Odd 4wd actuator behavior

So, i have been going through issues on my new 07 double cab. I successfully put the truck in 4 hi. That was encouraging, as the po said he had been inside the actuator based on internet advice. Then i put the truck in neutral and went to 4 lo and was also excited when the 4 lo light came on steady. However, i put it back in drive and nothing. Basically no engagement from engine to driveline. The fact that the light went solid leads me to believe that the actuator spun and successfully reached its target.

again po said he was in there, so was thinking he put it back together wrong, but clearly the actuator seems to be working and struggling to see how it could spin yet not move the shift rod. I plan to pull it apart tomorrow, but wondering if anyone has seen this before.

would appreciate any guidance available.

edit: just thinking about this more. The actuator rod must be moving and doing something with the planetary gears, as when it is in 2 and 4 hi, i get engagement. Then i shift to 4 lo and have no engagement. Now i am thinking that the po messed up the timing. It is pulling too far one way, but doesn’t seem to mess things up. But when the shift rod goes the other way it is only going part way and it gets caught between the two positions and gives me the symptoms. Does this seem logical?

 

Not trying to insult you, but sometimes you need to let the car roll a hair for it to engage or disengage. Especially if your on pavement. Assuming you tried that?

 

I dis not try that. However in those cases, doesnt the light continue to flash because the actuator cant fully rotate? I got a solid green light .

i will try that tomorrow though.

 

Fair point but it might still work. If it does maybe they will tell you a sensor is out of whack or something.

 

Sounds like it's out of timing like you concluded. I haven't been into the newer transfer cases but have taken an early 2000s one apart and remember it being very easy to screw up, to the point we bench tested it multiple times with it halfway together to make sure it was timed correctly.