Offroad-Express

My mate has a pajeroTD 92 SWB and his "center diff" lock light flashes even when in 2wd. If I go through to 4wd the two front wheel green lights come on and then go into 4wd with center lock and the center light comes on. every thing seems to be engaging and disengageing as it should. when I pull back on the 4wd lever when in 2wd and wiggle the stick I can get the light to stop flashing so it is possibly one of the switches.

I am trying to get my head around the Mitsi system as I have read the threads on this issue but want to clarify the system exactly.

From what I have read. these have a center diff lock??? and you can select 4wd and then lock the center diff. but no mention of a front diff lock.

if this was the case. I cannot see how it would work. I reckon that when you engage 4wd it engages the front drive shaft with a dog gear(like most 2wd capable 4wds) and then there is a diff lock on the front diff for the difflock??? the only vehicles I know with a center diff lock are vehicles with constant 4wd. otherwise if you had a 3rd diff and the front hubs freewheeled then all the drive would go out and just spin the front driveshaft and you would not go anywhere. If there was a front diff lock it would explain the actuator on the front diff.

If you mitsi guys could point out the system and where I am seeing things wrong. any help to clarify this would help where I start looking.

thanks all.

no there is no front diff lock. It is a centre diff lock. when in 4wd with no lock that is basically full time 4wd, then you engage the centre diff, then engage low ratio. I am not sure how it all works as I have never had a proper look over the tech stuff but thats the basics of it. all I know is that it works great on our Pajero.

if it is able to be operate in 2wd then I can not see how it can be in 4wd but not locked.
all the drive would go out the front driveshaft when in 2wd mode.

it is like saying a rear axle is able to be 1 wheel drive with one wheel freewheeling and diff is unlocked (which we all know cannot happen as when you lift a wheel you lose drive) but then can engage 2wd and then after that lock the diff. impossible.

mmmm re read my post and it is hard to word what I am trying to say.

try this

if it does have a center diff which is must if it can run in a 4wd mode and a 4wd locked mode. then when in 2wd it would act like a normal open diff with one wheel jacked up ie all the drive would go to the wheel that is jacked up(front driveshaft)

IT is a center diff lock, when in 4 with out lock in you have 4wd that allows the front and back diff too act independent of each other which just like an open back diff will put the power thru to the wheel that spins easiest. so you get the benefit off one wheel on each end doing something until one wheel loses complete grip and you will stop.just like an open rear diff. when you lock the center diff it become locked front to back ( like a conventional 4wd) making one wheel on each end spin before you stop. allows you to drive in 4wd on hard surface without binding up. which is what happens in a conventional 4wd, hence you dont drive them on road in 4wd.

as for the light you may not be getting center diff lock with it not staying on. would be looking at the switch on the lever for starters. dont know the system well enough to advise where or what.
treading having any trouble on that setup in our pajero evoloution.
good luck

just re read your post regarding the light. because the light is coming on in 2wd im thinking that as that (light) is normally activated by physically moving the lever/shaft in the gearbox (on most vehicles) and triggering the switch. so I would be looking for that light switch on the gearbox. lack of use? work that lever lots and see if it frees up. come to think of it that switch will actually activate not just when you move the lever but when the mechanisim clicks into place. so therefore to work the switch you would have too do it properly when driving. that is if it is possibly lack of use

clear as mud

I've always been curious about how the Paj centre diff works in 2H - must use the same locking mechanism as in 4HLc or 4LLc, but without the light appearing on the dash?

NJV6 should know.

Then again the neutral light flashing means trans overheating so maybe cd lock flashing means a fault code too. you need a mitsi man. Im not. just have one as a shiney

pruggerdore wrote:IT is a center diff lock, when in 4 with out lock in you have 4wd that allows the front and back diff too act independent of each other which just like an open back diff will put the power thru to the wheel that spins easiest. so you get the benefit off one wheel on each end doing something until one wheel loses complete grip and you will stop.just like an open rear diff. when you lock the center diff it become locked front to back ( like a conventional 4wd) making one wheel on each end spin before you stop. allows you to drive in 4wd on hard surface without binding up. which is what happens in a conventional 4wd, hence you dont drive them on road in 4wd.

as for the light you may not be getting center diff lock with it not staying on. would be looking at the switch on the lever for starters. dont know the system well enough to advise where or what.
treading having any trouble on that setup in our pajero evoloution.
good luck

I understand that is what it seems like. what I do not get is if it is an open type diff when in 4wd then when you go into 2wd how is it stopping all the power from going out the front side of the center diff?? unless it locks the center diff when you go back into 2wd.

Also what is the actuator on the front diff doing if it is not diff lock?

Yea ignore the front disconnect for the flashing centre diff light. The front vacuum lines are simply to disengage one front axle so when you are in 2H the front driveshaft and crownwheel and pinion are not turning. Just one set of side gears. You can put free wheeling hubs on the front to completely disengage the front end if you want. But then you loose the full time 4WD function (unless you jump out and lock your hubs).

The centre diff light is most likely a switch. There are something like 5 of them on the side/top of the transfer case which tell the computer where things are.

You haven't just put a new radio in it have you? The ECU is behind the radio and the plug can be knocked... Done that before...

Anyhoo, how does it work, yes there is a diff in there. A normal diff which can be locked. Behind that is a viscous coupling which is so good you almost don't need the centre diff lock but it is easier on things to lock it.

Essentially it locks the centre diff when in 2H. There is a synchronizer or however you spell it in there that allows it to go into 4H up to 100km/h. Don't ask how the viscous coupling part of it works!

NJV6 wrote:Yea ignore the front disconnect for the flashing centre diff light. The front vacuum lines are simply to disengage one front axle so when you are in 2H the front driveshaft and crownwheel and pinion are not turning. Just one set of side gears. You can put free wheeling hubs on the front to completely disengage the front end if you want. But then you loose the full time 4WD function (unless you jump out and lock your hubs).

The centre diff light is most likely a switch. There are something like 5 of them on the side/top of the transfer case which tell the computer where things are.

You haven't just put a new radio in it have you? The ECU is behind the radio and the plug can be knocked... Done that before...

Anyhoo, how does it work, yes there is a diff in there. A normal diff which can be locked. Behind that is a viscous coupling which is so good you almost don't need the centre diff lock but it is easier on things to lock it.

Essentially it locks the centre diff when in 2H. There is a synchronizer or however you spell it in there that allows it to go into 4H up to 100km/h. Don't ask how the viscous coupling part of it works!

perfect explanation. that explains how it can work in 2wd with open diff 3rd diff.

No he has not put in a radio and the fact I can pull back hard on the shift leaver and wiggle it to turn off the flashing light makes sense it is a position switch.

Cheers NJV6

Nice little schematic. Shows the TC internals after the reduction gear (not shown). Black means locked together, white means free to turn.

cool so it does lock the 3rd diff when in 2wd!! it seems to be alot of hassle just to give the option of 4wd unlock and lock.

I might end up buying this Paj off my mate now as we are looking for a car here in france and hard to speak to a frog when you cant.

he only uses it onroad and treats it like shit but it still wont die. I have done a few jobs like change parts of the exhaust and fitting new power steer pump.change the glow solenoid.

the only other things wrong with it I can see is the SRS light is on (any tips on this one?????) and sometimes if left on a slope for a while it will start and run fine for a min then cut out like the fuel has blead out of the pump.

cheers for all you help.

The idea of 2H is for reduced NVH levels, you notice it when in 4H that there are extra things turning.

yes but why not just do a simple 2wd/4wd system like most makes. where as soon as you are in 4wd it is locked(Ie dog gear engagement)
however these are renown for their road handling and smoothness so I guess the decided this was the way to go.

Cheers for all your help.

Then you loose the whole point of full time 4WD! Fantastic for towing, punting along gravel roads, and handling in the wet. That is how they got a rep as one of the best handling 4WD's, and when the 3rd generation came along the centre diff could also split power up to a 70/30 forward or back.

I have the same problem BUT it's been created by something else we think. Last week I had a major brake failure, accompanied by 2 warning lights and an audible alarm. my mechanic indentified it was the Hydraulic Brake Booster. Now, being a 2001 GDi it's about $4k + GST to fix properly .. according to the rip-off artists at Mitsi NZ! We've reset the codes on the thing and my brakes work fine now BUT the C/D orange light is now permanently flashing. And..of course..Mitsi are the only one's with the diagnostic tool to tell me for sure, and they charge like a wounded bull. I've found forums saying Misti extended the warranty on HBB's to 150,000k's (mine's 142,000k's). Websites in the UK, Europe, the US (although they're not called Pajero's in the US) and Australia are saying this is a recognised problem and recalls have been issued, yet Mitsi in NZ are ignorant to that fact.
Has anyone else had this problem? Has anyone else been recalled due to the HBB or the Accelerator! Can anyone tell me how to avoid having to sell an internal organ to get this fixed?
I bought this piece of sh*t 3 yrs ago and was warned at the time not too..my own fault for not listening!! (shudda bought Toyota!)
Anyone thinking about buying a 2nd hand Pajero - don't. They're made of plastic, are only good for about 100,000ks and then they start falling apart, and Misti NZ couldn't seem to care less, despite what's happened in pretty much every other country!
Thanks in advance
Tubbo