Thread: 1997 R50 Series II Nissan Terrano Auto - 4WD Operation

Originally Posted by No.3

No, I don't think so - if you had a full time 4wd you would not have the option of 2wd. I am picking you have a "part time" selectable 2wd/4wd system and refer my post up above for my experience of operating these "neither Arthur (fully electrically controlled) or Martha (fully manually selected)" systems. You have an inbetweener which is partially manually selected for hi and lo range with the 4wd/2wd duties selected electrically and this is why you are getting the metal protesting when you select things in the wrong way/order.

Most of the modern systems just have the knob (2wd, 4hi, 4lo) or the older gear has a lever that has "2hi, 4hi, N, 4lo" and a push button on the dash to lock the front hubs or either manually selected front hubs (have to get out to engage the hubs) or automatic front hubs that engage by the front driveshaft rotation when in 4wd (which means you need to be bloody careful when going between forwards and reverse as you unlock then relock the front hubs in the other direction meaning you can get well and truly stuck...

Cheers for the input. Noted all your points and will give it a go.
FYI, just checked my model online and it's stated as "Full time", but you're probably right that it's some combination of Arthur and Martha.

Wahoooo, yeah I just googled your listed spec there. It's a combo all right, what fun. I hope that it doesn't cock up on you - it will be expensive haha. But while it's working it will be pretty good. From the spec, it has an electrically/electronically controlled center diff/clutch arrangement that when in "Auto" mode senses wheel slip at the rear and automatically transfers drive to the front wheels to compensate via a center electronically controlled clutch. Effectively it will be giving you automatic "3wd" when it detects slip (4x4 purists consider the usual 'open' front differential in these "softroader" style off-road capable vehicles to be three wheel drive if they aren't locked up as one front wheel slipping can rob all the drive from the other). In 2WD mode, it holds the center clutch unlocked despite whatever happens in the back - this is the equivalent of the highway 2wd "2hi" mode in a manual setup. "Lock" fully locks the center clutch i.e. the old fashioned manual 4hi mode.

Calling it "Full Time AWD" is really not correct, and is a bit of an advertising gimmick. Full time AWD is drive to all four corners at all times, and unless you select "Lock" and manually lock the center clutch that isn't what you have.

In your case, I'd leave the thing in 2wd mode and hi selection on the side lever most of the time while normal on highway driving and when you get to the beach whop it into "Auto" still in high range on the lever. If it gets soft or wet and you feel like you need more control then stop fully and go to the "Lock" position before taking off again - with these setups if you go straight into "Lock" while rolling and the system has decided that there isn't any wheel slip then the center clutch might be in a fully unlocked situation so your trying to get everything to start spinning from cold - good for a graunch or three. Safer to stop and let it lock up without things rotating at different speeds, you might simply get a 'clunk' as you put it into Drive and move off which is just the systems engaging and locking up.

Same if you decide you need more control (i.e. slower speed) like towing a trailer through a tricky bit on a farm or the like, stop, main trans to neutral or park (whatever it likes) then neutral then "L" on the lever. "Lock" on the knob selector if you need it. Then main trans back into gear and away you go. Reverse that sequence to get the thing back out into high range.

I was right after all

Originally Posted by No.3

Wahoooo, yeah I just googled your listed spec there. ......

Your plan sounds excellent and easy. The manual (after translation) does say I can switch the mode to "Lock" while driving under 80K, which would be useful if true. Not sure I wanna risk a graunch, or worse, trying that out at 80K though. And if shifting from H to L on the transfer lever, it says things like don't stop in the middle of the shift (I guess that means don't pause in neutral) or graunches will result. So, a couple of things there I don't really want to F around and find out.

Originally Posted by m101a1

I was right after all

Probably. Wasn't reading all the comments off my bloody phone though...

I would think that when the system was new going to "Lock" from 2wd would be the same as a manual car letting the clutch out after a gear change, everything sorts itself out no graunch. But after the passage of time and a few hundred thou k's the system probably needs a bit more babying along. It's not the type of system you would typically find on a 4wd techniques or a light 4wd operator course.

Originally Posted by No.3

Probably. Wasn't reading all the comments off my bloody phone though...

I would think that when the system was new going to "Lock" from 2wd would be the same as a manual car letting the clutch out after a gear change, everything sorts itself out no graunch. But after the passage of time and a few hundred thou k's the system probably needs a bit more babying along. It's not the type of system you would typically find on a 4wd techniques or a light 4wd operator course.

Yeah its def different but it worked ok I just left in auto till I needed full 4wd just like my old rangies and 110s .