4wd on pavement, now what...

[anthonyp]

MPG?

Left the baby in 4wd on pavement for about 4 miles. I was running about 45mph for the trip. Pretty much straight road...curves, but no turns.
When I noticed I dropped it back into 2 HIGH. Got her into the garage a few minutes later. I smelled what seemed to me something "sickly sweet." Kind of like the smell an electric motor makes when it's burning out. I've given it a week. The smell has not returned. But I also have not returned to 4wd. I see no leaks. No funny noises.

SO...what did I do....just boil some fluids, shave some steel bits off the teeth in the gears...??? Maybe just some melting rubber on the tires?

I'm guessing I should change some fluid out pretty soon. What's the most likely damaged component? I have open differentials, so I'm thinking the transfer case?

Change all the fluids...front, rear, transfer, transmission...just in case?

 

[wm69]

RE: transmission

Left the baby in 4wd on pavement for about 4 miles. I was running about 45mph for the trip. Pretty much straight road...curves, but no turns.
When I noticed I dropped it back into 2 HIGH. Got her into the garage a few minutes later. I smelled what seemed to me something "sickly sweet." Kind of like the smell an electric motor makes when it's burning out. I've given it a week. The smell has not returned. But I also have not returned to 4wd. I see no leaks. No funny noises.

SO...what did I do....just boil some fluids, shave some steel bits off the teeth in the gears...??? Maybe just some melting rubber on the tires?

I'm guessing I should change some fluid out pretty soon. What's the most likely damaged component? I have open differentials, so I'm thinking the transfer case?

Change all the fluids...front, rear, transfer, transmission...just in case?

My guess is you didn't hurt anything. It's not GOOD for the jeep but if you weren't doing a lot of figure 8's I wouldn't worry about it. My jeeps (and every one I've ever been in) always have a funny smell to them when in 4wd (but I always thought it was from mud baking on the underside). If it's running ok I wouldn't worry about it. Your fluid shouldn't have to be replaced after 4 miles on the highway. If you had lockers and different gears in your front and rear ends you would have done damage, but my totally uneducated guess is you didn't hurt anything, especially if it works ok and isn't making any noises.

 

[88Wrangles]

ya, it should be fine. You probably would have heard it if something broke....like gear teeth, t-case teeth/chain, axles, etc.

I'm also thinking everythings fine considering you didn't realize it was in 4wd. Usually if stuff's binding up pretty bad and about to break, it's pretty obvious and you'll know somthing's wrong.

 

[Robrt-Stephens]

RE: Hardtop weight?

You have 'broke' nothing.

That smell is the smell of 90 weight oil when it is heated beyond application due to 'gear windup' while driving in 4 WD on pavement.

Change nothing, hurt nothing. If you were to drive 45 miles like that, the Jeep will come to a stop, since it cannot go anymore due to 'gear windup'. Pull over on dirt, where there is give, and the Jeep will jerk like a spasm..........and it is all better.

Go further than that, the front U joints will fail with an explosion.

No problem in your case.

Robert

 

[Roundlights]

You have 'broke' nothing.

That smell is the smell of 90 weight oil when it is heated beyond application due to 'gear windup' while driving in 4 WD on pavement.

Change nothing, hurt nothing. If you were to drive 45 miles like that, the Jeep will come to a stop, since it cannot go anymore due to 'gear windup'. Pull over on dirt, where there is give, and the Jeep will jerk like a spasm..........and it is all better.

Go further than that, the front U joints will fail with an explosion.

No problem in your case.

Robert

Thats a good tid-bit to know, thanks Robert. (hope I never need to apply the technique, but good to know none the less!)

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Used to have the "gear wind-up" problem a lot with my Toyota. In the winter with patches of ice and snow on the highway, I'd get lazy and leave it in 4wd. Each time I'd hit an icy spot after a long stretch of dry pavement, the front end would twitch off to one side.....made for some exciting driving at times!!