IWE Noise

[Tx State]

Hey everyone,
I know the IWE is a known issue with these trucks and i think i am experiencing some issues. So i was driving and out of the blue my front end stated making a lot of noise and i could feel it in my steering wheel. My dad just got done fixing the vacuum IWE lines on his a couple weeks ago so that made me think to engage the 4x4 to see if it made it go away. As soon as i engaged the 4x4 the noise stopped and has not come back even with 4x4 turned off. So i am thinking its not the vacuum lines because if it was it would do it all the time when the 4x4 was not engaged. Any thoughts on what exactly with the IWE is wrong?

 

[Tx State]

Is this a good place to start?

 

[Tx State]

Guess i should have done a quick google but i bought a new solenoid and check valve. I am guessing that is the culprit. I will report back.

 

[BenBB]

I agree, you're on the right track. The way the IWE system works is to supply vacuum at startup to take it OUT of 4WD (if you're in 2HI), so the wheels disengage when they get vacuum; when you switch to 4HI/4LO the vacuum stops and the IWE can engage. If it's making noise it's partially engaging, either from a vacuum leak or potentially crap in the IWE itself preventing it from completely disengaging. Solenoid, check valve, and checking the lines is the easiest place to start.

 

[Tx State]

It hasn't done it again. I did check the lines and I couldn't find any cracks. I bought a new solenoid and check valve so will be replacing them this weekend.

 

[Dane]

It hasn't done it again. I did check the lines and I couldn't find any cracks. I bought a new solenoid and check valve so will be replacing them this weekend.

A vacuum gauge works best. You aren't going to see most cracks/leaks in those lines. I use a cheapy one from Harbor freight that's part of a brake fluid flushing kit. I didn't see a leak in mine, but my gauge told me otherwise. Replacing the entire line to both IWEs is like $30 and took me maybe 15 minutes.

 

[Tx State]

I replaced the check valve and solenoid. A couple days later it made the noise again so this past weekend I replaced all lines. Hopefully no more issues.

 

[Dane]

I replaced the check valve and solenoid. A couple days later it made the noise again so this past weekend I replaced all lines. Hopefully no more issues.

The good news, as much as I dislike the system, once you understand it, it's fairly simple. There are only a handful of things that can go wrong - they just go wrong a lot. I've HIGHLY considered hooking up an in cab gauge to that IWE vacuum system so you can see what's going on real time.

 

[Tx State]

So I have replaced check valve, solenoid, and all the lines. Driving today it made the noise again so I flipped it into 4wd and then back to 2wd and the sound went away like before. Any ideas on what to check next? Could a bad wheel bearing be doing this?

 

[BenBB]

Not if it goes away in 4WD. So all that's left is the IWE's themselves; it must be leaking at the actuator itself. Have you considered IWE eliminators? If it was mine I would, sucks that you already replaced pretty much everything else already...