2004 v8 4x4 actuator replacement
- Thread starter skyykeeper
- Start date
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Nope.
geurillawarfare
New member
I have pictures that might help.... Haven't been on the site in a long time. Anyone still having problems with this? It's not that hard once you understand how it works. Just time consuming because you may have to change the inner rotary switch timing 4 or 5 times if you're way off when you start.
BlackWorksInc
New member
That would be nice to have, the last person who attempted it got close; but still had issues with shifting in and out of 4WD despite lining everything up the way they thought it should be.
geurillawarfare
New member
The timing is relatively simple but the pain is using the vehicles control system for actuation during the repair.
It would be relatively easy for me to make a box that would actuate the motors and show the position of the rotary switches.
I need a guinea pig!
Jagerzel
New member
Yeah that would be awesome! I have my old transfercase and actuator unit sitting on the garage floor all it needs is correct timing.
geurillawarfare
New member
There's only one problem with it being on the floor... It needs to be on the transfer case to set the timing
geurillawarfare
New member
Does your transfer case have the two stubs for the actuator sticking out of it? I suspect it does not. If not, you need to split your new (and old) transfer case and transfer the actuator with the selector rods. If you do it this way, it's relatively easy because you won't have to re-time it if you don't pull the old rods out of the old actuator.
Jagerzel
New member
There's only one problem with it being on the floor... It needs to be on the transfer case to set the timing
The actuator is bolted to the transfer case and all put together. So how I was trying to do the timing last time I just put it on a jack and plugged it in to the receptacle and ran it, I also ran it with the transfer case split apart to actually see rod and gear movement
geurillawarfare
New member
This sounds like an excellent guinea pig. Give me a couple weeks. I want to try to make this work.
So, I figured out the timing of the actuators on my 05 v8 case. It was really not that hard. I sunk my truck and the actuator filled with water, so I had to take it apart. I thought that is was going to explode with 30 small gears flying around, but no, there are only 4 gears for the center diff lock and a small blue timing gear which goes the opposite direction of the shaft. My 4lo-hi portion was not broken, so I didn't mess with that part. I only repaired the center diff lock portion.
My truck would not engage the center diff lock, and since an ounce of water came out of the actuator I figured that is was rusted. It was mostly rusted but I was able to recondition the motor by removing it, cleaning it and soldering it back on all while the actuator was on the truck. But then I had to make sure that it was in time and all the lights in the dash worked.
Here are the steps:
Be sure that your truck has the center diff unlocked.
Remove the inspection plate that has the blue indicator to tell you where the shaft should be.
Mark this position with a sharpie, it is the "diff unlocked position" If you are off by more than 10 degrees it wont work, you have to be right on with your mark.
remove actuator plastic bottom plate.
(gears may fall out)
Under the lowest gear which drives the shaft (the one with the spring), you will find the VSC pressure switch. There is an eccentric wheel on the gear which drives the shaft that is supposed to push down on this switch when the shaft is all the way out of the case (CDL engaged) and release this switch when the shaft is all the way in the case (CDL disengaged).
Simply place the lower gear which drives the shaft into the case in such a manner that when you spin the gear by hand to get the shaft to come out of the case, the eccentric wheel on the bottom of the gear engages the VSC switch during the last 20 degrees of rotation and disengages the switch when the gear is rotated the other direction and the shaft is FULLY pushed into the case.
You have now timed the VSC portion.
Now, spin the last gear by hand to get the shaft to be fully inside the case and verify that the VSC switch is not engaged. Next, find your external case with the mark you made on the indicator before you disassembled the unit and be sure that the wheel is rotated to exactly where you made the mark on the outside of the case. Install this onto the box and be SURE that the blue indicator did not move from your mark when the case is fully pressed together.
If the indicator is in the same spot, you have now timed the Center Diff portion.
Everything should work fine and you just saved $2700.
My truck would not engage the center diff lock, and since an ounce of water came out of the actuator I figured that is was rusted. It was mostly rusted but I was able to recondition the motor by removing it, cleaning it and soldering it back on all while the actuator was on the truck. But then I had to make sure that it was in time and all the lights in the dash worked.
Here are the steps:
Be sure that your truck has the center diff unlocked.
Remove the inspection plate that has the blue indicator to tell you where the shaft should be.
Mark this position with a sharpie, it is the "diff unlocked position" If you are off by more than 10 degrees it wont work, you have to be right on with your mark.
remove actuator plastic bottom plate.
(gears may fall out)
Under the lowest gear which drives the shaft (the one with the spring), you will find the VSC pressure switch. There is an eccentric wheel on the gear which drives the shaft that is supposed to push down on this switch when the shaft is all the way out of the case (CDL engaged) and release this switch when the shaft is all the way in the case (CDL disengaged).
Simply place the lower gear which drives the shaft into the case in such a manner that when you spin the gear by hand to get the shaft to come out of the case, the eccentric wheel on the bottom of the gear engages the VSC switch during the last 20 degrees of rotation and disengages the switch when the gear is rotated the other direction and the shaft is FULLY pushed into the case.
You have now timed the VSC portion.
Now, spin the last gear by hand to get the shaft to be fully inside the case and verify that the VSC switch is not engaged. Next, find your external case with the mark you made on the indicator before you disassembled the unit and be sure that the wheel is rotated to exactly where you made the mark on the outside of the case. Install this onto the box and be SURE that the blue indicator did not move from your mark when the case is fully pressed together.
If the indicator is in the same spot, you have now timed the Center Diff portion.
Everything should work fine and you just saved $2700.
I DO want that transfer case! I am working on a lever bypass unit that would be good for rock crawling rigs, but still have all the functions of the VSC and atrac.
Does this look like a transfer case leak?
Hey guys what do you think is going on here?
Is this the leak you guys are talking about? I just bought this 2003 4runner about four months ago and actually saw this leak when I bought it but I only paid $4500 for it. It's got 180k miles.
I got to get this fixed.
Hey guys what do you think is going on here?
Is this the leak you guys are talking about? I just bought this 2003 4runner about four months ago and actually saw this leak when I bought it but I only paid $4500 for it. It's got 180k miles.
I got to get this fixed.
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Navy 4Runner
New member
transfer case leak fix
I also had a drip from the transfer case where it meets the actuator box. A reputable transmission shop estimated it would cost $2500 to remove the transfer case in order to replace the ($5) seal.
Instead, I added a few ounces of Blue Devil Oil Stop Leak when I topped off the transfer case gear oil. It worked great. I haven't had a single drop leak out since.
2004/120k miles
I also had a drip from the transfer case where it meets the actuator box. A reputable transmission shop estimated it would cost $2500 to remove the transfer case in order to replace the ($5) seal.
Instead, I added a few ounces of Blue Devil Oil Stop Leak when I topped off the transfer case gear oil. It worked great. I haven't had a single drop leak out since.
2004/120k miles
Drunner97
New member
Is this doable on the vehicle or do you need to pull the transfer case? I'm wondering if I threw my timing off and that's why I can't get the center diff disengaged. Well, I actually got it to disengage once as evidenced by a loud bang and better steering, but the VSC light stayed on and the center diff light just keeps blinking.
I did it while the case was still on the truck.
Hello, newbie posting.
I have a 04 V8 that was leaking fluid from what turns out to be the transfer case motor seal. They are replacing the seals and now are telling me I need to replace the actuator because fluid went past the seal and soaked the actuator motor. They said it went past the rod seals on the actuator box assembly and has wrecked the actuator (second picture). They also say the rods are loose or have play. I’m headed over theee today to have a look but I’m wondering what you guys would do? Is there a way to test the actuator? I don’t remember having any shifting problems from LO to HI. Is the actuator box sealed or is it possible for fluid to be inside and cause problems? Is it possible for there to be play in the actuator rods?
If it turns out you guys think I need to replace it, what sites are you getting it from? Toyota here in Denver wants $994 for the new part but Im wondering if you all would recommend a different manufacturer?
Thanks!
I have a 04 V8 that was leaking fluid from what turns out to be the transfer case motor seal. They are replacing the seals and now are telling me I need to replace the actuator because fluid went past the seal and soaked the actuator motor. They said it went past the rod seals on the actuator box assembly and has wrecked the actuator (second picture). They also say the rods are loose or have play. I’m headed over theee today to have a look but I’m wondering what you guys would do? Is there a way to test the actuator? I don’t remember having any shifting problems from LO to HI. Is the actuator box sealed or is it possible for fluid to be inside and cause problems? Is it possible for there to be play in the actuator rods?
If it turns out you guys think I need to replace it, what sites are you getting it from? Toyota here in Denver wants $994 for the new part but Im wondering if you all would recommend a different manufacturer?
Thanks!
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Last edited:
techoguy
New member
Hey Mach, what did you end up doing?
I'm about to fix the seal myself soon and I'm curious how they knew oil was getting into the actuator from those pictures? the oil I see on the TC I would expect to see (Am I wrong, should there not be oil there?) so how do they know oil got past the shaft seals on the actuator itself without opening the actuator? I'm hoping to find this out so when I take mine off to fix the seal I can make sure my actuator is still good.
Anyone else know about this?
Thanks!
2004 4Runner Transfer Case Actuator reassembly/timing
Both actuator motors were frozen because I did not engage any four wheel functionality for some time. I took the actuator apart, pulled it off the shift shaft and freed up the motors.
After having read several threads, I would really appreciate if you could be so kind to make your pics available again for me. Any hints on how to proceed with the timing adjustment of the top set (4lo) would be also highly appreciated. I try to avoid the removal and opening of the transfer Case.
Both actuator motors were frozen because I did not engage any four wheel functionality for some time. I took the actuator apart, pulled it off the shift shaft and freed up the motors.
After having read several threads, I would really appreciate if you could be so kind to make your pics available again for me. Any hints on how to proceed with the timing adjustment of the top set (4lo) would be also highly appreciated. I try to avoid the removal and opening of the transfer Case.
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