Trying to figure out IWE problem
03-14-2014, 08:08 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: TX
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Trying to figure out IWE problem
So, inherited a 2008 F150 SCab XLT 4x4 5.4 about town months ago from my dad. Drove it back in iffy conditions from IN without incident. Noticed at one point that I couldn't get it to shift into 4x4HI during one bad place. Researched issue and figured it just needed the IWE solenoid replace. Typical 4x4HI flash and then no 4x4 engagement. No noises coming from drive train at all.
Fast forward to today - replaced IWE solenoid with new Motorcraft part. No issues while replacing. Once finished jump in and check 4x4HI. Sure enough, 4x4HI works.
So, go to leave later and the issue starts. Leave the house and get up to around 30-35. Rattle/grinding noise starts. After more research and trial/error, putting it in 4x4Hi still works and noise stops. Back to 2x and noise starts again.
Decided to put old IWE solenoid back in to see what happens. Put old part back in and everything goes back to starting point - 4x4HI won't engage and no noises at all.
So, thought that the IWE system need vacuum in order to stay in 2wd. Not sure why the old part works/stays in 2wd and the new IWE solenoid causes problems. Old one won't engage 4x4, new one will be causes problems.
Now I'm confused. Thanks for any help.
Fast forward to today - replaced IWE solenoid with new Motorcraft part. No issues while replacing. Once finished jump in and check 4x4HI. Sure enough, 4x4HI works.
So, go to leave later and the issue starts. Leave the house and get up to around 30-35. Rattle/grinding noise starts. After more research and trial/error, putting it in 4x4Hi still works and noise stops. Back to 2x and noise starts again.
Decided to put old IWE solenoid back in to see what happens. Put old part back in and everything goes back to starting point - 4x4HI won't engage and no noises at all.
So, thought that the IWE system need vacuum in order to stay in 2wd. Not sure why the old part works/stays in 2wd and the new IWE solenoid causes problems. Old one won't engage 4x4, new one will be causes problems.
Now I'm confused. Thanks for any help.
03-14-2014, 08:52 PM
#2
Junior Member
Your timing is good on this one. I just diagnosed and fixed my IWE system 2 hours ago. My problem was exactly what your experiencing with your NEW soleniod installed. So I would keep the new one on and then diagnose.
In 2 wheel drive when I would accelerate i would hear the rattle. When switched 4 wheel mode it would engage and no rattle. I bought a harbor freight vacuum gauge. The $34 dollar grey colored one, not the cheaper one. The kind you can squeeze to create a vacuum. I found an excellent step by step write up on here:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/art...then-some.html
Follow the diagnostic steps in the second post (in above link) and I guarantee you will find the problem. My problem ended up being the tubing between the solenoid and the wheel actuators. The tubing on the passenger side by the engine had a crack and when I pulled on it slightly it just broke in half. On the passenger side this tubing was about 4 inches from the exhaust manifold and it got hot and brittle over time. I ended crumbling off a 3 inch section of the vacuum tubing until I got to good pliable plastic. the vacuum tube is encased in plastic protector wire loom stuff but it just crumbled too. I discovered this by test #2 in the link above by testing vacuum pressure in line between solenoid and wheels. It would not keep the vacuum I would apply.
Simple fix: went to napa, bought 1 foot section of small rubber vacuum line that had an inside diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the factory hard plastic vacuum tubing. I just spliced in a 3 inch section by simply sliding the factory line into the ends of the 3 inch rubber vacuum line I bought.
Walla...no more rattle. total cost 30 cents. Well I wont count the tool, thats mine!!
PS: I live in Texas too, so the heat may have gotten your vacuum line too.
In 2 wheel drive when I would accelerate i would hear the rattle. When switched 4 wheel mode it would engage and no rattle. I bought a harbor freight vacuum gauge. The $34 dollar grey colored one, not the cheaper one. The kind you can squeeze to create a vacuum. I found an excellent step by step write up on here:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/art...then-some.html
Follow the diagnostic steps in the second post (in above link) and I guarantee you will find the problem. My problem ended up being the tubing between the solenoid and the wheel actuators. The tubing on the passenger side by the engine had a crack and when I pulled on it slightly it just broke in half. On the passenger side this tubing was about 4 inches from the exhaust manifold and it got hot and brittle over time. I ended crumbling off a 3 inch section of the vacuum tubing until I got to good pliable plastic. the vacuum tube is encased in plastic protector wire loom stuff but it just crumbled too. I discovered this by test #2 in the link above by testing vacuum pressure in line between solenoid and wheels. It would not keep the vacuum I would apply.
Simple fix: went to napa, bought 1 foot section of small rubber vacuum line that had an inside diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the factory hard plastic vacuum tubing. I just spliced in a 3 inch section by simply sliding the factory line into the ends of the 3 inch rubber vacuum line I bought.
Walla...no more rattle. total cost 30 cents. Well I wont count the tool, thats mine!!
PS: I live in Texas too, so the heat may have gotten your vacuum line too.
Last edited by clifton63; 03-14-2014 at 09:05 PM.
03-14-2014, 11:39 PM
#4
Senior Member
Your timing is good on this one. I just diagnosed and fixed my IWE system 2 hours ago. My problem was exactly what your experiencing with your NEW soleniod installed. So I would keep the new one on and then diagnose.
In 2 wheel drive when I would accelerate i would hear the rattle. When switched 4 wheel mode it would engage and no rattle. I bought a harbor freight vacuum gauge. The $34 dollar grey colored one, not the cheaper one. The kind you can squeeze to create a vacuum. I found an excellent step by step write up on here:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/art...then-some.html
Follow the diagnostic steps in the second post (in above link) and I guarantee you will find the problem. My problem ended up being the tubing between the solenoid and the wheel actuators. The tubing on the passenger side by the engine had a crack and when I pulled on it slightly it just broke in half. On the passenger side this tubing was about 4 inches from the exhaust manifold and it got hot and brittle over time. I ended crumbling off a 3 inch section of the vacuum tubing until I got to good pliable plastic. the vacuum tube is encased in plastic protector wire loom stuff but it just crumbled too. I discovered this by test #2 in the link above by testing vacuum pressure in line between solenoid and wheels. It would not keep the vacuum I would apply.
Simple fix: went to napa, bought 1 foot section of small rubber vacuum line that had an inside diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the factory hard plastic vacuum tubing. I just spliced in a 3 inch section by simply sliding the factory line into the ends of the 3 inch rubber vacuum line I bought.
Walla...no more rattle. total cost 30 cents. Well I wont count the tool, thats mine!!
PS: I live in Texas too, so the heat may have gotten your vacuum line too.
In 2 wheel drive when I would accelerate i would hear the rattle. When switched 4 wheel mode it would engage and no rattle. I bought a harbor freight vacuum gauge. The $34 dollar grey colored one, not the cheaper one. The kind you can squeeze to create a vacuum. I found an excellent step by step write up on here:
http://www.f150online.com/forums/art...then-some.html
Follow the diagnostic steps in the second post (in above link) and I guarantee you will find the problem. My problem ended up being the tubing between the solenoid and the wheel actuators. The tubing on the passenger side by the engine had a crack and when I pulled on it slightly it just broke in half. On the passenger side this tubing was about 4 inches from the exhaust manifold and it got hot and brittle over time. I ended crumbling off a 3 inch section of the vacuum tubing until I got to good pliable plastic. the vacuum tube is encased in plastic protector wire loom stuff but it just crumbled too. I discovered this by test #2 in the link above by testing vacuum pressure in line between solenoid and wheels. It would not keep the vacuum I would apply.
Simple fix: went to napa, bought 1 foot section of small rubber vacuum line that had an inside diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the factory hard plastic vacuum tubing. I just spliced in a 3 inch section by simply sliding the factory line into the ends of the 3 inch rubber vacuum line I bought.
Walla...no more rattle. total cost 30 cents. Well I wont count the tool, thats mine!!
PS: I live in Texas too, so the heat may have gotten your vacuum line too.
03-15-2014, 02:12 AM
#5
Senior Member
Yep, it sounds like you had/have two issues: Solenoid, and an IWE. My solenoid failed and the dash still claimed I was in 4HI.... Replaced solenoid, that part was fixed... then I had the stupid grinding, that was the IWE. Like the others mentioned though, it could be the vacuum hoses too which are easier to replace, so hopefully it's that. There's SOOOO much documentation on this though and VTX + Clifton provided links that'll help. It's not complicated, it's just different if it's new 
.
.
03-16-2014, 05:16 PM
#6
Senior Member
The solenoids are known to fail. When mine failed it was stuck in the 4X4 off position. So it would not release the vacuum to engage the hubs. It had to do with water getting in the solenoid hence the cover on the new one