The Mitsubishi Pajero Owners Club®

[alanymarce]

We use our Montero (same as a Pajero/Shogun) in two ways - long trips (many months, covering a wide variety of terrain), and use not far from home - not much more than 500 km  or so on a trip. The former trip gives the 4x4 a workout, however the latter rarely needs 4x4.

Perhaps more importantly (?) whereas the long trip may be 45,000 km in a year, "normal" use between long trips means that the vehicle sits unused for much of the time - we've driven about 1500 km this year so far.

This means that the 4x4 solenoids and actuators get hardly any use for many months. We've just had to replace one of the solenoids and I'm wondering whether anyone has a suggestion for how to "exercise" the system so that they don't "freeze". We cycle through the 4x4 system every so often - driving a short distance in 4H, 4L, and 4LC, however I'm wondering whether there's any sense in simply selecting each mode for a few seconds, without moving, every time we start the vehicle, to actuate the solenoids/actuators.

Thoughts and suggestions please.

[Google]

[assassin]

Very simple as you can drive in 2 wheel drive or 4 wheel drive on the road, you cannot drive with the centre diff lock engaged, or with it in low range.

You can switch between 2 and 4 wheel drive on the fly which means you have to be travelling in a straight line, on a trailing throttle, at less than 100Kmh or 60 MPH and you switch between the two, as it is an electronic operated system the system itself selects the appropriate time to switch.

If you have some loose terrain or wet grass you can put it in 4H and once engaged you stop and put it in Neutral (manual) or N (autos) and wait until it switches and drive off, stop again and again Park or neutraland into 4 low, once engaged you drive off.

Never drive in locked centre diff or low range on any solid surface and while you are on a slippery surface you can keep switching through the system and back, depending on your climate this needs going twice per year in temperate climates or up to 4 times in cold climates, and switch in and out multiple times.

[alanymarce]

Thanks for the reply. This is what we're doing now, once a month or so, although we don't change 2WD to 4WD or back again on the move.

I was wondering whether simply shifting the system while stopped (for example, every time when we start the vehicle) would operate the solenoids/actuators to keep them from "seizing". If this is not a good idea we need to increase the frequency of cycling the system, I suppose.

[assassin]

[alanymarce]

[assassin]

It will help but it wont really work the control electronics and as they all work together it is really the only way to exercise the whole system, otherwise it is only partially exercising the system.

[alanymarce]