BoxxerTech

I've got the "dragging metal" sound coming from the left front driver's side. It happens under light accel, especially up hills, only over 30 mph.

This happened immediately after I replaced the lower driver's and passenger's ball joints.

I narrowed it down to the IWE Solenoid, by plugging the two vacuum lines and unplugging the solenoid, making the noise stop. I got a new Solenoid, but when I hooked it up it's still making the noise. SO, I can assume I've got a vacuum problem, but why would the noise stop when I plugged manually, but start again with a new Solenoid?

Gimme what ya got.

Thanks.

BoxxerTech

My thinking is that there's a check valve in the driver's side not working properly. Is the check valve vacuum actuated or is it electric too?

ATOM

you probably have a bad actuator on that side, the rubber seals crack over time. only way to find out exactly what is bad is to vacuum test it.

BoxxerTech

Why would it only fail when plugged into the solenoid?

ATOM

what do you mean? the fault for the 4x4 is to engage the hubs, so it won't leave you stranded. however is you have the solenoid in and it does it, you have a vacuum leak letting the IWE move in and out trying to lock itself in

BoxxerTech

Sorry I was smokin crack for a second. Nevermind.

I was asking why the actuators wouldn't fail regardless if the vacuum was being blocked manually or with the solenoid. I didn't put 2 and 2 together that the halfshafts will turn if you disable the IWE system. I'm bright sometimes

I so hate working on my own vehicles. I'll whip out the vacuum gauge sometime this weekend and test the actuator(s)....

ATOM

yea they are easy to fix they, i just did one on the father in law's truck and it took me less to time to swap in the new part than it took him to jack up the truck and remove the tire and put it back on, lol

BoxxerTech

Well there's that I guess hehe...