‘95 K1500 transfer case SEEMINGLY not working?

[letitsnow]

I installed a posi-lok on my s10. It didn't work as well as described. The problem I had with it was that you can't tell if the cable is pulled/pushed all of the way, so sometimes the front axle would be almost engaged/disengaged, which is bad for stuff. If I did it over again, I'd have to set it up in a way that lets you know for sure that the cable is pulled/pushed far enough.

I much prefer the electric actuater in my k2500. You could wire a switch to achieve 2 low if you wanted. I use the truck to tow a camper, and almost always use 4 low to back the camper in - haven't found the need for 2 low in the 4 years doing this.

 

[any4xx]

Yeah...don't.

The single advantage of the cable-operated (manual) jobs is that you can have low-range in 2WD for easy steering. Yay.

For every other operation, the non-thermal actuator is the way to go. The thermal kind get slow as the temp drops, and as they age, they get slower and slower until they just don't work at all any more. Seems like they tend to fail in cold weather, too.

My '97 has the non-thermal actuator. Works wonderfully.
My '88 has the thermal unit. Works adequately, but I've installed two of 'em in the ~140K miles I've put on the truck (total of 320K more-or-less) IF I had known about the non-thermal upgrade when the first thermal unit died, I'd have installed it then. I got a "lifetime warranty" thermal unit from NAPA, and used that warranty once already, so it doesn't make sense to swap now.

Thermal actuators:

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One electrical connector, screws right out of it's housing with a bigass adjustable wrench (or the correct-sized combination wrench.)

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They should have covered this thing in pinky-purple plastic. This is what the failed actuators DON'T do, and Vi_agra doesn't help. (Really? "V_iagra" is censored?)

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Pop the electrical connector, unscrew the actuator. Plug the connector back in. Turn the ignition on, put the transfer case in 4WD. If the thing doesn't extend in ~30 seconds, or doesn't extend at least an inch and the electrical wiring, fuses, etc. are OK...the actuator is done.

The non-thermal style requires an updated wire harness kit, and that includes a spacer that goes into the actuator housing before you screw the actuator itself in. GM used to sell the kit, but of course they've discontinued it. Now it's available through Dorman and other aftermarket companies. You'll also need the non-thermal actuator itself.
www.amazon.com/dp/B001C6Q7Q2/?coliid=I3PBSUZLPVAG5&colid=2VLYZKC3HBBDO&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

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Thank you for this information. Is the adapter harness really necessary or can one simply cut the plug off of the original and splice it onto the replacement?

And now for the real burning question: (pun intended). Why is it referred to as “thermal?”

 

[GoToGuy]

Because it has a coil of high resistance, creating heat causing expansion moving a plunger to move, engaging the shaft splines. Really, you didn't know. It's in the handbook. The one the factory gives you for static weight in your glove box.
More a hot question rather than combustion, or like a second degree burn? Time for bed.. too tired.

 

[offroadtahoe]

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here is a video on the electric actuator upgrade

 

[any4xx]

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here is a video on the electric actuator upgrade

Thank you for that. I finally got the truck back up in the air today and confirmed that the front driveshaft DOES turn when the transfer case is shifted into 4WD. So definitely my issue.

 

[any4xx]

Last question on this subject. I promise. In my searches I’m finding the 5-pin actuator selling from $36.00 to $90.00. The expensive one is Dorman. Once upon a time I’d have trusted Dorman for just about anything. But looking at these tells me they all came out of the same factory on the other side of the world.

Any experiences with any of these actuators? I have no problem dropping the $90.00, but if the $36.00 one is the same part, well, you know…

<edit>. Just found a “genuine GM” actuator for about $180.00. Eek!

 

[Supercharged111]

Better get it before it's $300.

 

[Schurkey]

Connecting to the upgraded, non-thermal actuator is not the problem. The problem is getting all the other required wires, which aren't in the wire harness leading to the old-style thermal actuator.

Far as I know, the thermal actuators have a heating element and a wax pellet--like a thermostat. When heated, the wax expands and pushes out the lil' din_k.

 

[any4xx]

Connecting to the upgraded, non-thermal actuator is not the problem. The problem is getting all the other required wires, which aren't in the wire harness leading to the old-style thermal actuator.

Far as I know, the thermal actuators have a heating element and a wax pellet--like a thermostat. When heated, the wax expands and pushes out the lil' din_k.

Seems like the Dorman wiring harness referenced above does all of that, no?

 

[Schurkey]

Yes. That's the whole reason for the upgraded wire harness kit--you get the wires, connectors, and the spacer.