Anyone familiar with the "Part Time" light on the 2000 Sport Auto 4wd? So far it only says "Part Time" when I shift into 4x4 lo or hi. I haven't taken it wheeling yet, cause I don't want to get stuck in the sand out here. Its soft and deep and has swallowed a jeep of mine already. Anyway, does anyone know whats up with it? There is a spot for "full time" next to it, but I have not seen this come on yet. Neither one comes on when you turn the key to start the jeep. I have only had this jeep for a month, so I am still learning its specifics. Thanks in advance...

 

i have noticed this on mine as well. dont know why only part time shows

 

Part time is for the 231 transfer case: 2hi - 4hi - n - 4lo

Full time is for the 242 transfer case: 2hi - 4hi full - 4hi part - n - 4lo

The shift patterns above will tell you what transfer case you have.

Sound like you have 231's though

 

part time is ONLY for surfaces that allow tire slipping, which means if you use it on dry pavement or anything that will not allow the tires to spin freely or you will destry your transfer case.

full time is okay to use on the road only in 4 hi full time tho.

 

that last part is scary. i just got my jeep and its set up for wheeling as far as i can tell. iv taken it wheelin abunch and it always been in part time 4x4. but there was work done to the t case. like sye and 4:1 ratio. does that mean i shouldnt rock crawl it? im confused.....

 

how do you know you have 4:1 gearing?

 

Rock crawl with it all you want! what i mean by tire slip is... When you are on a dry surface(road) and in 4x4 all of the tires and driveline act as one, so when you turn the outside tire wants to turn faster than the inside tire. SO now you have driveline bind and it will cause tire hop and possiby destroy your tcase...

When you crawl, the tires are going to go the same speed and one will never want to turn faster than the other, Plus you are probably in a position to where one tire can slip enough to "give" and everything is fine. The only time you might have an issue is with an undercut rock.

 

Here you go.

http://www.jeep.com/en/4x4/faqs/


Full time 4WD means you can use it all the time no matter if the surface is wet, dry, slippery.

Part time is if you need additional traction on loose or slippery surfaces.


From what I have read the difference is in 4WD full time the transfer case still is able to send differing power to the front and rear differentials. This lessens the chance of drive line bind when you make a turn on a high traction road.

Drive line bind stresses joints, shafts, gears and bearings. This can lead to failures that could otherwise be prevented by choosing the correct mode for the situation.

 

Np242 is great for winter driving in the snowy condition in full time 4x4. It acts like another diff in the middle of you jeep to split the power where its needed and doesnt bind when you hit pavement on the roads.

Part time and 4 low is only for offroading.

If the full time light doesnt come one its either because A) you dont have it B) the light is burnt out.

 

Crawl under your jeep and look at the transfer case. It should have a red and silver metal that has the specs on your transfer case. 231 or 242. Full time is any surface 4wd, and part time is only slippery surfaces 4wd. Never use part time on dry surface.

 

cool thanks guys. now i know.

 

Thanks for all the help. Also I had it on the lift yesterday, at my neighbors house (got the best neighbor) he noticed a few things 1st, I need a new oil pan gasket, and that the driveshaft spins both in and out of 4wd. I have the 231 as mentioned above, does this mean that its only locked in through the transfer case? Should it spin all the time or only when its in 4wd? I have found a few surprises from the PO, that I didn't notice when I took it for the test drive. Like front tire plugged in the inside sidewall, ac not charged, efan, ghetto rigged and not working, and all the doors and seatbelt buttons are strangly hard to open, and the front passenger side door looks like something happened to bend the top rear section a little, which may explain why that window is the only one not tinted.... needless to say I didnt do a good enough walk around. I still think I got a good deal trading my 1993 T-100 with 150k miles for a 2000 Cherokee Sport with 120k on the ticker.

 

When you drive, both driveshafts spin all the time and the t-case determines if you put power to the front or not. Older models 85-90 have a vacuum disconnect where the front axle is disconnected and thus the front DS doesn't spin

 

Sir XJ:
Neither of these lights work on my suspect 231. It doesn't come on, either, with the trip-button test. I guess it doesn't. I had the cluster out, and the bulb is good. Could it just be the switch on the transfer case?
Thanks!
HarryHydro

 

Most jeeps only have a "part time" light as a warning to shift out of it on the road. Full time doesn't need a light since you'll do no damage if you leave it in on the road. The nice thing about Full time is when you're on the highway and you see wind blown snow ahead, just let off the throttle and quickly shift into FT. I've shifted at 60 mph before with no problems. If you have Full time, you've got a 242 t/case.

Lo range is 2.72:1 for the 231 t/case and Wranglers got 4:1 in 2003, but the lower ratio can be installed in earlier 231s. The Wrangler case is NV231OR