Hi folks, It's been years sine I posted on this forum. My E12 was passed on to a friend who is taking car of its restoration. Would anybody know where to find what we decided to call 'AWD Solenoid' ? This part is located underneath the vehicle, close to the prop-shaft and is responsible for the engagement of the 4x4 mode and back to 2x4 via the red switch located on the gear lever. It's vacuum operated. I asked a couple of retailers .... nothing. Not even a part number. For some reason, they don't recognize the German VIN (if you happen to have a Japansese Domingo made between 1993 and 1998, could I use your vin as reference?) I looked into http://opposedforces.com ... in vain ! To widen our chances, would this part be the same found on the Sambar ? I'd greatly appreciated your help. Cheers Franck
That is a vacuum switching valve. Try searching eBay or Amazon for “vacuum switching valve (awd, 4wd)”
Welcome back Franck, I agree with Jigs. Sure looks like a part that could possibly be found on another foreign vehicle, like a Toyota, and or possibly a Sambar, like you mention! Limestone
You don’t have to find the original valve. You have to figure out how yours was ported, and get something which will work. On porting there are two options in the first you have a suction port, a control port, and a vent. With the current to the valve it connects the suction port to the controlled port, and will pull on whatever it is hooked to. When you deenergize, it closes the connection and opens the vent to the controlled port. Binary devices, either on or off depending on whether you have electricity or not. In my experience you typically find two of these controlling differential locks, etc. One pulls on one side of the vacuum actuator to engage the lock, and the other pulls on the other side to disengage the actuator. The other type also has three connections. But, it has two controlled ports. Energizing and de-energizing changes which port the vacuum from the input port is ported to. Kind of an A/B switching setup. Looking at the pictures of yours it appears to be an A/B type. But you can accomplish the same thing with a pair of binary style.
I have the solenoid valve for a 1991 4WD Sambar, similar I think. I will look through my stuff tonight and check.
Thank you very much for such detailed answer ! Much appreciated. I now understand a bit more what I am actually looking for as well as giving me an alternative should the original part be nowhere to be found.
