[Guest]

My son just bought a 93 Cherokee sport with a 4.0L engine but the transfer case is bad. The guy that he bought it from had the transfer case replaced but they installed the wrong one. So my question is what case is the right one and or what can I use in it. There is a 231J in it now.

 

[krabysniper]

If your transfer case shift handle offers just 4 positions: 2hi, 4 hi, neutral, 4lo--- you have a command-trac system which has an NP231 (never heard of a 231j in a jeep, ain't no such critter.).
If your jeep has a gear selector that offers a full time four wheel drive position (along with the other four previously mentioned selections) you have a select-trac system, which comes with either the NP-242 or NP-249. They can be identified by the tag on the lower back side of the transfer case, it will be a round tag attached by a bolt thru the center and will look like this

 

[316]

NP-249 Stay away from this!Full time four wheel!You don't want and don't need the trouble!stick with 242 or the 231!
242 offers you the best of full time and part time .
as well as the added bonus of 2W drive!

 

[Guest]

Umm, that is a NP 231 you have in there. Mine is stamped "231J" as well. What is the t-case doing or not doing?

 

[Guest]

I have the command-trac system and the tag on the transfer case says that it is NP231J (231J is etched on the tag). The problem is that the car harness does not match the plug on the transfer case. I call a Jeep dealer and the "Think" that it is suppose to be a 242 case. I'm trying to find out what is really suppose to go in the car before I spend a lot of money on the wrong case.

 

[Guest]

I haven't tried to put in 4H or 4L. The harness isn't connected to the case and neither is the speedometer cable because they don't match. The car harness is a 3 prong connector and the transfer case is a 4 prong.

 

[Guest]

Command trac uses one of 2 t-cases. The 207 or 231. The 228, 229 and 242 are Selec Trac t-cases.

 

[Guest]

You still haven't responded to Kraby's initial question which is, how many and what are the positions on your t-case lever? I would doubt that the sport model had an full time 4wd t-case but it is a jeep and pretty much every and any option can be had on nearly all models.

 

[Guest]

the j is for Jeep!!

 

[krabysniper]

OK, one more time, How many positions are shown on your console for the transfer case lever? You have told me what transfer case you have, you have told me it is a 93 (which, btw Johnswann, is a date that I think you missed when reading the post

)
I want to know the number of positions because it will tell me if someone put the wrong transfer case in your jeep. If you show a full-time 4 wheel drive position, then you have the wrong transfer case installed and would bennifit from installing the correct one.

 

[Guest]

wonder if the VIN would tell ya?

 

[109]

Yes, indeed, the "J" stands for Jeep.

New Process/ New Venture makes transfercases for many makes of SUVs and trucks. My friend's Dodge Ram and another's Chevy S-10 Blazer both have NP 231s in them from the factory. The catch is while they are all the same model, they are not interchangeable. That NP231J is a case made for a Jeep. Most, if not all, original factory installed cases omit the letter on the tag. So I think the transfercase in question is not the original.

We still need to know the configuration of the shift lever.

 

[NIX]

And why the case is considered to be bad.

 

[Guest]

The transfer case shift handle has the following 4 positions: 2hi, 4 hi, neutral, 4lo.

 

[Guest]

it is the np231.

 

[Guest]

Because you can not hook up the electrical harness (the plug is a differant from the one that is on the t-case) or the speedometer cable.

 

[NIX]

I don't think your case is bad and I think an NP 231 works for your vehicle. I think you have a newer cherokee and an older T-case. The old T-cases have a cable to the speedometer and newer speedo's are electronic. It's also possible you're mixing up a vacuum plug or line and a wire or connector. Dana 30 frontaxles have a vacuum motor for disconnecting. It's activated via the tranxle. Lot's of folks think it's a wiring harness, but it's vacuumlines. I'd say check what's on your rig: vac disco on the frontaxle, electronic or mechanicle speedo vac lines or electric wires on the T-case a vacuum or electric connector.
BTW, what year is your Cherokee? Oh I see, '93.

 

[1327]

STOP. Don't panic. No need to be ditching your T case. You obviously have the correct transfercase for your vehicle. If it bolts up, has the correctly sized and splined input shaft, and is from a cherokee, you are fine. A few questions and solutions. If it says NP231J on the tag, don't waste any more time trying to figure out if it's the correct one.

The speedometer works, right? No worries there.

The wiring harness, is only for your part time/full time light on your instrument cluster. If they don't match, either get one that does out of a junkyard, cut the wires and splice. Or zip tie it to something else and forget about it. That's what I did when I put a NP242 in place of a bad NP231.

In a '93 there is no front axle vacuum disconnect. Pull the lever on the floor and your 4wd is engaged. Simple as that. No electronics or vacuum motor affect it. As long as the lever is up, you are in business. Push it down, you're back in 2H. The only problem that you seem to have is a wiring harness that doesn't match, and that doesn't do anything to the way that the case functions.

 

[krabysniper]

In reply to:

I haven't tried to put in 4H or 4L. The harness isn't connected to the case and neither is the speedometer cable because they don't match. The car harness is a 3 prong connector and the transfer case is a 4 prong. </font color>

[/ QUOTE ]
Guess you can't read, no his speedo dosn't work.

In reply to:

The wiring harness, is only for your part time/full time light on your instrument cluster. </font color>

[/ QUOTE ]
In a 93 up the wiring harness also allows connection of the speedo

In reply to:

In a '93 there is no front axle vacuum disconnect

[/ QUOTE ]
But there is a vacuum disconnect on the transfer case which requires,.....................you guessed it, a vacuum line harness and the apropriate vacuum module on the transfer case.
So, with all this said, I would be of the assumption that the tranfer case is the correct model, just from the wrong year. Sounds like you have an older model, when what you need is a newer model or all the attachments that are required of the newer model. Good luck.
And some of you guys need to get reading glasses out there.