ThisIsChadd

I got an XJ AW4 with 160K+ miles and the fluid looks horrible. Doesn't smell too bad... looks like ash tray juice tho. deff not good. This is my daily. So, I don't wanna do anything risky. I have no idea when It was changed last (if ever). Should I change fluid and filter or just filter and start saving for a new tranny?

jpz

I would change it.

xjsnake

Drain the pan, fill with fresh. Drive a tank of gas, repeat. Keep doing this till it's pinkish red.

Dex/Merc III NOT ATF+4

Vincenza V

Did my 99' tranny filter and fluid at 163K. No problems what so ever (accept dropping a few pints of used tranny fluid all over the driveway-cheap SOB's at Jeep that refused to put in a drain plug. Do yourself a favor and buy the LARGE metal drip pan from Wallyworld for $15, then use a LARGE (read wide) bucket over that.


***EDIT, it was our Ranger I was thinking of. The XJ DOES have a drain plug, DOUGH!!!***

dmill89

Huh??? My XJ has a trans drain plug and so does every other AW4 I've ever seen.

xjsnake

Both of mine have drain plugs as well

salad

Change the fluid. You can even use the drain plug on the AW4!

There's a screen inside of it that in some circles is called a filter. It can be cleaned and really is there to prevent large debris from hitting the pump. It's not like the oil filter on your engine, though.

cruiser54

Never seen an AW4 without a drain plug.

Good advice from XJsnake. Drain and fill. Drain and fill.

ThisIsChadd

Also, I seem to slip first gear, ONLY on startup. If I let idle for a min or if im just cutting it off for a moment its fine. Its only if I start and put in drive immediately. I was thinking its the thick nasty fluid working its way throu...?

DDfammobile

no point in drain fill drain fill if you arent gunna do the filter too. at this point you are probably clogged anyways. drain, drop pan, change filter and clean pan, reinstall and fill. if its your daily is drain fill once a week for a month after the initial... im a tranny guy. just saying

DDfammobile

if you wanna get crazy you could pull the valve body and clean it out too. becareful with the check ***** tho

cherokeelaredo'90

X2 just drain and change the filter first then drain from the drain bolt till it's red in color. That's what I did when I first got the jeep from the po

DDfammobile

at 165k i WOULD NOT have it power flushed. you will kick up all the fine particles in there and clog your valve body which will stop the flow of fluid and kill your tranny. just take your tie over a few weeks and do it. roughly 4 qts each drain and fill. more the first time when you drop the filter

cruiser54

It's a screen and not a filter. The AW4 was designed for only drain and fills.

Nowhere, ever in the maintenance info is there mention of changing the screen.

salad

Yep. Cleaning it is described as a trouble shooting step, but not even maintenance.