Auto 4wd mode in D40?

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GunMentalGrey

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Our R51 Pathfinder STL has an extra setting in the 4wd switch for 'auto'. Today as I crept up a steep section of road in the wet in 2nd gear in the Nav losing traction every time I put some power, almost reaching for 4wd, I wondered what would be required to add the extra mode.

I assume there would be some sort of viscous coupling in the transfer case plus electronics to go with it. Did they install that option in later model D40s? Would it be possible to install the mod? Pretty unlikely I'd ever do it, but the mind wanders a bit while travelling on the freeway a bit later on.
 
I am fairly sure the transfer cases up to 2013 are the manual variety. Beyond that I haven't climbed underneath to find out what they have. They can be placed in 4HI (from 2WD) at any time and the transfer case will engage the front drive line as soon as it can, but 4LO is restricted to when stopped (in neutral with foot on brake). That's a necessary evil, because the gear ratio inside changes from 1:1 to 2.6:1 and the gears might be destroyed if the vehicle is moving - unless there's some sort of clutch/fluid drive like you suggest, although that will increase the size of the transfer case considerably.
 
I suppose I could have a look under the pathfinder, but the auto box is going to be different to the manual in the Nav for a start. I had a quick Google and couldn't find an interior shot of a Nav 4wd selector that I could see 'auto' on, so o don't know if it was included in a Nav at all.
 
The transfer cases on the autos and manuals should be identical. They just bolt onto the back of the gearbox. The gearboxes themselves aren't specific to Navara/Pathfinders either. The RE5R05A box, for example, can be found not only in the Navara/Pathfinder but also the Nissan 350Z, XTerra and some Titan models, and the Infiniti (Nissan up-market) range as well as the Kia Sorento. The manual box (FS6R31A) is similarly shared around, most particularly with the 350Z.

So have a look underneath - if the transfer cases look the same then I have no answer, but there's a good chance that if the Pathy's TF is larger, you have your answer.
 

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