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[SOLVED] 4wd issues. Not the solenoids. Actuator?

Discussion in 'Mitsubishi Minicab' started by MattKernee, Sep 25, 2022.

  1. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

    Hey guys.
    Did some searching but couldn’t find an answer on this.
    Have a 95 U42T. It’s having some issues with the 4WD.
    I can only engage the 4WD manually by first pressing the “4wd” button in the cab and then getting under the truck and moving the linkage by hand. I can then disengage back to 2wd by simply pressing the button in the cab again (this works as it should).

    At first I thought it was for sure one of the solenoids. So I cleaned them with wd40 as recommended in threads here on MTT…No luck . Then I removed each line off the little vacuum actuator/canister that moves the 2wd/4WD linkage and toggled 2wd/4WD on and off in the cab, feeling each line for suction. Both lines have vacuum, and the vacuum was switched between lines when I pressed the in-cab switch. So…the solenoids are working . I even used each solenoid to disengage from 4WD to 2wd and that works fine . Both have enough vacuum to disengage it…. But both working solenoids will not engage the 4WD when plugged into that port of the actuator .

    I’ve checked for cracked lines and found none..

    im assuming I have a bad actuator ? Could it be something else? Stiff linkage ?
    Trying to weed out pitfalls before I order a new actuator (that I can’t even find, anyone got one ?) is there a generic/universal vacuum actuator I could use ?
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2022
  2. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

    8B6DDD44-2029-464B-831A-1A5AAB5B0DDD.jpeg Nevermind, think I found the problem lol. The vacuum actuator/canister is rusted out, only on the side that engages the 4WD. The other sealed area of the actuator is fine and holds vacuum, which is why it will still disengage from 4WD to 2wd with the button.
    Will attempt to repair the hole in the vacuum actuator with metal mesh and bondo? Maybe I’ll seal it with a layer of epoxy too. Will report back with repair progress.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2022
  3. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

    F1C2D76C-4EA5-4DE4-B5F2-E51ECF118433.jpeg 54E57903-182D-4575-846F-7E253CE8B012.jpeg Wire wheeled the corroded area with drill brush. Put some metal mesh and Bondo on the hole… seems it is enough to hold the vacuum ! However the action of the actuator seems a little disturbed after the repair. Maybe some bondo inside is fouling it up a little. Still goes in and out but not as straight as before. Will install tomorrow and see if it shifts
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2022
  4. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

    It’s fixed! I guess I am just here in this thread by myself hahah :( Might as well finish it out.
    After the Bondo set up I primed, painted, and clear coated the part to stop any further corrosion. I was a little worried since I cut one of the bolt brackets off to access the hole for repair… but it holds on fine with the one bolt and shifts flawlessly. I suspect the bondo will last a long time , maybe not a permanent fix… but a decent one for sure .
    Happy to have it working !

    https://imgur.com/a/24sie65
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2022
  5. Arty

    Arty Active Member

    Good one Matt.
     
  6. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

    Thank you, Arty.
    Glad someone is here =)
    How’s Saskatoon? Used to live in Alaska… didn’t see many mini trucks up there. Miss it.
     
  7. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

    5D71F6BB-7F96-4C93-AD2B-2A8860C5018C.jpeg Here’s my U42T by the way. Greeting from a new member
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2022
  8. MattKernee

    MattKernee New Member

  9. Arty

    Arty Active Member

    Looking good Matt.
    Saskatoon is great by the way, but it's getting a bit too big for my liking. - - A sign of old fogyism I guess.
     

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