick when i push it down. could that be a culprit? and how should i clean under the button electric cleaner and just spray it down the sides of the crack? supposed to be getting some snow soon and would like to have it working

I would go to a carpark, drive in circles, then stick it in 4WD and drive in circles again. If it jumps and skips the second time around then it is in 4WD.

if the switch is stuck, try reversing the vac lines at the diaphragm to engage 4wd. you can go back and forth with 4wd by doing this. Or you may be able to swap the electrical connecotors at the solenoids them selve.

 

Electrically, you would have a 2 solenoids ganged together with a dula throw single post swithc, with one on, and one off respectively at the same time. The solenoids that actuate 4wd will have one on, and the other off to pull the diaphragm one way or the other.

 

There is no way the 4wd would not engage by moing the diaphragm rod, uless someone tried to engage 4wd whle doing burnouts and stripping the pto gear to the rear driveshaft, or by doing clutch drops as RWD with the absence of a front axle and busting the gear..

where is the actuator? think the shop that i took the car to for the timing belts grabed my chilton that was in the back seat. need to call and get it back..

Problem is most likely under the hood. You did not state that your heater is working properly. Look for the skinnt hose from the vac can that adapts to a larger one onto the intake. it will be along the passenger side strut.