2nd Opinion - Transfer Case or Front Diff?

[brehtt]

I'm a little over my head on this one - hopefully someone can help. My '99 Limited just started making some awful grinding noises when I try to shift with the AWD engaged. It's fine if I lock the center diff.

I had a guy look at it and he said it's the t-case (about $1500 to repair - $1200 of which was a used part). When I found a used part for about $300, he had me check one more thing...

He had me engage the AWD (no CDL), put it in drive, and check to see if the front drive shaft was spinning. It was. He said it's probably not the t-case (though that still could be damaged) but instead the "front disc or the locking slider" in the front diff. Parts will be cheaper but will require more labor, so the total cost will be about the same (assuming the t-case isn't damaged).

Obviously I'm not the expert, any second opinions floating out there?

 

[LINY4Runner]

When you hit the 4wd button, does the indicator on the dash continue to blink? I'm having this same issue, been too cold to get under there and putz around with it...here's my thread...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/78676-tried-engage-awd-snow-indicator-still-blinking.html

 

[brehtt]

It blinks for a second, but it eventually engages. If I put it in P or N it switches over fine - it's just when I take it from there to drive that I hear the noise and have no power.

 

[LINY4Runner]

So the light comes to be solid? And yet the front ADD isn't locking?

That's odd...usually it'll continue to blink until the front diff locks...

what you're going to have to do is raise all 4 wheels off the ground and see which wheels are actually turning