Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

I know this has been discussed in various details and I've read through several threads, but I just want to be clear. I have a 2000 Gen3 3.2DiD 5sp GLS LWB. I changed all of the fluids yesterday, engine oil, gearbox, transfer and diffs. I put synthetic in the transfer and gearbox and can feel the difference in shifting. Every 4X4 I've ever owned, when placed in 4low, was geared down...a lot. This is my first Pajero and I've heard several people say that you can't tell the difference in 4HLC and 4LLC. When I engage 4LLC it doesn't feel different, no RPM increase or no apparent increase. If I remember correctly, when I engaged 4LLC before the fluid change all of the lights were steady ON. Now the lights (4 wheels) are flashing and flash faster and slower with increased and decreased speed.

Can someone clear this up for my ignorant self? What should the lights do in each mode (4H, 4HLC and 4LLC) if these are the correct acronyms? Should it feel different in 4LLC than it does in 4HLC?

Thanks for putting up with my probably redundant question.

jeff

OK... I feel kind of stupid after reading through the post above this one...don't know how I missed it. I would still like to hear from someone about the gearing when in low vs. high.

thanks,

jeff

The Pajeros (and Colts/Tritons) are indeed not as low geared in low range than some other vehicles. The low range reduction ratio is around 1.9:1, which still means the engine speed should be almost twice what it is in the direct drive high range for any particular road speed. When low range is engaged, the engine speed difference is certainly very noticeable.

Jeff,
How long have you had this Pajero?
Have you used it in 4LLc before? You are aware that the car should be stationary when changing to low range?
I think low range is not engaging, that is why the lights keep flashing and why the ratio doesn't change. There is a huge difference between high and low range.
Suggest you park the car on slight incline and select neutral. Put in 4LLc now and give it a few (10 - 15 secs). If lights are still flashing, allow car to roll forward very (VERY) slowly down the incline.

Hope this helps.
Roelf

I've had it for a couple of months and the lights never flashed until I changed the fluids. I noticed that it never had much of a gear reduction in low. I've had several people tell me that you won't notice a difference in low range unless the low gearing is needed. They say that its a "smart select" transfer case. That was the first I've ever heard of such a thing. I was in Kgapane in the rain yesterday and I had to go off road to bring someone home and had a very steep rough climb to get out and it was very slick. At the steepest point I had to step on the throttle pretty hard and it felt like it leaped real hard, kind of like the gearing changed. The 4 wheel drive was definitely engaged because if it weren't, I would still be at the bottom of the hill and all of this while the lights were flashing. The girl next door has a Condor and when I put it in 4low, it acts like a normal 4x4 and gearing is reduced big time. The dealership even told me that you should really notice you're in 4LLc unless its needed. This just doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks,

jeff

Jintu,
The idea of not noticing low range until the low gear is needed sounds like rubbish to me. Sorry to be blunt.
The only time that 4-wheel drive sytem will make a decision on it's own, would be to lock-up the visco coupling when you are in 4H - and you will not even know it happened.
I still say low range wasn't connected if the lights were flickering. You were in 4HLc and thus more than capable of climbing up the muddy slope. That 3.2DiD motor doesn't need low range to climb up muddy slopes. Low range is for crawling at low speed over rocky outcrops. That is why some say LR isn't low enough, because you cannot crawl at almost zero speed. The old Hilux 4x4's could stop and then continue again without touching the clutch. The Pajero doesn't go that low.

Please just try my suggestion in the post above.

Regards
Roelf

I tried it and it didn't work. I think I have a vacuum leak or a solenoid issue. I'm going to crawl under it tomorrow and check out everything and if I can't make any progress I'll have the dealership look at it when they look at the brake accumulator for the recall and to change out the rear axle flanges to stop the oil leak on the diff. I'll let you know what I find out.

Thanks,

jeff

Jintu,
That makes sense.
The fact that the problem manifested itself after the oil change, makes one suspect that maybe a vacuum line got disconnected by accident or maybe some dirt in the vacuum line.

Yes, please keep us up to date.
Good luck
Roelf

Hi Jeff,

I have a similar problem on my 2000 Pajero 3.5. When i took it to the agents for the brake accumulator, they looked at the problem and said they would need to start by changing the solenoids (at R1500 incl labour), then check if it workes, if not then they would need to change the next thing, etc, basically fix it by trial and error.

So please let us know if you manage to get yours fixed and what the problem was.

Regards,

Peter

Peter,
That is the process the agents will follow. I had a longwinded post half a year ago about a friend's Pajero and how the agents replaced the switches first (R1800) and when that didn't work they did the vacuum pump, which solved his problem.

Jeff,
Now that I think about it..... If 4HLc engages OK, then one has to accept that the vacuum pump is working fine, then it only leaves the switch to worry about.
Just a thought.
Roelf