88 Jeep XJ front axle won't engage!!!

hey everyone... i'm looking for some help. last week i had a rebuilt
grooms engine put in my 88 jeep cherokee pioneer. i waited until
tonight to take it offroad because i wanted to let the engine break in
a bit first. so, i get all the way to the bottom of a giant hill only
to find out that my front axle won't engage when i put it in 4wd. i
don't think it's my transfer case because it still changes the ratios.
for instance, when i put it in 4 low, the real axle gears down, just
the front one won't come on. my question is basically, is this a
transfer case or differential problem? also, could it be a simple fix
(maybe something the shop forgot to hook back up when they dropped my
new engine in?) any input would be much appreciated! btw, my other
buddies xj pulled me up the incline just fine. gotta love a jeep!

thanks in advance!
james morrow

The shop forgot to hook up the vacumn line from the engine to the
transfer case or they dislodged the connector on either the
transfer case or the front axle. Worst case is that they crimped.
cut, or broke one of the hard plastic vacumn lines. On that year,
I'd just get a new vac harness for $35 at the dealer.

James Morrow wrote:

> hey everyone... i'm looking for some help. last week i had a rebuilt
> grooms engine put in my 88 jeep cherokee pioneer. i waited until
> tonight to take it offroad because i wanted to let the engine break in
> a bit first. so, i get all the way to the bottom of a giant hill only
> to find out that my front axle won't engage when i put it in 4wd. i
> don't think it's my transfer case because it still changes the ratios.
> for instance, when i put it in 4 low, the real axle gears down, just
> the front one won't come on. my question is basically, is this a
> transfer case or differential problem? also, could it be a simple fix
> (maybe something the shop forgot to hook back up when they dropped my
> new engine in?) any input would be much appreciated! btw, my other
> buddies xj pulled me up the incline just fine. gotta love a jeep!
>
> thanks in advance!
> james morrow