2002 4x4 not engaging problem--front axle actuator

Hey,
if you remember, I made a post about 6 months ago about my 4x4 not working. I ended up taking it to an auto electrician who found the short in the front axle actuator. I went to a used auto parts place and got an OEM replacement part for it and slapped it on, replacing the old one. The "service 4wd soon" light went off and I figured I had fixed it. However, recently I tried to put the avvy into 4wd because of snow and ice, and when I selected anything but 2wd, the LED on the pressed button (such as 4hi) would just blink and blink until I gave up on the truck transferring into 4wd and hit it back to 2wd. So, I took it to my most local dealership today who charged $35 bucks to scan for 4wd codes. The technician found the problem to be the front axle actuator! What do you make of that? Do you think that if I replace it again it will finally work and that I must have just gotten a crappy part at the used auto parts place, or what? I don't want to go through replacing the part again in the cold if it's just going to end up being an electrical problem that's causing these actuators to break.
The 4wd wont turn on with this new part, but after replacing the old broken actuator, the new one did get the service 4wd light to go out.
Anyway, what do you think?
Do you think replacing it will fix it? I mean, they did use a code reader for it and that's what they found.
Thanks in advance as always guys,
Dan

Buying a used electrical part is a crap shoot, I say get a new one.

Last week, when we got 2 feet of snow, I started to spin the wheels in 4hi getting up my driveway.  I tried 4low, but the light just kept blinking, never engaged.  Went back to 4hi and took immediatly, so it never tried to go into 4low.  I also have trouble getting it out of 4hi into 2wd.  I usually have to stop, back up a few feet, then forward again and it is OK. I never had to do this with the stock autotrac system.  Does the t-case from a one ton Silverado function differently when it comes to engaging/dis-engaging?

ms38w said:

Last week, when we got 2 feet of snow, I started to spin the wheels in 4hi getting up my driveway.  I tried 4low, but the light just kept blinking, never engaged.  Went back to 4hi and took immediatly, so it never tried to go into 4low.  I also have trouble getting it out of 4hi into 2wd.  I usually have to stop, back up a few feet, then forward again and it is OK. I never had to do this with the stock autotrac system.  Does the t-case from a one ton Silverado function differently when it comes to engaging/dis-engaging?

Click to expand...

When you tried to shift into 4Lo...did you have the tranny selector in neutral?

Edit: added section from online '02 owner manual...

Shifting to 4HI or AUTO 4WD
Press and release the 4HI or AUTO 4WD switch.
This can be done at any speed (except when shifting
from 4LO), and the indicator light will flash while
shifting. It will remain illuminated when the shift
is completed.

Shifting to 2HI
Press and release the 2HI switch. This can be done
at any speed (except when shifting from 4LO).

Shifting to 4LO
To shift to 4LO, the ignition must be in RUN and the
vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 3 mph
(4.8 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
The preferred method for shifting into 4LO is to have
your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h).
Press and release the 4LO switch. You must wait for
the 4LO indicator light to stop flashing and remain
illuminated before shifting your transmission in gear.
If the 4LO switch is pressed when your vehicle is in
gear and/or moving, the 4LO indicator light will flash
for 30 seconds and not complete the shift unless your
vehicle is moving less than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) and the
transmission is in NEUTRAL (N). After 30 seconds
the transfer case will return to the setting last chosen.
Shifting Out of 4LO

To shift from 4LO to 4HI, AUTO 4WD or 2HI your
vehicle must be stopped or moving less than 3 mph
(4.8 km/h) with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and
the ignition in RUN. The preferred method for shifting
out of 4LO is to have your vehicle moving 1 to 2 mph
(1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Press and release the 4HI, AUTO
4WD or 2HI switch. You must wait for the 4HI, AUTO
4WD or 2HI indicator light to stop flashing and remain
illuminated before shifting your transmission into gear.
If the 4HI, AUTO 4WD or 2HI switch is pressed when
your vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the 4HI, AUTO
4WD or 2HI indicator light will flash for 30 seconds but
will not complete the shift unless your vehicle is moving
less than 3 mph (4.8 km/h) and the transmission is
in NEUTRAL (N).

OK, but I have a manual transmission, so the truck thinks I'm in "D" all the time, as indicated by the gear selector on the dash...Does this mean that I will never be able to use 4LO  Or can Nelson tweak my tune to accomodate this?

Of coarse, if I hadn't insisted on having the electronic T-case and gone with the manual T-case, this wouldn't be an issue.

ms38w said:

OK, but I have a manual transmission, so the truck thinks I'm in "D" all the time, as indicated by the gear selector on the dash...Does this mean that I will never be able to use 4LO  Or can Nelson tweak my tune to accomodate this?

Of coarse, if I hadn't insisted on having the electronic T-case and gone with the manual T-case, this wouldn't be an issue.

Click to expand...

Then again, with 1000HP, you don't need 4LO.

ms38w said:

OK, but I have a manual transmission, so the truck thinks I'm in "D" all the time, as indicated by the gear selector on the dash...Does this mean that I will never be able to use 4LO  Or can Nelson tweak my tune to accomodate this?

Of coarse, if I hadn't insisted on having the electronic T-case and gone with the manual T-case, this wouldn't be an issue.

Click to expand...

Since I don't know what "mods" were made to switch to a man/tran...it's a little difficult to answer...but I would think that if someone felt there was a reason to have your gear selector in "D"/Drive...then there should be a pretty easy way to have the ability to have "N"/Neutral as well...

Was your steering column modified to remove the column shift lever?
Could you live with a "shorty" lever of some sort to "shift into neutral" for the purpose of engaging 4 Lo?

Sorry I don't have a "pat" answer for you...but I think that if your "selector" was put into "D"/Drive for a specific purpose...then there should be a fairly easy way to also include "N"/Neutral...

I CHNGE said:

Since I don't know what "mods" were made to switch to a man/tran...it's a little difficult to answer...but I would think that if someone felt there was a reason to have your gear selector in "D"/Drive...then there should be a pretty easy way to have the ability to have "N"/Neutral as well...

Was your steering column modified to remove the column shift lever?
Could you live with a "shorty" lever of some sort to "shift into neutral" for the purpose of engaging 4 Lo?

Sorry I don't have a "pat" answer for you...but I think that if your "selector" was put into "D"/Drive for a specific purpose...then there should be a fairly easy way to also include "N"/Neutral...

Click to expand...

I had it set to "D" so the DRL's would work.  The original column shifter was removed and a new cover installed so it looks factory.  Since the manual trans doesn't communicate with the pcm, the truck doesn't think anything is different with the gear and only sees the "D".  I wonder if something could be done to program the pcm/4wd system to automatically switch to "N" when the 4LO is pushed.  Allen, are you reading this  Could a tune help with this or is this a physical/mechanical issue?

I have a 07 Avalanche Z71 and my "service 4x4" indicator warning came on so I read up on it and figured it was the actuator so I changed it but a cream colored fluid came out and still the 4x4 isnt working

Dragon Ball Z71 said:

...a cream colored fluid...

Click to expand...

Like oil and water whipped?

ygmn said:

Like oil and water whipped?

Click to expand...

Sounds like oil and water to me except he shouldn't have OIL in there, he should have AC Delco's blue transfer case fluid in there. Not sure it wouold turn creamy color with water, so maybe some one put gear lube in there.