Doesn't have to be clashing,grinding noises in the front diff if the roller cage just has a crack in it. Awd can be intermittent, same as you'd have with a grounding problem.

 

well, I am thinking I might just pull the diff and check things out. Before I do that I want to run this by you. According to the diagram R/W wire out of the switch (#11) goes to pin 2 in the speedo. I have 12V to the pin whether the awd switch is on or off. Shouldn't my voltage drop off if the switch is turned off? Wire #43 which comes off the same spot at the switch as #11 goes to the, is it drawing voltage off there... is that why I am seeing voltage with the switch off? I was thinking I could run a wire from the r/w wire to the awd coil direct, bypassing the speedo altogether.

 

Have you jumped the awd brown/white ground ground wire to the brown wire in the speedo harness or to a better common ground area? This is was what most people do to by pass the speedo in the first place when awd is erratic.

 

Ok, so I might have had this figured out for some time now but didn't realize it! I pulled the 16 pin and provided a better ground and the awd kicked with the switch, however turning the switch off didn't shut it off, until I put it in reverse. Put it back in fwd and it is off until I switch it on. Will the awd not turn off until it is shifted in reverse?

 

Should kick the awd symbol off from the display when you shift to neutral from drive position. If it doesn't,then think the problem is still either in the 16 pin speedo connector or wiring as far as the display is concerned. At least you have the awd engagement narrowed down to a ground fault as most have found out.