Noticed this connector hanging from...well, not even sure if it was two wires, two vac tubes, or one of each... visible as I returned to my truck in a parking-lot the other day. It apparently was once routed to the rear/top of the auto transmission. I just tied it up to keep it from getting further damaged, but forgot about it until now (yet...driving the truck hasn't 'told me' there's any new problem?)

[I guess I'm going to post this without the *absolutely-vital photos*, since no one has responded to my separate complaint that the photo-uploader stalls at 90% each and every time - for about a week at least now.]

 

That should be the vacuum connector plug for the transfer case, that routes vacuum to the CAD when 4wd is engaged

 

Wow...no photo needed! Winner!

I was into that CAD stuff about ten years ago (or at least that's at least how long it feels) and can only recall that I was happy to find that there was a simple hack for SOMETHING that was clearly going on in mine. It worked like a charm, and I'd all but forgotten even DOING it until your post.

So for bonus points, what was it that I did?

Whatever it was, it seems to me it simplified the operation of the CAD - maybe it was getting stuck in 4WD? So now I'm thinking that same hack made it irrelevant that this vac connector came out...anyway, I use 4WD every day to back up my driveway, and nothing has changed about its functionality.

 

I shoulda checked my ancient threads...I'm guessing that fallen connector is why I ended up disabling the CAD, as described by 'NHDiesel' in this thread, c. 2005, resurrected 2016, and now again.

If I wanted to reverse that old hack (because I'm not sure that somehow it's not responsible my front tires wearing out before my very eyes), how hard should it be to plug that connector back in, by feel, or maybe with a smartphone camera, etc? Still I'm thinking its missing something - doesn't look like it would stay put, with what's left - looks more like an otoscope - the funnel-shaped illuminated scope that they poke into your ears before they tell you they've never seen anything so terrifying...

(You know what this forum needs? A way for people to post pix...)