# 94 Chevy K1500 4wd wont engage



## steveninspokane

Help... 

i recently replaced the pasenger side front axle on my 94 Chevy K1500, and now the 4wd wont engage... when replaceing it in the housing, there was a washer i wasnt sure if it was in the right place, but now after all that and putting it back together, the 4wd wont engage, the light wont come one, and you cant feel any difference when trying to put it in to 4hi or 4 lo... i checked the 4x4 fuse, and its not blown, none of the other fuses seemd to be blown, so im not sure what to do, id liked to get this fixed soon, and without having to take it to the shop... any help would be great, millige is about 260,000.


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## Plowfast9957

As far as i know just replacing the axle shouldnt effect if it goes in 4x4. If it will not even go into low range sounds like a transfer case problem to me.


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## Chevman

It's your actuator, it screws in the front rear and has a two prong plug, unscrew it and screw the new one in, I seen these on the JCW.com site for 69.00 bucks, I went through this last year and that's all it was, now during the summer I will ingage it once a month to keep the gear oil moving and coating the gears and the actuator moving, they will freeze up if not used for a period of time.


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## steveninspokane

is there a way to test the old actuator to see if its gone bad?


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## schnitz

Is the plug loose or unplugged- clogged with dirt? My buddy has an '88 GMC that the pliug was unplugged. Try cleaning the plug up and trying it again. Anyway, that's my best place to start.


In a while, Chet.


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## Plowfast9957

if the actuator was gone it would still go into low range. he said it doesnt


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## gino

steveninspokane said:


> Help...
> 
> i recently replaced the pasenger side front axle on my 94 Chevy K1500, and now the 4wd wont engage... when replaceing it in the housing, there was a washer i wasnt sure if it was in the right place, but now after all that and putting it back together, the 4wd wont engage, the light wont come one, and you cant feel any difference when trying to put it in to 4hi or 4 lo... i checked the 4x4 fuse, and its not blown, none of the other fuses seemd to be blown, so im not sure what to do, id liked to get this fixed soon, and without having to take it to the shop... any help would be great, millige is about 260,000.


 My money is on it being the actuator. I had a 95 that did the same thing. All of those actuators go on those older trucks.
g


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## DugHD

steveninspokane said:


> Help...
> 
> i recently replaced the pasenger side front axle on my 94 Chevy K1500, and now the 4wd wont engage... when replaceing it in the housing, there was a washer i wasnt sure if it was in the right place, but now after all that and putting it back together, the 4wd wont engage, the light wont come one, and you cant feel any difference when trying to put it in to 4hi or 4 lo... i checked the 4x4 fuse, and its not blown, none of the other fuses seemd to be blown, so im not sure what to do, id liked to get this fixed soon, and without having to take it to the shop... any help would be great, millige is about 260,000.


If the four wheel drive worked when you broke the front axle , then you may have screwed up when putting the new axle in.?? Was it the right axle for the truck , did you feel the splines slide into the pig? Or maybe with the jack or jack stand some how you got the actuator unlpugged. The actuator may have been damaged when the axle broke?? it is on the same side. Good luck .


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## Chevman

:redbounce :redbounce when you pull that lever into 4 wheel you should hear that actuator work if your quiet, if you can't hear it have someone up front by the pass side when your working it if they can't hear it running when you pull it in it's shot. to be sure take the plug apart and test it with a test light, if it lights up when you put it in then you know the problem is the actuator.


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## neetchracer

The 4wd light on the shifter comes on as a result of the collar in the axle sliding over from the actuator engaging. Put the shifter in 4wd, can you spin the front driveshaft by hand? It should be locked by way of t-case. Unscreww the actuater out of the front axle, put it in 4wd, with the key in the run position, does the actuater get longer? it should. If it does'nt, then check for power. If it does take a punch or screwdriver and push in on the plunger in the axle, you may need to rotate on of the front wheels slightly, does it slide into position? If not you probably installed something incorrectly while the axle was removed. Did you remove the axletube while replacing the axle? There is a trust washer that will fall down if the tube is not removed.


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## Sdyer1357

*Same problem Please Help*

Today when i was plowing with my 94 GMC truck i drove it home i two wheel drive after using it all day in 4x4. When i got home i needed my own driveway plowed. So i put the truck in park, Pulled the handle down into 4x4 "No light this time and 4x4 wont engage. Looks like (from what i read here) it may be the actuator ??

Problem is that i have no idea where to locate it. Is it an easy fix for a novice ?

Please help we have a big storm on the way Thank you all so much Steve


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## tuna

Pull the Accuator out tape 2 lug nuts to the end of the plunger and screw it back in.You will be locked in .I did this to my 92 1500 many years ago and just last night I did it to my friend 94 1500.It will get you out of a jamb untill you can get a new accuator or just leave it that way it won`t hurt a thing,trust me this works.


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