Neutral is not so neutral.

[wfo9]

If you are really using proper technique and moving it quickly... and it grinds still and just won't go in without shutting off the motor. I would start thinking about your trans fluid. I've never seen one do this and I've been around quite a few. There should be very little friction wanting to spin the output. So little that it should take a second or two to get it moving from a complete stop.

It's mechanically impossible for anything to move while stopped until the t-case passes through N.

What happens if you put the truck in N on flat ground and take your foot off the break. It does not move.. Right?

 

[nglayton]

Okay, I call BS. You can't drive 7 cars at once.

I think it's the Isuzu thats causing the problem! :rofl: :jk:



Mine doesn't grind, sometimes it's a b!tch getting it to go in and out, but no grinding. If it's grinding, it sounds like somethings is still spinning probably that shouldn't be.....

 

[1000MPH]

This isn’t intended to be a dig on the OP’s Transfer Case skills. I just thought it was funny that there’s a vid...
https://youtu.be/P7pXvgnzTIw

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Yep, 1000MPHs video explains it all; it's simple.

 

[MossJenks]

Okay, I call BS. You can't drive 7 cars at once.

I'm an excellent driver. Dad lets me drive slow on the driveway every Saturday. Never on Monday though. Always on Saturday. Not on Monday. Definitely not Monday.

This isn’t intended to be a dig on the OP’s Transfer Case skills. I just thought it was funny that there’s a vid...
https://youtu.be/P7pXvgnzTIw

Actually if you look closely at that video it is showing exactly what everyone on this thread says NOT to do - it shows a pronounced pause in neutral between 4Hi and 4Lo. My normal technique is rather exactly what is shown in that video. If I do it that way I end up stuck in neutral with nasty grinding trying to go either way until I shut the motor down.

Nothing has changed in a standard transfer case in 50 years at least. My '57 Willys worked essentially the same way except it had two levers - one to engage 4wd, the other to switch between high and low range. But my Jeep, Isuzu and every Toyota I've ever owned worked exactly like shown in the video (with perhaps the necessity to lock the hubs depending on the vehicle). It's been a long time but I think the Jeep even had the same pattern as the Toyotas. I'm certain the Isuzu did. None of these had an auto tranny though.edit: no, I guess the Jeep was a bit different pattern wise come to think of it.

I was playing with it some last night and it seems if I shift REALLY fast (like I used to shift gears in a manual transmission when I was 18 and trying to drag race someone) I CAN keep the grinding at least to a minimum and sometimes totally smoothly. That goes against years and years of experience feeling these things into place rather than just jamming them in, but does seem to work. I'll probably continue to shut the motor off but it does make me feel a bit better about it.

I am glad to hear that it's natural for there to be some movement even with the transmission in neutral. That makes me feel a lot better. I'll talk to my mechanic about the transmission fluid. I have a local Toyota specialist that I've known for years and has done some work for me and a lot more for friends and family. I had him do my tranny fluid about 15k miles ago. I would normally do all of the work myself but as I've said, I'm completely clueless about automatic transmissions. It was fine right after they changed the fluid and it's gotten worse since.

 

[1000MPH]

...Actually if you look closely at that video it is showing exactly what everyone on this thread says NOT to do - it shows a pronounced pause in neutral between 4Hi and 4Lo. ...

Totally agree that it shows poor technique.
I'm curious if you have tried shifting to 4L while the transmission is in Park.

Here's another vid of what's happening in the T/C. It's a little slow but still pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UoBCIjWIoU

 

[MossJenks]

Totally agree that it shows poor technique.
I'm curious if you have tried shifting to 4L while the transmission is in Park.

No that's never worked. I've never quite understood why.

The technique in that video is exactly how you'd do it with a manual transmission except I like to use the clutch instead of neutral so that if it balks I can just ease up on the clutch slightly and feel the lever into the engagement position.

 

[KP Texan]

I had him do my tranny fluid about 15k miles ago. I would normally do all of the work myself but as I've said, I'm completely clueless about automatic transmissions. It was fine right after they changed the fluid and it's gotten worse since.

I'm wondering if this could be linked to it even though you said it was fine after they changed it. In neutral, the input shaft to the transmission and a few other components are probably still spinning, so maybe there's more viscous drag than usual due to the fluid that was used. Did you confirm the type?

Also, I saw where someone asked and didn't see the answer, but if you're on a perfectly level surface and in neutral without the brakes pressed, does your 4Runner try to move at all?

 

[MossJenks]

I'm wondering if this could be linked to it even though you said it was fine after they changed it. In neutral, the input shaft to the transmission and a few other components are probably still spinning, so maybe there's more viscous drag than usual due to the fluid that was used. Did you confirm the type?

Also, I saw where someone asked and didn't see the answer, but if you're on a perfectly level surface and in neutral without the brakes pressed, does your 4Runner try to move at all?

I'll have to check with my receipt when I get home. It should say. They work on a lot of 4Runners so I think they got it right but who knows.

No, other than shifting the T-Case neutral seems to be pretty neutral. It doesn't try to creep along.

 

[KP Texan]

I'll have to check with my receipt when I get home. It should say. They work on a lot of 4Runners so I think they got it right but who knows.

No, other than shifting the T-Case neutral seems to be pretty neutral. It doesn't try to creep along.

Yeah it's a shot in the dark, but just wondering. Did he change the T-case oil as well? It seems like that may help too if using the correct fluid. It looked like it worked for this guy's FJ Cruiser, although his noise didn't seem as bad as yours initially: 4L grind

Whatever is happening, it definitely doesn't sound normal. I just hope you get it worked out!