zim

The wife's 96 country is having a hard time deciding weather to stay in ODrive or third. It does this back and forth shift gyration about five times instead of going on and staying in OD. Also, after topping a hill and beginning down, it will downshift out of OD when it should be coasting along in overdrive. Any thoughts?

downs

What's fluid look like? Might want to test solenoid resistances. You can do it from the TCM plug under the dash before pulling the trans pan.

lawsoncl

By OD, you mean 4th gear? Just asking as many people confuse the final rpm drop when the t/c locks up as OD. The two shift solenoids are off in 4th gear, so a bad shift solenoid shouldn't cause it to downshift when it should be in 4th. Bad shift solenoids usually manifest as starting in 4th gear or skipping over 2nd. The torque converter solenoid could be bad. While driving along at a steady speed on the highway, lightly press the brake pedal with your left foot and you should see the rpm jump a bit as it unlocks. If it doesn't jump, I'd test the sensor at the brake pedal (which tells the trans computer to unlock the t/c) and measure the resistance of the t/c solenoid. Also test the throttle position sensor (TPS) as that goes bad and can cause the trans computer to shift oddly and unlock the t/c if it thinks you're flooring it. Also verify the throttle body to trans cable is adjusted correctly. It's not a "kickdown" cable and doesn't control when the shifting occurs like the old school non-electronically controlled transmissions. It controls the hydraulic pressure in the trans and shift firmness and if way out of adjustment can cause poor shifting.

In terms of likelyhood, I'd say TPS sensor, brake pedal switch, then bad t/c solenoid.

zim

Funny you would ask that. The fluid is a the right level but looks old and thin. No bad smell, but is most definitely a bit past time for fluid and filter change. Has lost most of it's good color.
That will be first order of events. thank you.

zim

I suppose I may mean 4th gear rather than OD. This particular vehicle does not read "4th" on the shifter console but rather has the high position marked "O". Are you saying that position may actually be 4th and overdrive? You lost me a bit on that but I will pull out my Chiltons and see if I can figure it out fully. Also-- the throttle body to trany cable has in( my opinion) to much slop. It has about 3/8 of an inch of excess cable rather than being nice and snug against it's stop. Hmmmmmm? I rarely drive this rig being as it is my Wifes go to town vehicle, ( it has never been defiled with a saws-all, or junkyard parts) So this shifting mystery kinda snuck up on me. Thank you much for your help on this, it looks like it will be one of those process of elimination repairs until it's right.

00t444e

4th gear is overdrive.

lawsoncl

The AW4 tranny has 4 gears. 4th gear is referred to as overdrive since the gear ratio is lower than 1 (0.75 or 0.709 depending on the year) and the output is spinning faster than the input. Sometimes people interpret the torque convert locking up and the rpm dropping again as the final upshift and refer to that as "overdrive". So what they might be describing as a shifting problem is really a torque converter lockup issue, or vice versa.

I'm betting on the TPS in your case. They are mechanical much like an old-school volume **** and do wear out. They also really don't like getting wet. An analog multimeter is the best to check them, but a digital one will also work.

Info on testing the TPS:
https://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/...st-tps-610386/

Some info on adjusting the throttle-tranny cable (althoughhe incorrectly calls it a kickdown cable)

zim

Good info here. Thanks guys I am presently working on it. Will post more findings shortly. zim

DFlintstone

Seems thou are in great hands here zim. I'm a bit of a klutz, hence flintstone. Such a booger to reach or even see, but that second switch, (white one?), on the brake pedal, can and does unlock the TC on that AW-4. If "closed" is locked that would mean if the switch or the wires to fail to connect/close the circuit,, the TC would unlock. Just guessing. Wires or there connections are usually the problem.
(it's important that it unlocks if you hit the break)