Principles of Operation

Special Tools:

Transfer Case-Electronic Shift
The four-wheel drive electronic shift on the fly feature electrically shifts the vehicle transfer case between 2WD, 4x4 HIGH, and 4x4 LOW. The system mode is selected by the operator through Mode Select Switch (MSS) on the instrument panel. The operator is informed which mode the system is in by two instrument cluster indicators, one for 4x4 HIGH which is 4X4, and one for 4x4 LOW which is LOW RANGE (in 4x4 LOW both the lamps are on). Shifts into 4x4 HIGH can be made at any speed. When shifting into 4x4 HIGH with the vehicle stationary, tooth blockage may occur preventing shift completion. When the vehicle is driven above 8 km/h (5 mph) the shift will complete. When shifting into or out of 4x4 LOW, the Generic Electronic Module (GEM) requires that the vehicle speed be less than 5.8 km/h (3.8 mph), the brake pedal be applied, and the transmission in NEUTRAL (automatic transmission) or the clutch pedal be depressed (manual transmission). (The digital transmission range sensor informs the GEM when the transmission is in the NEUTRAL range position.)
The shift motor encoder assembly is mounted externally on the transfer case. It drives a rotary cam which moves the mode fork and the range fork within the transfer case between the 4x4 HIGH, 4x4 LOW, and 2WD range positions.
The GEM uses two relays to control the shift motor encoder assembly shift between 4x4 HIGH, 4x4 LOW, and 2WD modes. The GEM controls the Pulse Vacuum Hublock (PVH) solenoid which supplies engagement and disengagement vacuum to control the hublocks.
The GEM accomplishes shifts by interpreting inputs from:
^ Mode Select Switch (MSS)
^ vehicle speed signal (transmitted from the ABS system)
^ encoder plate position
^ brake pedal switch
^ digital Transmission Range (TR) sensor (automatic transmission)
^ Clutch Pedal Position (CPP) switch (manual transmission)
^ ignition switch
Based on these inputs, the GEM controls the shifts into 2WD, 4x4 HIGH, or 4x4 LOW with the following outputs:
^ low to high relay (clockwise)
^ high to low relay (counterclockwise)
^ Pulse Vacuum Hublock (PVH) solenoid
^ shift motor encoder assembly
The Electronic Shift On The Fly (ESOF) system has a feature which allows the driver to override the vacuum operated hublocks. When the front hublocks are manually turned to the LOCK position, the hublocks are locked at all times, overriding the vacuum operated system. If the front hublocks are manually turned to the AUTO position, the hublocks can only be locked by turning the MSS to 4x4 HIGH or 4x4 LOW position.