Auxiliary Transmission Cooler or not?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 934
Likes: 282
From: PA
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Just use the test port in the side of the transmission...
stock transmission cooler?
I used one of those but I drilled a hole in the transmission pan so that the drain plug could still be used to drain the pan. I have two temp sensors on my transmission one in the pan and one on the transmission test port. The fluid in the pan will generally stay at 180F if I let the vehicle ide 10 or so minutes after traveling a while on the highway the temps in the pan will reach 200F. The temp in the transmission test port normally reaches 260-280F. I check the transmission fluid condition every time I add fuel and it has remained in good condition. I change the fluid every 30k miles.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/pe...9/#post3604227
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/pe...9/#post3604227
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 514
Likes: 15
From: South Georgia
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0l
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 934
Likes: 282
From: PA
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Makes sense... Mine runs around 160F -180F at the test port with a B&M 70268 plumbed after the radiator. It gets up around 220F when powering up the side of a PA mountain and about 250F when pulling a trailer with a few thousand lbs up that mountain.
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 4,365
Likes: 1,215
Year: 1989
Model: Comanche (MJ)
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,533
Likes: 349
From: District of Columbia
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Under those conditions are you generally in D with the TC locked in 4th, D with the TC unlocked in 3rd, or 3 with the TC locked in 3rd?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 934
Likes: 282
From: PA
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
"Powering up the side" is in D with the TC unlocked in 3rd; let's go...
Pulling the trailer in 3, with the TC, I believe, unlocked. Just giving it the right amount of gas to keep it from downshifting; it'll pull it just fine...
Pulling the trailer in 3, with the TC, I believe, unlocked. Just giving it the right amount of gas to keep it from downshifting; it'll pull it just fine...
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 578
Likes: 159
From: Indiana
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 578
Likes: 159
From: Indiana
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 130
Likes: 5
From: Coarsegold, CA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I Added
warning light when the temperature got to 220.
Good time to change trans filter
Last edited by windlover; Jun 25, 2022 at 07:23 PM. Reason: Service trans
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 23
Likes: 3
From: Wilkes Barre
Year: 1995,98,01
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
It doesn't really matter where you put the sensor as long as it gives you acculturate information. When you drive it it and check the gauge you can see what "normal" is and compare that to wheeling or pulling a trailer transmission temps.
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,816
Likes: 725
Year: 96
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
My '96 has one in the test port.
It shows quite a lot higher temp, as it measures much closer to pump and TC than a pan or line mounted gauge
As others have said, temp is the killer, its hot around here, and most AW4 do not last beyond 200k miles
In winter, (5 to 20C) temp is not an issue at all
I have a larger external cooler, which is a must, if you tow in temps that exceed about 75F
If you look at online charts, high temps halve your trans life. It is not wise to run over 230F. I will stop my vehicle to cool down if that happens
My engine does not overheat
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 578
Likes: 159
From: Indiana
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
I'll probably swap my NP231 for a 242 while I'm at it.
And heck, I may as well do the engine rebuild, lol.
That's how my life goes with this Jeep. One ginormous snowball!
