Locker Position Sensor Potting - DANA 44

[roaniecowpony]

Since my front locker hasn't worked since I had a shop regear it, I figure it's a fair chance it's a workmanship issue. But, I was hoping it was a failed sensor and bought the Z Automotive Jumper. It didn't work. I also noticed there was a bit of oil in the connection where the harness plugged into the axle.

So, I bought a new bulkhead connector for the front. I'll also open up the cover and see if there's something obvious.

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[CharlieVictor]

Interesting. Are you running in 4-hi-auto regularly? My front was much cleaner when I did mine, but I hadn't done much off-road driving before opening it up.

Yes, it's usually in 4H auto, which I assume is why

 

[Left Field]

Thanks to this write up, I got this done on my 2023 4xe last weekend at 10K miles. I was surprised at how dirty the front diff fluid was; from reading here I expected the front to be cleaner than the rear, but they were about equally dirty on mine. Both axles had stuff accumulated on the little magnets as well, but the sensors themselves were still dry. One disappointing discovery was that the axle drain plugs have been removed from both axles now. Thanks to the OP for putting this together!

Interesting. Are you running in 4-hi-auto regularly? My front was much cleaner when I did mine, but I hadn't done much off-road driving before opening it up.

Interesting to hear about the front showing similar fluid degradation. Just did front & rear differential drain & fill on my 2021 at 15,000 miles. Both sensors were dry (and are now potted, thanks @chevymitchell ).
The front fluid looked like new, the rear was fairly dark. A little bit of sludge on the magnets. No 2-Hi option so its in 4-Auto most of the time. About 2000 of the miles were off-road, but still usually in 4-Auto unless conditions warranted P/T.

 

[SW Florida-Hank]

Greeting everyone, just trying to be pro-active since I haven't taken delivery of my 24 Willys I ordered. But when I searched the MOPAR web site for these Locking Position Sensors I got something that appears to be significantly different from OP's pictures. Did they change the format or did I just look up the wrong part number? Thanks

 

[Tank the Jeep]

Greeting everyone, just trying to be pro-active since I haven't taken delivery of my 24 Willys I ordered. But when I searched the MOPAR web site for these Locking Position Sensors I got something that appears to be significantly different from OP's pictures. Did they change the format or did I just look up the wrong part number? Thanks

Locker position sensors are a Rubicon only part. Unless Jeep is putting electronic selectable lockers in Willys now.

 

[chevymitchell]

Locker position sensors are a Rubicon only part. Unless Jeep is putting electronic selectable lockers in Willys now.

The new Willy’s has a locker in the rear.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Nothing to lose...

So I remove the whole cap.

Then hosed it out.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I'm going to let it dry out overnight (condensation from contact cleaner evaporation), then install it without the sensor cover or the diff cover and hook it all up and see if I can get it to work, before pursuing potting it. Besides, the neighbor just asked if we're having happy hour.??

 

[roaniecowpony]

Ended up the sensors were not bad it was the rear harness after they changed both axles front harness and controller then the tried the rear harness after they dropped the tank and it worked

M2S,
I just spotted some damage to my front harness last evening as I was cleaning up for the night. Not sure if my sensor is bad or the harness is breached, just yet. But it's likely. Any idea of the part number for the front harness?

 

[roaniecowpony]

I couldn't stand it, so I went out and looked at the harness in my PJs this morning.

This is what I found. The harness looks repairable, but, it could be damaged along the length as well. I spotted a part number tag on it and went ahead and ordered the harness.

 

[roaniecowpony]

So, no joy.

I changed the chassis side harness, cleared the codes and still got a flashing light and no locker engagement (checked by jacking it up while running.)

Then I installed the Z Automotive jumper and the light flashed and then went out. I then jacked it while running and tried to rotate the tires. The fronts went opposite directions like an open diff.

I have changed the chassis harness, the axle pass-through (bulkhead) connector and then used the Z Automotive jumper to no solution.

I'm really starting to believe the shop that did the re-gear did something bad to the locker solenoid/actuator. To make matters worse, I can't locate the solenoid/actuator in any sales parts list.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I get power to the actuator internal harness and no function of the electro magnetic solenoid actuator.

Update: it's working. I put power to it with jumper cables and pigtails. It started working. Must have had a small short that burned off with the higher current, I dunno.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I opened the rear diff tonight and removed the sensor. It was completely full of gear oil. One tiny air bubble. Like the front sensor, I carefully tapped around the cover and removed it to clean inside as good as possible. I drilled an 1/8" hole in the bottom to clean under the circuit board and to facilitate potting it. After cleaning with contact cleaner, I warmed the oven to about 150f to to dry out condensation from the cleaner evaporation. I left it in the oven for maybe 15 mins. I'll also use the oven to cure the epoxy.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I didn't even bother to drill holes in the cover. I filled the small dog leg area from the cover side, then put the epoxy injector in the underside hole and filled it while holding the cover side up and level, until epoxy came up around the circuit board, then kept filling until it was bulging and about to overflow. Then I quickly put the cover on and flipped it cover side down on some wax paper on cardboard. The bottom cavity where the hole was drilled got filled and the whole thing went into the oven at 150f ish.

I'm just trying to keep it under 200f during the cure, not for the epoxy, but for the electronics. The epoxy would love a 2hr/250f cure, with ramp down steps to 150f for a few hours, and then to ambient.

 

[roaniecowpony]

After about 30 mins at 150f ish, it tacked up pretty well and I pulled it out to clean off the errant epoxy. An exacto knife and some brake cleaner on a paper towel worked well. I left the fillet that had formed around the cover lip. I concentrated on getting the areas where it had to register and the connector barrel and that slot where it goes around the other part on the coil. Then back in the oven at 150ish for a few hours. Maybe just leave it in there with the residual heat and the oven off, overnight.

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