Another IWE thread - plz help

[apollo90]

Hello everyone. About a year ago, I had both hubs, IWEs, lines, check valve, and solenoid replaced.

Im on a trip down here in Baja - I’m getting intermittent partial engagement under moderate load. Doesn’t seem to be rhyme or reason when it happens. Brought a spare check valve and solenoid with me, still getting the partial engagement issue. I actually also brought a Dorman IWE delete with me too, but wondering if there are any other quick fixes that come to mind.

Thank you

 

[TAC71]

Is this happening when your trying for 2 WD or 4WD?

 

[apollo90]

Is this happening when your trying for 2 WD or 4WD?

It’s only happening when I’m in 2WD. 4WD engages fine. My “fix” for when this partial engagement happens is briefly engage 4WD then go back to 2WD. Then the grinding stops.

It’s like I’m losing vacuum momentarily.

Only happening on drivers side

 

[TAC71]

Yes you have a vacuum leak.
You can pull and plug the vacuum line at the solenoid and that will engage the IWEs all the time. Same thing as IWE delete. Your 2WD and 4WD will work fine.
You can also try just unplug solenoid not sure if it will set a code.

 

[pat247]

It could be the IWE is sticking, maybe a little grease is needed.

 

[rschap1]

What TAC71 said...
I drove around for a few weeks with solenoid unplugged until I got my new IWEs installed.

 

[apollo90]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to follow up here:

I have been getting intermittent driver-side IWE engagement while in 2WD. It typically only occurs after I’ve been driving for a while.

When I was on this last trip, I replaced the check valve and the solenoid. I thought that fixed it, but no. I disconnected the solenoid and continued on my trip. I didn’t really mind how the truck felt with the iwes engaged, and had planned to install eliminators anyway, so haven’t been in a huge rush to fix the IWE issue.

Recently I noticed my alignment felt off — wheel pulls pulling hard to the left. Alignment didn’t really fix the pulling issue. After three tries, the alignment shop gave up — all the specs are in the green but truck still pulls to the left pretty hard. The shop also found that my drivers side cv boot was torn… which changed my mind about eliminating the IWEs.

So yesterday I installed a new check valve and the vacuum lines. Still getting intermittent engagement.

The alignment issue is weird to me too. I am wondering if all of these things are related, including the fact my MPGs have gone down ~1mpg in the last 3 months or so.
Very seldom, when in 4WD in an uphill, higher articulation situations, I will get a snapping/binding sound that comes from the driver’s side axle/hub. This seems to be a common-ish problem, and figured maybe I was not in sufficiently low-grip terrain.

So my next steps are replace the driver side CV joint. I am thinking I will also replace the IWEs, but both IWEs were replaced by dealer less than a year ago after I was plagued with the same problems.

Curious though, anyone think all of these issues related? Even if my IWE is bad, it should last more than 7-8 month — wondering if there is potentially an underlying issue here. Any thoughts?

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

how did you check vacuum pressure?

 

[apollo90]

how did you check vacuum pressure?

i have not checked vacuum pressure - figured up until this point everything has been both cheap and very easy.

 

[bwep]

I had similar problem. Checking with vacuum pump/ gauge discover the line connecting to the IWE was not sealing well. Cut 1/2 inch off, reconnected, problem solved.