Truck stuck in four wheel drive low

LOUDCOLT

MEMBER
1987 MAZDA B2600
2.6L
4 CYL
4WD
MANUAL
175,000 MILES

I have the truck listed above, SE-5 model, that is stuck in four wheel drive low, but not completely. I just changed out the clutch, and when I put everything back together, the four wheel drive light was on. Only the rear tires spun, so it did not completely act like four wheel drive, but when I took it for a test drive I had to cycle through gears like there is no tomorrow, hitting fifth gear around twenty five mph (that is why I think it is in four wheel drive low). It is good on oil in the transfer case, but the shifter to take it in/out of four wheel drive low will not budge.
Any thoughts?
Thanks.

1 Reply

STEVE W.

MECHANIC
13,465 POSTS

It sounds like the transfer case shifter got bumped during the work and knocked it out of neutral. To repair it you need to remove the top cover of the transfer case and move the shift rods back to neutral and then put the cover back on with the lever in neutral. On many you can do this from inside the vehicle. The transfer case shift boot gets removed and under it will be another cover that comes off and then you can get to the shift cover itself. On others you have to drop the transfer case. The service information only has this picture which does not show the shifter but the cover is item 1.

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